Ewald Arenz Herr Müller, Die Verrückte Katze Und Gott

This is perhaps the best recording of THE CREATION in the catalogue. Hengelbrock's conducting of a fine period-instrument orchestra is the most exciting since Bernstein's '60s recording; nothing is dainty or underplayed. The burst of light is truly thrilling, and all the descriptive passages are played for all they're worth (listen to the great bronx cheer from the brass at "Den boden druckt der thiere last"). The chorus is very good, if not quite in the class of Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir; but whereas Gardiner's recording had some casting weaknesses, here all the youngish soloists do good work, particularly the Uriel, Steve Davislim. The sound is mostly excellent, though once or twice the engineers seem to have trouble coping with choral climaxes (no distortion, though).

The J.S. Bach Foundation has embarked on a remarkable undertaking: over a period of some 25 years, the Foundation will perform the complete vocal works by Johann Sebastian Bach (16851750). Each month, one of the over 200 Bach cantatas is performed in the idyllic town of Trogen in Appenzell, Switzerland. With a rhythm of 12 cantatas per year, the project is estimated to conclude in the year 2030. All introductory workshops, concerts and reflection lectures on the cantata texts are recorded; the texts of the lectures are published in a continually expanding Bach Anthology. The main aim of the J.S. Bach Foundation's ambitious project is to provide a living Bach experience for today's listeners and to deepen our understanding of the great composer's works. The artistic director of the foundation is Rudolf Lutz, who rehearses and conducts all performances with the choir, orchestra and solo vocalists.