Ton Koopman

When this recording was released in 1996, the words most often used to describe it were "luminous" and "radiant." The adjectives fit: the choir and orchestra have a glowing sound that makes the chorales in particular wondrous to hear. The most extroverted choruses and arias lack the extra measure of vigorous excitement of John Eliot Gardiner's performance, but Koopman's tender approach is beguiling. What's more, his male soloists are marvelous: bass Klaus Mertens is sensitive and energetic in equal measure; Christoph Prégardien manages the fearsome tenor arias easily and his singing of the Evangelist's recitatives strikes a fine balance between vocalism and narration. Lisa Larsson's soprano and Elisabeth von Magnus's contralto have a purity suggestive of the teenage boys for whom Bach wrote (though one sometimes hears a youthful fragility in the voices as well).

Antonius Gerhardus Michael Koopman, known professionally as Ton Koopman, is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir.

Als die Bachforschung Mitte der 80er Jahre beweisen konnte, dass nicht Die Kunst der Fuge, sondern die Zusammenstellung der H-Moll-Messe Bach in seinen letzten Lebensjahren beschäftigt hat, rückte der theologische Aspekt im Schaffen Bachs, den man zwischenzeitlich als in den späten Leipziger Jahren zunehmend bedeutungslos sehen wollte, wieder ins Zentrum der Betrachtung. Freilich besteht die Messe zum größten Teil aus schon vorher in anderen Zusammenhängen komponierten Einzelteilen, aber sie erfuhren zum Zeitpunkt der Kompilation teilweise grundlegende Umgestaltung. Zumindest das "Et incarnatus est" ist jedoch eine sehr späte, möglicherweise sogar die letzte Komposition Bachs. Sie steht in der Messe neben dem "Crucifixus", der Kontrafaktur eines Satzes aus der frühen Kantate BWV 12: Frühe und späteste Schichten im Schaffen Bachs fügen sich völlig bruchlos aneinander.

Bach's 200 existing cantatas (100 more have been lost) represent one of music history's most remarkable achievements. The first volume in Erato's ambitious but much-needed traversal of the complete canon contains nine cantatas from Bach's early career. Except for "Christ lag in Todesbanden," these are lesser-known works, yet that doesn't mean they are of lesser quality. Here are some of Bach's most compelling choruses, accompanied by colorful and ingenious instrumental writing. Highlights abound, including the appendices that reproduce Bach's revised versions of cantatas 4 and 21. The choral singing is excellent: sensitive and agile, with unforced tone.

Koopman may not be my Bach hero, but as an organist and harpsichordist he has few equals. If you happen to know his fantastic recording of Handel's organ concerti (as an organist and conductor of his Amsterdam orchestra), you know what to expect from this Haydn release. Koopman's playing is as spontaneous and exciting as it was with Handel (the Handel disc, as far as know, is out of print - what a pity!) - he is obviously enjoying himself!

For a long time Baroque and Bach specialst Koopman wanted to record this masterpieces of Bach and now was the time to do it! Recorded in the trusted and beautiful-sounding Walloon Church in Amsterdam. My recording of Bach’s harpsichord partitas was a long time in coming. The main reason was a lack of time (recording Bach’s complete organ works, complete cantatas and Dieterich Buxtehude’s Opera Omnia required much time and attention). Another factor was my respect for these masterpieces by Bach – they are not something to just fit in between other projects. I already had plans to record them in the 1990s, for Erato, and now that I finally am able to, it is for my own label.

Four of J.S. Bach's more sorrowful cantatas featuring solo bass voice are featured here. The first two, Ich habe genug, BWV 82, and Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56, have doleful, slow-opening arias balanced by consoling central arias, and both close with morbid sentiments – "Ich freue mich auf meinen Tod" (I Look Forward to my Death) in the former, and "Komm, o Tod" (Come, oh Death) in the latter. The third cantata, Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158, has a tender opening aria offset by a mournful closing chorale. Only the fourth cantata, Amore traditore, BWV 203, with its dance-like opening aria and bravura closing relieves the mood.

The 18th set of Bach's cantatas contains exclusively works of the third yearly cycle from Leipzig. Unlike the first two Leipzig yearly cycles, this one extends over a longer period: from June 1725 until 1727. The works in this set belong essentially to the years 1725-26 and are in some cases chronologically contiguous (BWV 187 and 45; BWV 98, 55, 52), with the result that the original sequence can be easily grasped.

Georg Philipp Telemann - Chamber Music
The Amsterdam Baroque Soloists / Ton Koopman
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 290 MB | Full Artwork: 61 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Erato # 4509-94355-2 | Country/Year: France 1994
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque, Chamber Music

…The confirmation of Telemann’s remarkable musical and stylistic diversity which this album provides should make it popular with collectors.