Recensies

CD-recensie: Bachmotetten

10.08.2008

This Dutch ensemble do well by Bach

Unlike the recent one-to-a-part disc by Trinity Baroque (Raumklang, 5/08), this is a choral version, and it includes the motet of which Bach’s autorship is doubtful. With its independent continuo part, Lobet den Herrn is certainly different from its stablemates; but, whoever the composer, it remains a fine piece.
Although the recording is dominated by the choir, Peter Dijkstra does make use of soloists: not only in Jesu, meine Freude but also in Singet dem Herrn. In the former, soloists are assigned to the trios, as you might expect, and they sing the repeated passages in “Es ist nun nichts” where Bach provides his own contrast by swapping the top parts round. “Gute Nacht” is treated as a solo number, with the chorale tune taken by the choir altos. This is too slow for my taste; on the other hand, the fugue “Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich” flows lightly and easily, and the speeds of the other movements are well judged.
In the middle section of Singet dem Herrn Bach gives the chorale to the second choir, while the first choir interrupts each line. Dijkstra points up the contrast by having the answering phrases sung by the soloists. If earlier on the chorus sopranos find the vigorous semiquaver runs a little challenging, they redeem themselves in the final “Alles, was Odem hat”. Bach’s technical wizardry is most apparent in the combination of chorale and fugue in Fürchte dich nicht. Dijkstra presents this with clarity and works up to a strong, affirmative ending. All in all, he and his choir have served the composer well.