Soli Deo Gloria
Belgian conductor Philippe Pierlot has a wonderfully winning way with the music of J.S. Bach. On Soli Deo Gloria, he turns his attention to two of Bach’s numerous church cantatas. Both performances have an attractively luminous quality that is, of course, a Pierlot hallmark. Cantata No. 21, from Bach’s Weimar period in the early 1700s, is poised and beautifully unfolded, while the later Cantata No. 76—written a week after Bach took up the post of Cantor in Leipzig in 1723—is a thing of glory. (Clearly meant to make a mark, it launched Bach’s first cantata cycle.) Superb choral work and some very fine soloists make this an album to treasure.
II. Chorus. "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis in meinem Herzen"
III. Aria. "Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not" (Soprano)
IV. Recitativo. "Wie hast du dich, mein Gott" (Tenor)
VI. Chorus. "Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele"
VII. Recitativo. "Ach Jesu, meine Ruh" (Soprano, Bass)
VIII. Aria. "Komm, mein Jesu, und erquicke; Ja, ich komme und erquicke" (Duet, Soprano, Bass)
IX. Chorus. "Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele" (Chorale)
X. Aria. "Erfreue dich, Seele, erfreue dich, Herze" (Tenor)
I. Chorus. "Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes"
II. Recitativo. "So läßt sich Gott nicht unbezueget!" (Tenor)
III. Aria. "Hört, ihr Völker, Gottes Stimme" (Soprano)
VI. Recitativo. "Du hast uns, Herr, von allen Straßen" (Alto)
VII. Choral. "Es woll uns Gott genädig sein"
IX. Recitativo. "Gott segne noch die treue Schar" (Bass)
X. Aria. "Hasse nur, hasse mich recht" (Tenor)
XII. Aria. "Liebt, ihr Christen, in der Tat!" (Alto)
XIII. Recitativo. "So soll die Christenheit" (Tenor)
XIV. Choral. "Es danke, Gott, und lobe dich"