John Eliot Gardiner - Bach Cantata Pilgrimage

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John Eliot Gardiner & Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists
Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 13

P-13	Bach Cantatas Vol. 13: Köln/Lüneburg For the 1^st Sunday in Advent For the 4^th Sunday in Advent
CD-1: Cantatas BWV 61 [15:06], BWV 62 [19:33], BWV 36 [30:26] CD-2: Cantatas BWV 70 [22:59], BWV 132 [17:40], BWV 147 [28:07]
John Eliot Gardiner
Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists
CD-1: Soprano:Joanne Lunn; Counter-tenor: William Towers; Tenor: Jan Kobow; Bass: Dietrich Henschel CD-2: Soprano: Brigitte Geller; Counter-tenor: Michael Chance; Tenor: Jan Kobow; Bass: Dietrich Henschel
Soli Deo Gloria 162		CD-1: Dec 3, 2000 CD-2: Dec 10, 2000	2-CD / TT: 134:22
Live recordings from the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage: CD-1: St. Maria im Kapitol, Köln, Germany. CD-2: Michaeliskirche, Lüneburg, Germany. See: John Eliot Gardiner - Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 13 Buy this album at: 2-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| ClassicsOnline

NEW GARDINER VOL. 13

David D. Jones wrote (November 4, 2009):
As always, I am an unabashed fan of Maestro J.E. Gardiner's work and have nothing but praise for the latest release. It is always interesting to compare and contrast the SDG recordings with those made under the auspices of Archiv before they bailed; Gardiner manages to find fresh beauties, more luminous textures and infinitely deeper understanding with each re reading. Compare his readings of BWV 36: In the later recording on his own label, the florid vocal lines are lighter and more agile, the raucous, brilliant trill in the soprano more accurate and dazzling. Although Nancy Argenta (the classic Gardiner soprano soloist) and Petra Lang are very fine in the chorale duet "Nun Komm", the darkness of mezzo-soprano Lang's voice leaves the duet rooted to the earth, whereas the ethereal countertenor of William Towers and the silvery, vibratoless soaring of Joanne Lunn give this piece the mystical touch it needs. Soprano Lunn also wrests the palm from Argenta in the haunting final aria, floating pure moon beam like tendrils of tone. In BWV 61, somehow, Gardiner finds and even more stern and majestic tempo for the opening grave of the first chorus. LOVELY!

Ed Myskowski wrote (November 4, 2009):
David D. Jones wrote:
< It is always interesting to compare and contrast the SDG recordings with those made under the >auspices of Archiv before they bailed >
I share the enthusiasm for the Gardiner Pilgrimage releases on SDG, but I think it is important to keep the technical details in mind. It is my understanding that the entire project was recorded by Archiv in the year 2000, but that they subsequently withdrew from commercial release after the first few issues, leaving the recordings available to Gardiner. The releases on SDG are ongoing, nearing completion, but the actual performances are all from the 2000 Pilgrimage. If I am correct (comments to the contrary welcome), then the comparisons David refers to are in fact between concert performances in 2000 and earlier studio recordings, all recorded by Archiv.

There is a minor bit of duplication of the Pilgrimage recordings on DGArchiv and SDG, I have not thought to try to make comparisons of these. In any event, that is not the case for BWV 36, which David specifically referenced: that is a 1992 studio versus 2000 concert (Pilgrimage) comparison.

In fact, the engineering challenges of the Pilgrimage recording effort must have been as great as the artistic challenges. The superb results are a team effort, including the engineers, whether Archiv or other. We can only hope that they will ultimately be recognized, unless that has already been done and I have overlooked it.

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 4, 2009):
Ed Myskowski wrote:
< It is my understanding that the entire project was recorded by Archiv in the year 2000, but that they subsequently withdrew from commercial release after the first few issues, leaving the recordings available to Gardiner. >
I think JEG and his ensemble or Monteverdi productions had to buy the Archiv recordings, which wasn't cheap. I think Ton Koopman did this with his Erato / Warner Bros Classics recordings; and I've often wondered why the AAM and Christopher Hogwood do the same for their aborted Haydn symphonies cycle, which only needed to record Haydn's last 20 symphonies to be completed, which oddly enough were the most commerically viable symphonies!

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 4, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< I think JEG and his ensemble or Monteverdi productions had to buy the Archiv recordings, which wasn't cheap. >
By this I mean the cantatas that were recorded for the live church concerts.

I also meant "I wondered why AAM / Chris Hogwood did NOT buy back from Decca Classics, or finish on their own label in a manner similar to JEG and Koopman, their incomplete Haydn project.

Sorry about the garbled English--- it's late ;)

Muniini K. Mulera [Toronto] wrote (November 4, 2009):
[To Ed Myskowski] I am looking forward to the latest Gardiner SDC release. I have enjoyed the series from the Pilgrimage as much as I have enjoyed Maasaki Suzuki's series. I cannot quite make up my mind which of the two I would keep if I had to choose only one, though I think I give the slight edge overall to the Suzukis.

