Bach: Cantatas for Alto Solo

Balancing technical control, emotional expression, purity of tone and profound musical understanding in equal measure, Andreas Scholl arrived on the musical scene in the mid-’90s with quite a splash. The sheer beauty of the German countertenor’s voice and his seemingly effortless style melted many hearts. He put his talents to good use, recording everything from Monteverdi to folk song, and this album of Bach’s solo cantatas is an unmissable release, not least because it brings to prominence several works that are rarely heard. The Cantata No. 170, “Vergnügte Ruh, Beliebte Seelenlust” opens with an extended aria that is one of Bach’s most heavenly for the alto voice, and Scholl, expertly accompanied by Belgian conductor Philippe Herreweghe and the Collegium Vocale Gent, does it proud.