Bach: Cantatas Vol 16: For the Sunday after Christmas BWV225 BWV152 BWV122 BWV28 BWV190

"The latest release in the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage brings four works for the days after Christmas, prefaced by the double-choir Motet, BWV225, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, a setting of the opening of the same text as the New Year's Day Cantata, BWV190, which rounds off the programme. The remaining three works are all for the first Sunday after Christmas. The grouping has abundant variety. For Sir John [Eliot], the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists this concert in St Bartholemew's, New York was a very special occasion marking the final stage of the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage that had set out from Weimar just over a year earlier. It was now New Year's Eve 2000, and as Gardiner tells us in the ever-informative notes that accompany each CD in the series, Manhattan was experiencing its first seasonal snowfall for five years.

The programme begins with a stunning account of the greatest of Bach's motets, with ideal balance between the exultant rejoicings of the opening and closing sections and the reflective calm of the middle section. The first cantata is Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn (Weimar 1704), an invitation to the believer to concentrate positively on the stone which, cast aside by the builders, is chosen by God to be the cornerstone, and a warning to avoid the stone as stumbling-block. This is very much a chamber piece: a delicately scored fugal Sinfonia, and just soprano and bass soloists (Gillian Keith and Peter Harvey at their most eloquent) and four solo instruments (recorder, oboe, viola d'amore and viola da gamba) plus continuo.

Das neugeborne Kindelein (1724) brings a concise evocation of the mood of Christmas and New Year and deftly emphasises the leading role of the chorale melody and chorale text. With recorders and oboes to the fore, the image of the coming together of men and angels has a familiar pastoral touch. The bass (the ever-excellent Harvey) is kept busiest of the soloists, but the most magical number is a trio for soprano (here it is Katharine Fuge), tenor and choral alto line. Another brief, imposing piece is Gottlob! nun geht das Jahr zu Ende (1725), the only one of these works to employ four solo voices (Joanne Lunn sings her opening aria with charm and poise; Daniel Taylor maintains the high standard of the altos in this CD series). The weight falls on the extended second movement, a mighty choral, and the brief closing chorale of praise.

These more lightly-scored works are in strong contrast to the exuberant, richly scored final cantata, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (1724), which has three each of trumpets and oboes, along with timpani, bassoon and strings. Much of Bach's score is lost, thus requiring sensitive editorial hands. The result, with the obbligato in the lovely duet 'Jesus soll mein alles sein' given to Katherine McGillivray's viola d'amore, is deeply rewarding. The extended final chorale reunites all the instruments of the reconstructed opening movement: 'Let us complete the year with praise for Thy name', it begins. We who rejoice in Gardiner's Bach Pilgrimage recordings are aware that the CD is the evidence of its successful conclusion; now we must constrain our impatience that there are still so many volumes to wait for." (International Record Review)