We live in a wonderful era, having the luxury to choose between great performances of this beloved music in excellent sound.

Ed Myskowski wrote (November 4, 2009):
Kim Patrick Clow wrote:
< I think JEG and his ensemble or Monteverdi productions had to buy the Archiv recordings, which wasn't cheap. >
Thanks for pointing this out, and for confirming (or sharing, at least) my impression that Archiv did all the recording. I have no idea of the terms, so I went with the vague made available. I did not mean to imply that they were free, or even a bargain.

Randy Lane wrote (November 7, 2009):
[To Ed Myskowski] I think some of you may be interested in a comment from Monteverdi productions that was made at the time of this latest release (this was in the email they sent to those who "subscribe" to their distribution of the Pilgrimage releases):

"It seems amazing that we made it so far with the releases of the cantata pilgrimage: we have four more volumes recorded in 2000 and we are planning to release them all next year, to cethe 10th anniversary of this amazing year. But that will not be the end: after that we are planning to licence the four concerts recorded by Deutsche Grammophon during the year 2000, and then to complete the collection by recording the Ascension Cantatas (which we could not record in 2000 in Salisbury Cathedral) and the few cantatas for no specific occasion, so there will still be plenty of Bach to come in the next few years!"

Kim Patrick Clow wrote (November 7, 2009):
Randy Lane wrote:
< "It seems amazing that we made it so far with the releases of the cantata pilgrimage: we have four more volumes recorded in 2000 and we are planning to release them all next year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this amazing year. But that will not be the end: after that we are planning to licence the four concerts recorded by Deutsche Grammophon during the year 2000, and then to complete the collection by recording the Ascension Cantatas (which we could not record in 2000 in Salisbury Cathedral) and the few cantatas for no specific occasion, so there will still be plenty of Bach to come in the next few years!" >
Thanks for that Randy. I know that JEG had to cancel an engagement in Poland (that was mentioned on the DVD) and I think they wanted to give a concert in Russia as well, but I don't think any concrete plans developed. I guess with Ascension Sunday, they couldn't find a replacement venue quickly enough. Judging from the documentary (and a conversation I had with one of the performers), it was really quite a challenge to keep a schedule and all the logistical planning required for traveling etc. This recording project is a remarkable achievement, considering how many years Harnoncourt and other Bach cantata projects required, and JEG and his ensemble and soloists did this in a year's time.

I heard JEG conduct Haydn's "The Creation" at Carnegie Hall last month, and it was just fantastic ;)

Thanks again for the head's up about the new recordings!

Ed Myskowski wrote (November 7, 2009):
Randy Lane wrote, in reply to my exchange with Kim:
< I think some of you may be interested in a comment from Monteverdi productions that was made at the time of this latest release (this was in the email they sent to those who "subscribe" to their distribution of the Pilgrimage releases):
"It seems amazing that we made it so far with the releases of the cantata pilgrimage: we have four more volumes recorded in 2000 and we are planning to release them all next year, to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of this amazing year. But that will not be the end: after that we are planning to licence the four concerts recorded by Deutsche Grammophon during the year 2000, >
This implies that DG was not responsible for the rest of the recording, but I wonder. There are in fact four Pilgrimage CDs originally RELEASED on DG, and not included in the 28 Vol. SDG set scheduled for completion in 2010. I believe it these four that Gardiner refers to. I believe there is already a bit of overlap between actual Pilgrimage releases on DG and SDG.

To further mislead the unwary, DG released several CDs subtly labeled Pilgrimage, but which were in fact not so. I guess mislabeled is more accurate than subtly labeled. You figure it out. I believe this is all pretty well documented in the BCW archives, but I did not recheck at this instant. I have tried to figure this all out long after the fact, so I am certainly not the best source of information, only the most persistent and loquacious.

Note that Vol. 13, including cantatas for the First Sunday in Advent, would have been the ideal recording to accompany the beginning of our round three discussions, liturgically oriented, beginning in Jan. 2009. I suggested as much in advance, only to realize when the time came that Vol. 13 had not yet been released. Now, in Nov. 2009, we come to the Sundays after Epiphany, conveniently arranged on SDG Vol. 18. Alas, not yet released! One of the four scheduled for 2010 to complete the series.

Fear not, come Dec. 2009, SDG Vol 19, including three cantatas for the Second Sunday after Epiphany, IS available. Not too soon to begin preparation for that. For the following years, the SDG set should make the ideal accompaniment to our discussion schedule, as well as good listening, as I suggested a year ago. Better late than never.

This is my promised post re Vol. 13, combined with the opening reply to Randy.

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Last update: Friday, October 21, 2022 04:50