Johann Sebastian Bach(1685-1750)
          Leipzig Chorales

Leipzig Chorales, BWV 651-667
Hanssler 92.0979(2 Discs)
Recorded October 1999
Wagner Organ in the Nidaros Cathedral at Trondheim(1741)
Bine Katrine Bryndorf, Organ
TT 84:16

Leipzig Chorales, BWV 651-668
Motette 12391(2 Discs)
Recorded July 1999
Trost Organ of Waltershausen(1740)
Cristina Garcia Banegas, Organ
TT 102:58

Leipzig Chorales, BWV 651-668
Raven 520(2 Discs)
Recorded September 1999
The Organ at Lanholtskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland(1999)
Peter Sykes, Organ
TT 89:27

There's a little history to the Leipzig Chorales that needs relating.
These pieces were conceived during Bach's Weimar years and later revised
toward the end of his life.  At the time Bach passed away, only 15 chorales
were in his own hand.  Two additional chorales were arranged by his
son-in-law Johann Christoph Altnickol.  The 18th chorale was never intended
for the Leipzig series and was left incomplete after the first 26 bars.
Given these circumstances, Bine Katrine Bryndorf, a young Danish organist,
decided to omit BWV 668 from her recording.  Regardless of historical
accuracy, I find Bryndorf's decision an odd one which can only dampen
sales of the set.

Cristina Garcia Banegas is Professor of Organ at the University Music
School of Montevideo and also directs the vocal ensemble "De Profundis".
Banegas has even conducted Bach's St.  Matthew Passion.  Peter Sykes has
a number of recordings to his credit including an organ transcription of
The Planets by Holst; he is currently Director of Music at First Church in
Cambridge, an instructor at the Longy School of Music, and a member of the
faculty at the New England Conservatory.

For comparison purposes, I'm using the complete sets from Hans Fagius on
BIS, Christopher Herrick on Hyperion, Peter Hurford on Decca, Werner Jacob
on EMI, Kevin Bowyer on Nimbus, Ton Koopman on Teldec, and Lionel Rogg on
Harmonia Mundi.  In addition, a few other recordings of selected chorales
will be used when applicable.

Fantasia super Komm, Heilger Geist, BWV 651 - Majestic and driven in
nature, this Pentecostal tribute to God is an energetic Fantasia with
a sixteenth figure stretching upward throughout the piece; the cantus
firmus is in the pedal.  The contrast between the sustaining pedal and
the sixteenth figure is totally compelling, and I think of BWV 651 as an
explosion of life's energy and spirit.  For this explosion to be fully
effective, the sixteenth figure must be well-defined and projected on a
continuous basis as it weaves its way through the music's fabric.

The Hurford and Rogg versions are my favorites; each has incisive detailing
of the sixteenth figure and each explodes into my psyche.  Bryndorf gives
one of the fastest performances I know and could be viewed as a 'race to
the sun'; there were a few times when I thought that Bryndorf might lose
her grasp on the rhythm, but she manages to hold it together.  The reading
is rather low on majesty, and there's nothing special about the detailing
of the sixteenth figure.  Overall, Bryndorf is in the middle of the pack.
The same applies to Peter Sykes who is also quite fast and low on detail.
I do want to emphasize that Bryndorf and Sykes give very exciting
performances.

Cristina Garcia Banegas is very slow with formidable majesty; at no time is
the performance sedentary or lacking forward momentum.  Although I still
prefer Rogg and Hurford, Banegas is a fine alternative.

Komm, Heilger Geist, BWV 652 - A second setting of the same chorale and
melody as BWV 651, this piece is a mediation having a courtly sarabande
rhythm.  There is also a ceremonial element, and the embellished melody
needs to ring out.  This is such interesting music as Bach miraculously
injects subtle diversity within a precise contrapuntal architecture.
Timings of various recorded versions range from under eight minutes
from Herrick and Bowyer to the eleven minute reading of Werner Jacob.

The quicker versions tend to be emotionally 'light' and possess little
of the meditative aspect.  However, Herrick is a fine choice for those
preferring a quick performance; his flow is smooth and enticing.  Peter
Sykes is even faster than Herrick, clocking in at seven minutes.  Although
quite enjoyable, the performance is too light with no time to meditate,
savor, or much of anything else.  This music offers more than Sykes seems
to believe it does.

With the speedy folks out of the way, let's concentrate on some great
peformances which I break down into the intimate and the ceremonial
categories.  There's not a better intimate version than from Hans Fagius;
his meditations are deeper and more incisive than anyone else's.  For a
ceremonial performance, the very slow Jacob is exceptional; he never drags
as he takes us to the heart of royal proceedings.

Benegas and Bryndorf join Fagius and Jacob at the top.  Benegas is even
more intimate than Fagius.  Not quite as incisive, she offers the most
soothing and lovely version I know.  Bryndorf is essentially a quicker
version of the Jacob model; she's absolutely majestic and strong.  I should
add that each of these four versions has an irrestable pulse and strongly
delivered embellished melody.

An Wasserflussen Babylon, BWV 653 - Also having a smooth sarabande rhythm,
this piece is Israel's lament for being exiled to Babylon.  As with most
laments, I tend to have a problem with very slow performances unless they
have some majesty injected.  Banegas is very slow and intimate; although
lovely, it seems to go on forever.  Peter Sykes shaves a minute off the
Banegas reading without losing one iota of sadness and grief; his flow
prohibits any dragging quality.  Bryndorf is on the quick side and very
effective, although her chorale melody is disappointing in its lack of
vibrancy.

