The Bach Motets may be easy on the ear but they're a tough
sing. That's the point John Eliot Gardiner is making with the
image of high wire artist Philippe Petit on the cover of this
disc. We will have to take his word though, because the Monteverdi
Choir make them sound like child's play. The choir's repertoire
covers an increasingly broad range of Renaissance and Baroque
music, but few other works demonstrate its exceptional talents
as vibrantly and concisely as this series of miniature masterpieces.
Instrumental playing and vocal solos are kept to a minimum here,
but there is no shortage of variety in the choral writing. Nor
indeed in the choral singing, and although the performance stays
well within Gardiner's historically-informed stylistic boundaries.
The subtle gradations of tempo, dynamic and timbre ensure continuous
variety and interest across the disc's generous 70 minute span.
The album is taken from live recordings made at St John's Smith
Square in October 2011. Gardiner and his choir have recorded
in dozens, even hundreds, of fine church acoustics, so they
know what they are looking for. Even though Gardiner fields
a large choir for the Bach Motets, the relatively dry acoustic
of St John's turns out to be ideal. There is atmosphere aplenty,
but the detail of the sound is clearly a more important concern
for the performers. Delicacy and precision characterise the
choral singing in every track. The balance between the voice
groups allows every detail of the counterpoint to shine through.
The basses sometimes sound a little weak, although support from
the continuo group (cello, double bass, bassoon, organ) ensures
the balance is retained. In fact, the discretion of this support
is one of the many wonders on the disc. Listen, for example,
to the opening of Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf,
where the chamber organ makes its presence felt, but using registers
so close to the human voice that it quickly blends into the
choral sound and disappears.
The singers give a real questing quality to all the counterpoint,
as if they are exploring these intricate textures for the first
time. Their approach to the homophonic textures is just as sophisticated.
So, in Furchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir, the chordal
setting is presented with impressive dynamic gradation, building
up the volume across the movement, but also creating subtleties
of shading and nuance between each of the individual phrases.
The size of the choir means that emphasis, when required, can
be placed using only the weight of the sound, without recourse
to heavy accents. That is a particular benefit in 'So nun der
Geist des' from Jesu, meine Freunde, where the music
itself is considerably more elegant than the consonant-heavy
text. Not that the words are overlooked, rather each line is
presented with clarity and emotion, but without ever a hint
of sentimentality.
The cover has occasioned some controversy, but few could complain
about what is to be found within. The disc comes in a hardback
booklet style case, which includes the texts, facsimile pages
from the autograph score and an insightful eight-page essay
from Gardiner himself. An impressive package all round then,
and one that deserves the highest praise. Not that any is necessary
given Gardiner's reputation when it comes to Bach.
Gavin Dixon
see also review by John
Quinn (July 2012 Recording of the Month)
Full track list
"Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden" BWV 230 [6:18]
"Komm, Jesu, komm" BWV 229 [8:59]
"Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf" BWV 226 [7:22]
"Jesu, meine Freude" BWV 227
1. Jesu, meine Freude [1:02]
2. Es ist nun nichts Verdammliches [2:36]
3. Unter deinem Schirmen [0:59]
4. Denn das Gesetz des Geistes [0:52]
5. Trotz dem alten Drachen [2:11]
6. Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich [3:06]
7. Weg mit allen Schätzen! [1:02]
8. So aber Christus in euch ist [2:02]
9. Gute Nacht, o Wesen [3:41]
10. So nun der Geist des [1:23]
11. Weicht, ihr Trauergeister [1:17]
"Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir" BWV 228 [8:39]
"Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" BWV 225
1. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied [4:21]
2. Wie sich ein Vater erbarmet [9:07]
3. Lobet den Herrn in seinen Taten [3:09]
"Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn!" BWV Anh.III 159
[4:16]
Monteverdi Choir/John Eliot Gardiner 