A wonderful recording
in all respects! Although a modern instrument
band, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra
performs expertly in an historically
informed manner. Actually, the only
feature missing from what we would expect
from a period instrument band is the
pungency of baroque stringed instruments.
Crisp attacks, minimal vibrato, buoyant
rhythms, glowing warmth and beauty of
form and tone inform these performances
at every turn and very much remind me
of the interpretations of Masaaki Suzuki
in his exceptional on-going cycle of
the Bach cantatas.
Of course, the quality
of the solo alto is crucial in these
sacred works, and I am happy to report
that Marianne Beate Kielland passes
the test with flying colors. She has
a dark-hued, husky, and tonally attractive
voice that is highly expressive, determined,
and decorated in sensuality. Best of
all, Kielland excels in conveying the
rhetorical nature of the recitatives.
Her voice does not have the tonal purity
of alto Yoshikazu Mera for the Suzuki
cycle, but her range and depth of expression
are much greater than Mera's. Kielland
is a young Norwegian vocalist who has
risen quickly in reputation since graduating
in the spring of 2000 from the Norwegian
State Academy of Music. She now tours
Europe regularly with leading orchestras
and chamber groups, while her recorded
discography also includes Bach's St.
Matthew Passion and his Mass in
B minor. Kielland should have a fantastic
career ahead, and I am eager to hear
more from her.
BWV 170 - Bach composed
this cantata for the Sixth Sunday after
Trinity, 1726. The text, written by
Georg Christian Lehms, contrasts the
contentment of Heaven with the miserable
nature of life on Earth. Although a
mature work, this was the first cantata
where Bach used the organ as an obbligato
instrument having an independent role.
The opening aria is
a spiritually uplifting piece in D major
replete with gentle rocking from the
lower voices that gracefully supports
the beautiful legato melody from the
first violins and oboe d'amore. The
Cologne performance conveys a fine comfort/security
and complete emotional satisfaction
that are enhanced by Kielland's confident
singing. The mood then becomes nasty
in the recitative where Kielland gives
us a laundry list of the vile aspects
of the human condition. I love her lecturing
tone; Kielland's voice has a personality
that knows what it wants, works hard
to achieve goals, and expects others
to do the same.
The middle aria is
in F sharp minor, considered the Baroque
key of distress. Here, the 2-manual
organ takes two primary melodic lines,
greatly enhancing the haunting and disorienting
nature of the music. Organist Wiebke
Weidanz performs splendidly, and Kielland
makes me shiver when she sings "I tremble,
yea, and feel a thousand torments".
The following recitative accompagnato
restores an environment of optimism,
introducing the final aria in D major
that affirms the victorious journey
to heaven.
From this first work
on the disc, it is clear that Müller-Bruhl
and company have the measure of Bach's
sound world and emotional content. Also
clear is that Kielland is among the
best of the current crop of altos in
portraying the range and depth of emotion
found in Bach's cantatas. That she does
so with delectable tonal properties
is a lovely bonus.
BWV 54 - Whereas BWV
170 contrasts heaven and life on earth,
BWV 54 pits steadfast faith against
the Devil. Having only two arias framing
a recitative, it is one of the shortest
cantatas Bach composed. However, it
is also one of his richest and most
compelling works, the great warmth of
the first aria complemented by the severity
and thrust of the 4-part fugue of the
second aria. Kielland continues to impress
as she switches with complete conviction
from comforting refrains to austere
declarations. Also, Müller-Bruhl
is an excellent director, imparting
a spiritual glow to the first aria and
a rock-steady determination to the second.
BWV 169 - Generously
scored for three oboes, strings, obbligato
organ and bass continuo, this extended
cantata has two arias, two recitatives,
an arioso, opening sinfonia and concluding
chorale. Unlike the previous two cantatas,
BWV 169 does not thrive on contrasting
themes. Instead, Bach offers us joyous
music-making where security and love
are the dominant themes. The opening
sinfonia, also used in Bach's Harpsichord
Concerto in E major, is an excellent
example of Bach's portrayal of the exhilaration
of life and faith, and Müller-Bruhl's
buoyant interpretation leaps out of
the speakers. In the chorale, the only
one on the disc, Bach's arms are stretched
outward to envelop, protect, and enlighten
all who enter his sound-world.
BWV 200 - This Aria
is all that remains of a lost cantata
that was composed about 1740 for the
Feast of the Purification. The text
is a tribute to the Lord and ends with
"the Lord is the light of my life".
For comparison, I listened to the Gardiner
version on Archiv Produktion, and Müller-Bruhl
easily takes top honors. Although the
text well accommodates an exuberant
musical approach, Gardiner's four-minute
reading sounds drab and lifeless compared
to Müller-Bruhl's vibrant account
where the conversation of the two violins
is captivating.
BWV 53 - This programmed
aria is just one movement of a larger
mourning cantata. The music is gorgeous
and quite elegant, and Müller-Bruhl
invests it with a comfortable pacing
that "fits like a glove". Those not
familiar with this aria will likely
be surprised at Bach's use of bells,
a device he rarely employed in his compositions.
In conclusion, this
excellent disc is fully the equal of
my favorite period instrument recordings
by Suzuki, Gardiner, Herreweghe, Koopman,
Leonhardt and Rifkin. With sonics that
are crisp and appropriately rich, I
strongly recommend acquisition to both
period instrument and modern orchestra
enthusiasts. The sole drawback is the
lack of texts, but these can be downloaded
from the internet and should not factor
strongly in one's decision to purchase
such a splendid set of performances
at super-budget price.
Don Satz
see also review by
Goran
Forsling and Kevin
Sutton
Marianne Beate Kielland (alto) 