Overall, I find that Sykes is in the same high position as Albert
Schweitzer on Pearl, and they provide excellent contrasts:  Schweitzer is
majestic, Sykes is intimate.  Unlike in the first two Leipzig chorales, Mr.
Sykes holds down the speed and creates stunning results.

Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654 - Similar to the previous chorale
arrangement in having a smooth sarabande rhythm and ornamented melody; BWV
654 has the cantus firmus in the soprano and is about as beautiful a piece
of music as Bach wrote.  Again, I find the most pronounced difference among
the various versions to be the initmate vs.  ceremonial approach.  Bine
Katrine Bryndorf is absolutely majesterial as she constantly streches to
music to reach comfort and peace.  The slowly moving and heartfelt Sykes
and the even slower Benegas give intimate portrayals which must yield
slightly to the more poignant Peter Hurford.

Update:  I feel I'm getting a fairly good idea of the approaches used by
Bryndorf, Sykes, and Banegas.  If any of them is going to inject ceremony
and stature into the music, it will be Bryndorf.  She also has a
wonderfully distinctive organ at her command.

Peter Sykes started off too fast but has certainly slowed down in the last
two chorale arrangements.  His readings are on the intimate side and create
some mystery and lovely phrasing.  Banegas is also quite intimate and as
slow paced in these works as any other recorded artist.  Both Sykes and
Banegas perform on exceptional instruments well suited to their styles.

Trio super, Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 655 - This piece
provides a nice contrast to the previous two; it is quick, light in
texture, bouncy, and relatively exuberant.  Two of my favorite versions
are from Herrick and Rogg.  Herrick has delightful registrations and an
infectious rhythm; Rogg, with a relatively full texture, makes the music a
swirling and joyous experience.  Bine Katrine Bryndorf joins this twosome
with an effervescent performance sounding as if the trumpets are heralding
in a new dawn.

Sykes performs very well without leaving any particular memories.  I do
have memories of the Banegas reading.  Her texture is paper-thin with
little exuberance exhibited; also, mechanical noises from her organ are
quite pronounced.  This is the first performance from Benegas which does
not fully satisfy.

O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV 656 - In three verses, this may well be
the most spiritually uplifting chorale in the set.  That's definitely how
Koopman plays the work - very slowly at over nine minutes with a soaring
and intense faith.  Although under seven minutes, Rogg applies the same
approach as Koopman although with less intensity and majesty.  Peter
Hurford speeds things along to the tune of under six minutes; majesty goes
out the window but is replaced with an irresistable rhythmic flow and high
excitement.

Peter Sykes, using an average tempo, takes the majestic approach very
effectively, but there's more substance to Koopman's performance.  Cristina
Garcia Banegas is as slow paced as Koopman but more relaxed and soothing
than soaring; it's a nice reading that misses some of the ardor of the
music.  Intensity is what I find lacking in Bryndorf's reading, sounding
a little like a run-through.  Sykes is the best of the three, but Koopman
reigns supreme.

Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 657 - A glorious tribute to God, exceptional
versions range from Hurford at four minutes to Koopman and Weinberger at
five apiece; their common bond is to fully convey the music's majesty,
ceremony, brashness, and jubilation.  Versions like Werner Jacob's, Lionel
Rogg's, and most others have contours which are too rounded to bring out
the work's special character.  This also applies to the smooth readings
of Sykes and Banegas.  Ms.  Bryndorf is a step up in sharpness although
her fast tempo tends to make me feel she takes the subject too lightly.
None of the three versions comes close to the best available.

Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BWV 658 - The cantus firmus is in the
pedal with the three manual voices engaging in dimunition; this can create
quite a throbbing rhythm.  Hans Fagius gives a workmanlike performance with
minimal throbbing and thin textures; his urgency is low and I frankly find
the performance on the inconsequential side.  Switch to Kevin Bowyer and
hear a steady throbbing and greater poetry as well.  Bowyer and Fagius each
take about three minutes to perform the piece; Herrick extends to four
minutes with reduced throbbing and increased melancholy.  It's a fine
approach which rivals the Bowyer reading.  Another excellent four minute
plus performance comes from Peter Hurford which is more optimistic and kind
than Herrick.

The above sets the stage for our three subject artists.  One would think
the Banegas version to be in the four minute category, and she does follow
through accordingly.  Her reading is also soft-toned and intimate; any
sense of fervor is slight as is my response to the performance.  To my
ears, Banegas is no more substantial than Fagius.  Sykes is also quite
intimate but does introduce some pathos.  Bryndorf ushers in a throbbing
rhythm, but she bounces around in too light a manner which continues a
similar treatment displayed in BWV 657.  She needs to dig deeper into the
music.  As with BWV 657, there are no prize performances from the three
new issues.

Update:  Bryndorf was breezing along well ahead of Sykes and Banegas, but
the last two chorales find her surprisingly glib from the view of emotional
depth.  Still, I have been enjoying her performances more than those from
the other two artists.  Both Sykes and Banegas tend toward more intimate
and softer performances which often miss the grandeur of Bach's music.

Part 2 will cover the remaining chorales of the Leipzig series.  I must
say that the listening experience has been great.  These chorales are among
Bach's finest and also possess a greater range of diversity than most of
his other chorale treatments.

Don Satz
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