These are the days of miracles and wonders; not only are there already two complete recordings of all Bach's cantatas -- the greatest body of sacred music since the Renaissance -- but there are more cycles in progress. But while it is indeed wonderful to have so many recordings of so much great music available, there are drawbacks to each cycle. The
Gustav Leonhardt/
Nikolaus Harnoncourt cycle features some of the best performances ever recorded -- those by
Leonhardt -- along with some of the worst -- those by
Harnoncourt. The
Helmut Rilling cycle features some of the best solo and choral singing along with some of the worst playing and conducting.
Ton Koopman's nearly completed cycle is always well-played, almost always well-sung, usually moving, often affecting, but sometimes more than a little eccentric.
Masaaki Suzuki's continuing cycle is always impeccably played and affectingly sung, always gracefully conducted and warmly interpreted, and almost always deeply moving and profoundly spiritual. In Volume 27 of
Suzuki's series, the performances by the orchestra and chorus of the Bach Collegium Japan are strong, supple, subtle, and inspired in the truest sense of the word. Recorded by BIS in Kobe in transparent sound, this disc demonstrates once again why, when it is finished,
Masaaki Suzuki's cycle of Bach's cantatas may be the best ever recorded.