Cantata Contentment

Three Bach cantatas from my current favourite exponents of the form, Collegium Vocale Gent and Philippe Herreweghe. The disk is titled Weinen, Klagen...and features three cantatas BWV12, 38 and 75. These are relatively downbeat in content, making use of the texts of Psalms 22 and 130, the De Profundis, or deal with the "weeping, wailing, lamenting, fearing" that are everyday fare in the vale of tears. Being Bach though, even doleful is beautiful and the final tone is that of resignation and consolation, bringing succour to souls in torment. The playing of Collegium Vocale Gent and the production values of Harmonia Mundi are impeccable. I think that Herreweghe's cycle benefits from the fact that he has no intention of being a completist and so selects those cantatas that he feels a particular affinity for and takes his time over the recording and programming of those he chooses. The soloists are again of the highest quality; the soprano Carolyn Sampson and the tenor Mark Padmore are now regular vocalists of choice for this repertoire but counter tenor Daniel Taylor and bass Peter Kooy also acquit themselves very well.