Actus Tragicus: Bach Cantatas BWV 106, 150, 131, 12
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Label: Alpha
Cat No: ALPHA258
Format: CD
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Vocal/Choral
Release Date: 18th November 2016
Contents
Works
Cantata BWV12 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen'Cantata BWV106 'Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit' (Actus tragicus)
Cantata BWV131 'Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir'
Cantata BWV150 'Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich'
Artists
Vox LuminisConductor
Lionel MeunierAbout
The year ends in fine style with a programme of cantatas by J.S. Bach performed by Vox Luminis. The Belgian group directed by the bass Lionel Meunier is now acknowledged as belonging among the world’s elite vocal ensembles, especially for its interpretations of German Baroque sacred music. Its recording of works by the ancestors of J.S. Bach on Ricercar (RIC347) won many awards. Vox Luminis now tackles Johann Sebastian himself, in a programme of cantatas composed in 1707/1708, which are thus among the composer’s earliest. Notable among them is the poignant cantata ‘Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit’ (‘God’s time is the best of all times’) BWV 106, also known as the ‘Actus tragicus’, which was composed for a funeral ceremony. Bach was therefore just twenty-two years old when he wrote this cantata, which opens with a deeply moving dialogue for recorders and continues with the equally fervent chorus ‘Gottes Zeit...’.
Sound/Video
Paused
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1Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': I. Sonatina
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2Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': II.a. Chorus 'Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit'
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3Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': II.b. Arioso 'Ach, Herr, lehre uns bedenken'
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4Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': II.c. Aria 'Bestelle dein Haus; denn du wirst sterben'
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5Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': II.d. Chorus 'Es ist der alte Bund'
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6Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': III.a. Aria 'In deine Hände befehl, ich meinen Geist'
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7Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': III.b. Arioso & Chrorale 'Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradies sein'
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8Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit in E-Flat Major, BWV 106 'Actus Tragicus': IV. Chorus (Chorale) 'Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit'
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9Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: I. Sinfonia
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10Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: II. Chorus 'Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich'
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11Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: III. Aria 'Doch bin und bleibe ich vernügt'
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12Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: IV. Chorus 'Leite mich in deiner Wahrheit'
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13Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: V. Aria 'Zedern müssen von den Winden'
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14Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: VI. Chorus 'Meine Auden sehen stets zu dem Herrn'
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15Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150: VII. Chorus 'Meine Tage in dem Leide'
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16Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir in G Minor, BWV 131: I. Chorus 'Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir'
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17Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir in G Minor, BWV 131: II. Arioso & Chorale 'So du willst, Herr, Sünde zurechnen'
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18Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir in G Minor, BWV 131: III. Chorus 'Ich harre des Herrn, meine Seele harret'
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19Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir in G Minor, BWV 131: IV. Aria & Chorale 'Meine Seele wartet auf den Herrn'
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20Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir in G Minor, BWV 131: V. Chorus 'Israel hoffe auf den Herrn'
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21Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: I. Sinfonia
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22Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: II. Chorus 'Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen'
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23Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: III. Recitative 'Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal'
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24Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: IV. Aria 'Kreuz und Kronen sind verbunden'
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25Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: V. Aria 'Ich folge Christo nach'
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26Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen, BWV 12: VI. Aria 'Sei getreu, alle Pein & VII. Chorale 'Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan'
Europadisc Review
In recent years, the number of complete Bach cantata cycles available to listeners has blossomed healthily, ranging from the revered Harnoncourt-Leonhardt set (itself now something of an historic document) to boxes from Koopman, Gardiner and Suzuki. Yet even with so many comprehensive surveys on offer, single releases of selected cantatas can still provide some of the most satisfying performances. Several discs from the Ricercar Consort and Philippe Pierlot (on the Mirare label) are a case in point, and now Vox Luminis under the inspired direction of the ever-genial Lionel Meunier give more food for thought. Vox Luminis are more familiar from their forays into slightly earlier repertoire, with their disc of Heinrich Schütz’s Musicalische Exequien (a worthy winner of Gramophone’s 2012 Recording of the Year) and, more recently, a double album of early motets by the Bach family. All of this proves excellent grounding for tackling some of JS Bach’s earliest cantatas which grace this latest CD.
The album takes its title ‘Actus tragicus’ from the apocryphal nickname of Bach’s early funeral cantata BWV 106, ‘Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit’, but there is more of solace and reassurance than tragedy to this sublime multi-section work. With its light scoring of pairs of recorders and violas da gamba, and just single voices, this is chamber-scale music-making, lending a true consort feeling to the performance. Meunier himself plays the recorder here, and there’s a natural, unaffected delicacy to the performance, even in the bass aria ‘Bestelle dein Haus’ (Tomáš Král on fine form) and the final song of praise, ‘Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit’, a shade more languid than in rival performances.
Like BWV 106, the cantata ‘Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich’, BWV 150, is an early work, very likely composed when Bach was still only in his early twenties. Against the occasional compositional slips has to be weighed a real maturity of expressive line, not least the final chaconne chorus, whose bass line was ‘borrowed’ by Brahms for the closing passacaglia movement of his Fourth Symphony. This is an exceptionally vivid performance, so that one quite forgets how sparse the instrumental scoring is. The three-voice aria ‘Zedern müssen von den Winden’ is particularly memorable here, the accompanying figuration bursting out as cedar trees are buffeted by the tempest.
Earliest of all the works here is the great ‘Aus der Tiefen’, BWV 131, another continuous multi-section piece whose expressive depths are sensitively probed tenor Reinoud van Mechelen and bass Sebastian Myrus in their respective arias. Here, as in the other cantatas, the textural weight is provided not by a violone but by a proper pipe organ, a 2013 Dominique Thomas instrument after the great Gottfried Silbermann. It makes all the difference, both here and in the final work, the slightly later ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Sagen’, BWV 12, whose exquisitely pained first chorus was later used by Bach as the Crucifixus of the Mass in B minor. This is a performance of real insight, with singing of great technical assurance and expressive involvement, complemented by the febrile tones of Jasu Moisio’s oboes. And how wonderful to hear the final tenor aria with a slide trumpet obbligato!
Even those with complete cantata cycles swelling their shelves should investigate this latest addition to the Bach cantata discography as a matter of priority, while for novices there could be no better place to start. These are recordings which make one wonder anew at the accomplishments of the young Bach, and offer new perspectives on familiar works. Beautifully recorded and presented, it’s a must-have disc.
The album takes its title ‘Actus tragicus’ from the apocryphal nickname of Bach’s early funeral cantata BWV 106, ‘Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit’, but there is more of solace and reassurance than tragedy to this sublime multi-section work. With its light scoring of pairs of recorders and violas da gamba, and just single voices, this is chamber-scale music-making, lending a true consort feeling to the performance. Meunier himself plays the recorder here, and there’s a natural, unaffected delicacy to the performance, even in the bass aria ‘Bestelle dein Haus’ (Tomáš Král on fine form) and the final song of praise, ‘Glorie, Lob, Ehr und Herrlichkeit’, a shade more languid than in rival performances.
Like BWV 106, the cantata ‘Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich’, BWV 150, is an early work, very likely composed when Bach was still only in his early twenties. Against the occasional compositional slips has to be weighed a real maturity of expressive line, not least the final chaconne chorus, whose bass line was ‘borrowed’ by Brahms for the closing passacaglia movement of his Fourth Symphony. This is an exceptionally vivid performance, so that one quite forgets how sparse the instrumental scoring is. The three-voice aria ‘Zedern müssen von den Winden’ is particularly memorable here, the accompanying figuration bursting out as cedar trees are buffeted by the tempest.
Earliest of all the works here is the great ‘Aus der Tiefen’, BWV 131, another continuous multi-section piece whose expressive depths are sensitively probed tenor Reinoud van Mechelen and bass Sebastian Myrus in their respective arias. Here, as in the other cantatas, the textural weight is provided not by a violone but by a proper pipe organ, a 2013 Dominique Thomas instrument after the great Gottfried Silbermann. It makes all the difference, both here and in the final work, the slightly later ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Sagen’, BWV 12, whose exquisitely pained first chorus was later used by Bach as the Crucifixus of the Mass in B minor. This is a performance of real insight, with singing of great technical assurance and expressive involvement, complemented by the febrile tones of Jasu Moisio’s oboes. And how wonderful to hear the final tenor aria with a slide trumpet obbligato!
Even those with complete cantata cycles swelling their shelves should investigate this latest addition to the Bach cantata discography as a matter of priority, while for novices there could be no better place to start. These are recordings which make one wonder anew at the accomplishments of the young Bach, and offer new perspectives on familiar works. Beautifully recorded and presented, it’s a must-have disc.
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