Catalogue

Summary:

“historical performance radical … bold and beautifully constructed … you somehow feel that the singers and the performers are speaking to us directly, there’s an immediacy here” – BBC Radio 3 ‘Record Review’

“In all, this is a beautifully performed and recorded St. John Passion that gives full measure to the work’s remarkable synthesis of devotional and theatrical elements.” – Early Music America

“exceptionally well-recorded live performance” that is“knowledgeable, elegant and self-assured” – Infodad

“marvellous … for those wanting to approach the work anew and think it through, it may be just the ticket.” – Allmusic.com

“This performance is impressive … the vocal soloists are all first rate” – American Record Guide

Cantata Collective, an ensemble “of San Francisco early music luminaries” (San Francisco Chronicle) inaugurates a major series of J.S. Bach’s choral works with a live recording of the composer’s St. John Passion. With celebrated conductor Nicholas McGegan, the toast of today’s new generation of vocal soloists and a three-to-a-part chamber choir, the Cantata Collective conveys the emotional intimacy and dramatic power of this monumental passion in a highly polished performance that led Early Music America to implore: “To the excellent musicians of Cantata Collective: More Bach Please!”

Tracklist:

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)
St. John Passion, BWV245

CD1
Part 1

1. No. 1 “Herr, unser Herrscher” (Chorus) 8:39
2. No. 2 “Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern” (Evangelist, Jesus, Chorus) 2:25
3. No. 3 “O große Lieb” (Chorale) 0:53
4. No. 4 “Auf daß das Wort erfüllet würde….” (Evangelist, Jesus) 1:03
5. No. 5 “Dein Will gescheh!” (Chorale) 0:57
6. No. 6 “Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptman…” (Evangelist) 0:46
7. No. 7 “Von den Stricken” (Aria) 5:24
8. No. 8 “Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesus” (Evangelist) 0:14
9. No. 9 “Ich folge dir gleichfalls” (Aria) 4:11
10. No. 10 “Servus Der Selbige Jünger…” (Evangelist, Maid, Peter, Jesus, Attendant) 3:03
11. No. 11 “Wer hat dich so geschlagen” (Chorale) 1:46
12. No. 12 “Und Hannas sandte…” (Evangelist, Chorus) 2:07
13. No. 13 “Ach, mein Sinn” (Aria) 4:41
14. No. 14 “Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück” (Chorale) 1:19

CD2
Part 2

1. No. 15 “Christus, der uns selig macht” (Chorale) 1:07
2. No. 16 “Da führeten sie Jesum…” (Evangelist, Pilate, Chorus) 4:14
3. No. 17 “Ach großer König” (Chorale) 1:40
4. No. 18 “Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm” (Evangelist, Pilate, Jesus, Chorus) 2:03
5. No. 19 “Betrachte, meine Seel” (Arioso) 2:00
6. No. 20 “Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbte Rücken” (Aria) 8:20
7. No. 21 “Und die Kriegsknechte…” (Evangelist, Chorus) 5:54
8. No. 22 “Durch dein Gefängis” (Chorale) 1:05
9. No. 23 “Die Jüden aber schrieen…” (Evangelist, Chorus) 4:17
10. No. 24 “Eilt, ihr angeofochtnen” (Aria, Chorus) 3:56
11. No. 25 “Allda kreuzigten sie ihn…” (Evangelist, Chorus) 2:16
12. No. 26 “In meines Herzens Grunde” (Chorale) 1:06
13. No. 27 “Die Kriegsknechte aber…” (Evangelist, Chorus) 3:56
14. No. 28 “Er nahm alles wohl in acht” (Chorale) 1:15
15. No. 29 “Und von Stund an…” (Evangelist, Jesus) 1:20
16. No. 30 “Es ist vollbracht!” (Aria) 5:37
17. No. 31 “Und neiget das Haupt…” (Evangelist) 0:29
18. No. 32 “Mein teurer Heiland” (Aria, Chorus) 4:59
19. No. 33 “Und siehe da, der Vorhang…” (Evangelist) 0:25
20. No. 34 “Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt” (Arioso) 0:50
21. No. 35 “Zerfließe, mein Herze” (Aria) 6:35
22. No. 36 “Die Jüden aber…” (Evangelist) 2:06
23. No. 37 “O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn” (Chorale) 1:12
24. No. 38 “Darnach bat Pilatum…” (Evangelist) 2:11
25. No. 39 “Ruht wohl, ihr heiligem Gebeine” (Chorus) 7:56
26. No. 40 “Ach Herre, Iaß dein lieb Engelein” (Chorale) 2:13

Thomas Cooley, tenor
Paul Max Tipton, bass-baritone
Nola Richardson, soprano
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor
Derek Chester, tenor
Harrison Hintzsche, baritone

Cantata Collective
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

Recorded (LIVE): 21 March 2022, First Congregational Church of Berkeley, California
Recording production, engineering, editing and stereo mixing: David v.R. Bowles (Swineshead Productions, LLC)
Mastering and Dolby Atmos mixing: Michael Romanowski (Coast Mastering)
Assistant engineer: Margaret Tobin (Dolby Laboratories)
Production assistants: Karishma Kumar; Case Newcomb