Customer Reviews

Bach: Cantatas Volumes 1-5 (75 Cantatas for Sundays and Feast Days of the Church Year)

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I believe I owe it to the period performance movement for making me feel like I am committing a sin when I don't listen to Gardiner's or Hogwood's Bach (or Handel, or any Baroque composer for that matter). If, say, I put in Shaw's recording of the B minor mass, or most certainly Klemperer's recording of the St. Mathew passion, I feel that I should somehow be ashamed for what I am doing. There may be some type of Freudian truth buried deep within my being ashamed; however, there has always been an exception to my modern instrument guilts. This is, of course, the Bach recordings of Karl Richter; and more specifically, Richter's immortal survey of the sacred cantatas (well, 75 of them anyway). I received this set as a gift when I graduated from college, and I have been constantly listening since. The music of Bach has meant more to me than any other composer, and the Richter recordings show Bach's true genius at full speed ahead.

Don't get me wrong, I love Gardiner's recordings of the B-minor mass and the St. Matthew Passion; and I do believe that period performance practice reveals a totally new dimension of Bach which can sometimes be overlooked (or, "glossed-over" as the case may be with Klepmerer and others of the like). However, any academic arguments favoring Gardiner over Richter are simply meaningless to me. As Glenn Gould said, its not the type of instruments used that count, but rather, a deep respect for the innate structures of the music; this is what's important,and to accomplish this he believed that we must get rid of the incorrect and outdated notion that by "glossing over" these structures, it somehow improves upon them. I think Gould is absolutely correct in saying its respect for the musical structures that counts most; this is the only duty incumbent upon interpreters of Baroque music (and especially Bach). With this in mind, how can Richter not be the supreme interpreter? Richter gives us Bach in the Bach tradition, and I believe that this is in no small part due to his deep understanding of the same Lutheranism which was in the mind of Bach when he wrote this glorious music. To quote yet another Bach authority, Albert Schweitzer once said "Only he who sinks himself into Bach's emotional world, who lives and thinks with him, [...] can rightly bring Bach's music to the listener". I can think of no one who fits the description quite like Karl Richter.

Well, all arguments aside, the music on these 26 [!] discs are absolutely unsurpassed. I was a bit worried before I received this set, as I knew that in Richter's latter years, he did seem to take various liberties with the scores (more specifically, a slowing of the tempi to the point that it takes us out of the Bach tradition). However, I can safely say that these rumored liberties are nowhere to be found in this set, just pure Bach. I wont dare try to single out notable performances of this massive set (I would be here all night, and I am sure you are becoming tired of reading this anyway). However, one cantata specifically stood out for me during my first few hours with the set (and has since stuck with me); this being BWV 132 (4th Sunday in Advent cantata). This specific cantata, can speak for the entire set in terms of the soloist supremacy above all other Bach cantata recordings (how can you go wrong with Edith Mathis, Anna Reynolds, Peter Schreier, and Theo Adam - with Ursula Buckel and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau elsewhere on the set).

So, finally, this set has exactly what I want in a survey of the cantatas - that is, the genius of J.S. Bach is in the driver's seat, not the conductors. While Gardiner has his moments (and when he does, they are fantastic), and Klemperer did at least get everyone talking about Bach again, I believe Richter's interpretations are the standard by which this music should be played and heard. This set is a landmark in the history of Bach recordings, and although quite expensive, it really should be in the collections of all lovers of music.


- By the way, the set comes in a large slipcover (as shown above by Amazon), with the five original fold-open cases inside; each made of an extremely sturdy, glossy-coated cardboard (as shown above by me [hopefully]). Each disc is in a paper sleeve.

I treasured these recordings as a music student in high school and college in the '70's. Although newer, 'historically correct' recordings were emerging, Richter's musicality, if one will, still attracted me to these Archive recordings. This set is a bargin considering all the music there is to digest. DG's remastering is excellent-the warm analog sound does not suffer what can sometimes be a strident digitized reincarnation. DG's engineers and hardware were always on the cutting edge and these recordings speak to that fact. Say what one will about the oddities of interpertation, there is music in evey bar. Before I began listening, I though that I should prepare myself to forgive Richer for his position in history and look the other way when so called historically inaccurate idioms presented themselves. Yes, they are there, but, the younger listener will be quite astonished to find amazing vitality and sweep of phrase and articulation. Richter's tempi are often suprisingly brisk. The roster of soloists speaks for itself. If you are a musician interested in the genesis of Bach interpertation, this set is a must-have. It is often said that many Bach conductors after Richter took up where he left off. This group of recordings is a testament to his influence. Bravo DG !

These performances may not get high grades from the professors, but Richter makes glorious music here. I owned most of these recordings on disc decades ago, and upon hearing them again was surprised at how deeply I was struck not only by the magnificent beauty of the interpretations, but also by the heartfelt commitment of the superb soloists. I have a zillion recordings of these cantatas, so go ahead and scoff, but Richter gets me closer to this music than anyone else. And what music it is! I hope I live long enough to listen to these 26 discs a thousand times.

We may only have 75 cantatas in this set, but I tell you that they are the best recorded, best performed and best interpreted. Unforgettable cast and famous historical series, full blooded sound and playing...but sadly incomplete due to Karl Richter's death :(

Beautiful packaging, in-depth liner notes and complete libretti inside each volume.

A remarkable achievement and enterprising endevour.

I don't need any other cantata cycle though...I consider it complete nevertheless.

Whether you are a fan of Karl Richter's interpretation of Bach's music or not, these Cantatas are worth listening to.

There are so many great solists that we can consider these recordings as historical.

It took some patience for me to get this 25-CD set, but I finally did and couldn't be more pleased with it. Karl Richter is one of the ALL-TIME GREAT Bach interpreters. The soloists are the best. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau never sang with so much sensitivity and refinement. Working with Richter brought out the best in him. Edith Mathis, Anna Reynolds, Peter Schreier, and ALL other soloists are equally outstanding. My only quibble with Richter is that he often puts LONG fermatae after each phrase of a chorale. Many Bach interpreters do this; others--Wilhelm Ehmann, for example--do not. However, once you accept this, you're in for an awesome experience. Richter's results are technically flawless and filled with mystic fervor. My feeble praise does not do him justice.

Absolutely Amazing! This is a superb masterpiece. But what can you expect from Bach? He never dissapoint you.