Bach: Cantatas for Bass Matthias Goerne

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21:
• 1 I. Sinfonia 03:05
• Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56:
• 2 I. Aria. Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen 07:24
• 3 II. Recitativo. Mein Wandel auf der Welt 01:43
• 4 III. Aria. Endlich, endlich will mein Joch 06:29
• 5 IV. Recitativo & Aria. Ich stehe fertig 01:32
• 6 V. Choral. Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder 01:20
• Oboe d'amore Concerto in A major, BWV 1055R:
• 7 I. Allegro 04:22
• 8 II. Larghetto 05:19
• 9 III. Allegro ma non tanto 04:26
• Ich habe genug, BWV 82:
• 10 I. Aria. Ich habe genug 07:15
• 11 II. Recitativo. Ich habe genug! 01:09
• 12 III. Aria. Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen 08:23
• 13 IV. Recitativo. Mein Gott! wenn kömmt das schöne: Nun! 00:45
• 14 V. Aria. Ich freue mich auf meinen Tod 03:20
• Total Runtime 56:32

Info for Bach: Cantatas for Bass

In composing his cantatas for solo voice, Johann Sebastian Bach magisterially combined two elements that might seem irreconcilable: strict devotion within the framework of weekly Lutheran worship and vocal virtuosity, served by skilful highlighting of the voice. The result is a style in which the expression of the sacred Word is raised to a peak of intensity – notably when a voice like Matthias Goerne’s tackles these two famous cantatas for bass, giving them all the lustre of rare pearls!

In the autumn of 1726 Bach embarked on a series of solo and dialogue cantatas for the first time, in which the virtuoso skills of individual soloists were given pride of place rather than a choir. The poet of this impressive series of solo and dialogue cantatas has recently been identified as the Leipzig theology student Christoph Birkmann (1703-1771), later a pastor in Nuremberg. He reported that he "diligently kept company with the great master, Herr Director Bach, and his choir, and also attended the Collegia Musica in the winter". Among the ‘Ich’ cantatas of late autumn and winter 1726/27 are the two works recorded here, which have been regarded ever since as pearls of Bach’s oeuvre.

Twenty five years after harmonia mundi issued the solo cantatas for bass with Peter Kooj, Collegium Vocale and Philippe Herreweghe, Matthias Goerne, together with Freiburg Baroque, presents two cantatas intimately linked to the celebration of the Lutheran Reformation, as we celebrate its 500th anniversary. The recording has had a long period of fruition, what with Schubert, Schumann, Mahler, and soon Wagner, but this new disc should make its own mark on the discography, just as permanently as its illustrious predecessor.

“Profoundly beautiful singing from one of the finest baritones of his generation. A version of Ich habe genug to speak of alongside the greats...How this wonderful musician fills all Bachians with hope! This is the sort of mature, sophisticated, assured and boundless Bach singing which one hears so rarely these days...A great Bach recording." (Gramophone)

Matthias Goerne, baritone
Katharina Arfken, oboe, oboe d'amore
Freiburger Barockorchester
Gottfried von der Goltz, violin, conductor

Matthias Goerne
is one of the most internationally sought-after vocalists and a frequent guest at renowned festivals and concert halls. He has collaborated with leading orchestras all over the world. Conductors of the first rank as well as eminent pianists are among his musical partners.

Since his opera début at the Salzburg Festival in 1997 (Papageno), Matthias Goerne has appeared on the world’s principal opera stages, including the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro Real, Madrid; Paris National Opera; Vienna State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. His carefully chosen roles range from Wolfram, Amfortas, Kurwenal and Orest right up to the title roles in Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Paul Hindemithʼs Mathis der Maler and Aribert Reimann’s Lear. Goerne’s artistry has been documented on numerous recordings, many of which have received prestigious awards. He is currently recording a series of selected Schubert songs (The Goerne/Schubert Edition – 11 CDs) for Harmonia Mundi.

From 2001 through 2005 Matthias Goerne taught as an honorary professor of song interpretation at the Robert Schumann Academy of Music in Düsseldorf. In 2001, he was appointed an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Born in Weimar, he studied with Hans-Joachim Beyer in Leipzig, and with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

Highlights of the 2011/12 season included a tour with the Vienna Philharmonic, appearances at the Vienna State Opera and the Saito Kinen Festival (Bluebeard with Seiji Ozawa) and song recitals with Christoph Eschenbach and Leif Ove Andsnes in Paris, Vienna and New York (Carnegie Hall).

In 2012/13, Matthias Goerne sings Wolfram at the Bavarian State Opera and Amfortas in concert with the Teatro Real in Madrid. Concert highlights include appearances with the Orchestre de Paris (Bluebeard), Berlin Philharmonic (War Requiem), Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony), Filarmonica del Teatro alla Scala (Mahler Lieder) and San Francisco Symphony (Wagner arias) as well as song recitals with Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Schubert cycles with Christoph Eschenbach at the Vienna Musikverein.

Booklet for Bach: Cantatas for Bass