By the time this performance of
Bach's St. John Passion was recorded in 1996, the strict lines dividing the rigorously historically informed performance practice movement and more contemporary practices had sufficiently blurred to allow both approaches to be blended to excellent effect by the masterly conductor
Stephen Cleobury. The sensitive but robust
Choir of King's College, Cambridge, the vigorous Brandenburg Ensemble of
Roy Goodman, and the soloists -- soprano
Catherine Bott, alto
Michael Chance, tenors
John Mark Ainsley and
Paul Agnew, and basses
Stephen Varcoe and
Stephen Richardson -- offer up skillful and dedicated performances all. Extra value for fans of the composer comes in the form of five alternative movements from an earlier version of the work. Excerpted from Brilliant's complete
Bach edition, this St. John Passion deserves a hearing from fans of the work who might otherwise avoid budget releases. The sound is deep, round, and reverberant.