Bach wrote BWV 37 in 1724; it was his first Ascension Day Cantata in Leipzig. Bach's life was going very well at the time, and the cantata displays a full joy of life. My comparison recording comes from Volume 9 of Koopman's Bach Cantata Series on Erato; the catalog number is 3984-27315. Koopman's vocal soloists are soprano Sibylla Rubens, alto Bernhard Landauer, tenor Christoph Pregardien, and bass Klaus Mertens. BWV 37 begins with a joyous chorus of strong forward momentum and galloping pace. The instrumental sinfonia of the chorus brings great pleasure which only increases with the entry of the singers accompanied by obbligato instruments. The tempos of each version make quite a difference; Gardiner clocks in at 2'17', Koopman at 2'40". Every time I played Gardiner first, Koopman would initally seem too slow, and vice versa. Ultimately, I favor the Gardiner for its greater excitement and galloping feature. Also, his faster speed does not reduce the grandeur of the music. Both choral groups do very well. The second movement is a moderate-paced tenor aria conveying great beauty and a serene satisfaction. The instrumental beginning features a delectable and pungent violin which provides both edge and satisfaction in abundance. Gardiner is leagues ahead of Koopman on this piece of music. Gardiner's violin is perfect, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson is superb in conveying the satisfaction and hope inherent in the music. Koopman has "reconstructed" the violin part, and he's made a relatively unmusical mess of it; I can't imagine what was going through his mind. Also, Christoph Pregardien, although an excellent vocalist, doesn't come close to Johnson's level; his deeper voice conveys little satisfaction or anything else I could detect. The third movement gives us a bouncy and playful Chorale for soprano and alto. Gardiner has the right amount of bounce and vitality; Koopman is a little too somber for my tastes. Also, although Koopman's Rubens is the best of the four vocal soloists, Bernhard Landauer doesn't sound very good and they are a poor match. Argenta and Chance aren't much on tonal beauty, but they blend together very well. Although this Chorale does not approach the mastery of the tenor aria, it has much to offer which Koopman's version does not find. As I was listening to the bass recitative, bass aria, and concluding chorale, I was thinking how Bach has such a talent for writing music which expresses so deeply his religious and spiritual beliefs and his sense of universal order. Klaus Mertens is the bass for Herreweghe, and he has a strong voice, perhaps too strong in the aria. Stephen Varcoe, of weaker voice, is at his best in the aria and better integrated with the orchestra. Also, Gardiner has preferable pacing. Both versions have excellent chorales. Overall, Gardiner has a strong advantage over Koopman. His vocal soloists are quite good, and Gardiner routinely has the measure of the cantata's musical conception. Koopman version is not at a very high level: the alto is weak, Pregardien is not at his best, Koopman's tempos and pacing could have been much better, and he is overly somber for the type of music. For BWV 128, Chance/Johnson/Varcoe are replaced by Robin Blaze, Christoph Genz, and Rheinhard Hagen. It's like tag-team wrestling, and the replacements are highly worthy. BWV 128 is a short cantata with some very arresting music. For me, the highlight is the duet for countertenor and tenor; it is lovely music of depth. Blaze is superb, and he blends excellently with Genz. I don't have any comparison versions, but I'm confident that Gardiner gives a fine performance. Don's Conclusion: This is a well-filled disc with three excellent performances and one that's not very good (BWV 43). The vocal soloists are much better than I would have expected, and Gardiner delivers readings which are typical of his style: quick/advantageous tempos, excellent instrumental support, crisp choral forces, and an occasional lightness which reduces the music's impact. This may well be the best disc in Gardiner's series to date. I give it a strong general recommendation; for Gardiner fans, this is an essential addition to your libraries. Don Satz [log in to unmask]