Bach: Cantatas, Vol 13 (BWV 64, 25, 69a, 77, 50) /Concerto Palatino · Bach Collegium Japan · Suzuki

• Sämtliche Kantaten Vol.13

Amazon.co.uk If you've already discovered the delights of Masaaki Suzuki's fast-growing cycle of Bach's cantatas, you won't need any further prodding to persuade you to buy this one. If you haven't, what does this volume offer in particular? Well, the joy of discovery for a start, since none of the works here is particularly well known. Which is not to say they shouldn't be. Take the sublime opening chorus of No.25, or that of No.69a, a veritable paean to God's glory, with Bach dusting down the timpani and brass and giving them a field day. Then there's the swirling soprano aria in No.64, contrasting with the cosy alto aria that follows (Robin Blaze just gets better and better). Even Cantata No.50, a three-and-a-half minute fragment, is a truly impressive torso, an unstoppable fugal chorus building up to a glorious climax. The performances are well up to Suzuki's usual standards (ie, higher than anyone else's), a couple of soprano insecurities apart. Suzuki remains the most compelling of modern-day directors in this field, and the results here are as life-enhancing as ever. --Harriet Smith Product description BIS 1041; BIS - Svezia; Classica vocale sacra Cantate