Johann Christian Bach(1735-1782)
         Sacred Vocal Works

Salve Regina
Laudate pueri Dominum
Si nocte tenebrosa

CPO 999718 - Recorded 1999
Vocalists  - Emma Kirby, Mark Schafer.
L'Orfeo Barockorchester
Michi Gaigg
TT 61:05

Summary for the Austere Record Collector: Not on your wavelength

The music on yet another J.C. Bach recording from CPO is easy to enjoy,
easy to review, and easy to forget.  These are sacred works, but you'll
be hard pressed to find anything sacred about Bach's music.  The three
works remind me very much of opera arias and a little of Mozart's opera
arias.  So don't let the texts fool you; there's no religion or significant
spritual uplifting on the disc.  The music *is* expertly crafted with fine
melodies which keep coming with each track.  However, I leave the listening
room with no motifs or passages in my head.  It's light stuff all the way,
and that's my basic complaint with the music.  There's too little contrast
in mood and style; only tempo among the arias changes significantly.

Unlike his dad, J.C.didn't write music to Lutheran text but to Latin text
because he converted to Roman Catholicism; such are the trials of having
children.  J.C. also composed music which bears little resemblance to his
father's.  Some learned people consider him the first classical-era
composer; these three vocal works are certainly in the classical camp.

As for the performances, they are very good.  Emma Kirby has the honors in
the Salve Regina and shares duties with tenor Mark Schafer in the Laudate
pueri Dominum; Schafer goes it alone in the Si nocte tenebroso.  It all
sounds quite politically correct.  Kirby displays her customary white voice
which, on this recording, sounds much better at a high volume level; the
same applies to Schafer.  Loud volume is required for their voices to
convey any richness.  Mr. Schafer, although not as lyrical of voice as
Kirby, holds his own rather well.  The orchestra and conductor give fine
performances; perhaps a little more application of nuance would lift the
music to a higher plane, but that's debatable.  Recorded sound is excellent
with fine crispness, clarity, and balance.  The vocalists are not forward
of the orchestra, and that's a major advantage.

Don's Conclusions: Not an essential acquisition.  Other Bach works such
as his keyboard concertos display more diversity of emotion and are more
distinctive.  However, when in the mood for a disc of upbeat arias, this
CPO release will likely satisfy.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]