J.S. Bach: A Life in Music, Vol. 2 - The Weimar Years (1708-1717)

by Les Arts Florissants, Benjamin Alard

Overview

This 2025 release, which made classical best-seller lists in the spring of that year, is the second in a chronological series devoted to Bach's church cantatas by the venerable (and venerated) Baroque group Les Arts Florissants and conductor Paul Agnew. This is not a complete cycle of Bach cantatas but rather a series of albums placing music from a specific period, here, Bach's tenure in Weimar from 1708 to 1717, and exploring its context. This isn't common with Bach, partly because it is difficult to date some of the works, but it works quite well in a situation with selected pieces, as here. The performances by Agnew and Les Arts Florissants have a chamber-music quality, partly caused by the small size of the chorus (with just one singer, probably too little, added to each of the four soloists) but also by a highly expressive quality that reflects Bach's new encounter with Italian music during this period. Agnew's approach is expressive and closely rooted in the text. He is also including relevant works by other composers; the guest here is Telemann, who was not a Weimar-ite but, as the notes explore, knew Bach well. His breezy version of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, TWV 1:1178, with its swirling contrapuntal finale, makes a marvelous contrast with Bach's much soberer treatment of the same text. Les Arts Florissants stick around the Paris Philharmonie, which is a bit oversized for this music, but there are absolutely fresh ideas here that justify taking up these well-known works. One awaits Agnew's insights into later Bach cantatas and their situations. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	03/14/2025
Label:	HARMONIA MUNDI
UPC:	3149020951996

Tracks

1. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~I. Sinfonia
2. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~II. Coro. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen
3. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~III. Recitativo. Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal
4. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~IV. Aria. Kreuz und Krone sind verbunden
5. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~V. Aria. Ich folge Christo nach
6. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~VI. Aria. Sei getreu, alle Pein
7. Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 12~VII. Choral. Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
8. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV 1:1178~I. Chor und Rezitativ. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
9. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV 1:1178~II. Aria. Komm, Jesu, komm zu deiner Kirche
10. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV 1:1178~III. Rezitativ. Siehe, ich stehe vor der Tür
11. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV 1:1178~IV. Aria. Öffne dich, mein ganzes Herze
12. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV 1:1178~V. Chor. Amen! Komm, du schöne Freudenkrone
13. Choral. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
14. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~I. Ouvertüre. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
15. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~II. Recitativo. Der Heiland ist gekommen
16. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~III. Aria. Komm, Jesu, komm zu deiner Kirche
17. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~IV. Recitativo. Siehe, ich stehe vor der Tür
18. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~V. Aria. Öffne dich, mein ganzes Herze
19. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 61~VI. Coro. Amen! Komm, du schöne Freudenkrone
20. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~I. Sonata
21. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~II. Coro. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen
22. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~III. Recitativo. Siehe, ich komme, im Buch ist von mir geschrieben
23. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~IV. Aria. Starkes Lieben
24. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~V. Aria. Leget euch dem Heiland unter
25. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~VI. Aria. Jesu, laß durch Wohl und Weh
26. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~VII. Choral. Jesu, deine Passion ist mir lauter Freude
27. Himmelskönig, sei willkommen BWV 182~VIII. Coro. So lasset uns gehen in Salem der Freuden

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Paul Agnew   Primary Artist,Conductor
Les Arts Florissants   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Benjamin Alard   Primary Artist,Organ
Edward Grint   Bass (Vocal)
Miriam Allan   Soprano (Vocal)
Thomas Hobbs   Tenor (Vocal)
Maarten Engeltjes   Counter Tenor (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Andre Silbermann   Organ Maker
Samuel Campet   Technician
Martin Garnault   Assistant Engineer
Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
Dennis Collins   Text Translation
Stephanie Wollny   Liner Note Translation
Georg Philipp Telemann   Composer
Charles Johnston   Text Translation
Elise Harrer   Text Translation
Brigitte Hebert   Text Translation
Derek Yeld   Text Translation
Arnaud Moral   Editing,Artistic Director
Paul Agnew   Liner Notes
Johann Michael Bach   Composer
Susan McClary   Liner Notes
Laurent Cantagrel   Liner Note Translation
Florent Ollivier   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering