Six of Bach's church cantatas are collected in Vol. 39 of Teldec's series and following the customary pattern the music is divided between Leonhardt (Nos. 164-6) and Harnoncourt (Nos. 167-9). As with the previous volume this one contains works which even the most ardent of Bach enthusiasts can have heard but seldom. All except one, No. 165, belong to Bach's Leipzig period and all are in various ways absorbingly interesting.
Cantatas Nos. 164 and 168 have several features in common. Both are settings of texts by the Weimar poet, Salomo Franck and both adopt a six-movement pattern of aria-recitative-aria-recitative-duet-chorale. There is nothing so unusual in that, perhaps, but the similarities penetrate further beneath the surface so that, for instance, both duets are treated in canon and the second arias in each feature obbligato instruments. Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet (No. 164) is the gentler work of the two, beginning with a lyrical 9/8 movement, beautifully sung by Equiluz. The spirit of tenderness and compassion—the text is concerned with the parable of the Good Samaritan—is carried through to the alto aria with traverso flutes in canon and to the duet for soprano and bass. The soloists Wegmann, Esswood and van Egmond give affecting accounts of this very intimate music. Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort (No. 168) is, as its title suggests, a sterner work in which a warning is made to the Soul of the final day of reckoning. This is just the stuff for Harnoncourt and his fine body of string players; they give a splendidly spirited account of the declamatory opening bass aria, commanding our attention from the start. It is undoubtedly one of the marks of the greatest genius when a creative artist makes something out of nothing. Bach succeeds wonderfully in creating an attractive tenor aria around the text: ''Capital and interest of my debts great and small must some day be accounted for''. Equiluz is on vigorous form with all but the ring of a cash register in his voice. All concerned give a convincing performance of music which is difficult to bring off.
The Weimar cantata, O heilges Geist—und Wasserbad (No. 165) is the earliest work here, though its one surviving source is a copy dating from Bach's early Leipzig years when he performed it and, in all probability, revised it. The only other performance of the piece I had previously heard left a poor impression upon me, so I was pleased to have its case put before me once more, and eloquently too. There are three most attractive movements here, the first of which, a soprano solo marked ''Concerto'', opens the cantata in fugal character. The second is a 12/8 continuo aria for alto voice and the third, framed by ritornellos, whose lively violin figurations are articulated in pairs, is for tenor. Two bass recitatives, one secco, the other accompanied, and a brief chorale complete this intimate work. Wo gehest du hin? (No. 166) belongs to Bach's first year at Leipzig and was first performed on the Fourth Sunday after Easter. The text is based on the Gospel words, ''But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Where goest thou?''. The quotation is used not only specifically but also in a wider sense of man's destiny on earth. It's a captivating work with a lyrical tenor aria better known, perhaps, in its version as a trio for organ, BWV584. Alfred Durr established some time ago that the cantata version should also be a trio for tenor, oboe and violin with continuo. The violin part, however, is lost, but Durr has reconstructed it and that is incorporated in the present performance. Equiluz gives a finely sustained account of it as does Esswood in his dance-like aria with string accompaniment. Two chorale settings are engaging in different ways; in the first the cantus firmus is held by a solo treble against unison violins and viola. Wegmann is the excellent boy soloist here, showing ability at firmly sustaining the lines of the hymn melody. The second is a four-part setting of the hymn, Wer weiss, wie nahe mire mein Ende to the melody Wer nur den lieben Gott, lasst walten. It makes a fine ending to a richly varied cantata. Leonhardt and his musicians are on fine form throughout; sometimes I find myself wishing that they had had more opportunity for rehearsal, but there is no lack of thought either where text or music is concerned.
The remaining two Cantatas, Nos. 167 and 169, fall into Harnoncourt's court—at the time of writing I'd just been watching the men's singles finals at Wimbledon, hence the metaphor. Cantata No. 167, Ihr Menschen, ruhmet Gottes Liebe is the earliest of three which Bach performed at Leipzig on St John's Day (June 24th). It is also the least elaborate of the three, consisting only of two arias, two recitatives and a chorale. The opening aria is pastoral in character and scored for tenor with strings; the second is a somewhat unusual duet for treble and alto voices, cast in two distinct parts, both with oboe da caccia obbligato, played here by the late Jurg Schaeftlein. The two boy soloists are well matched and usually dependable in intonation, whilst Schaeftlein's natural articulation of Bach's phrasing is always a delight. A joyful, elaborately scored chorale, one line of which is quoted in the preceding bass recitative, brings the work to a close. Choir and full orchestra sparkle in this number.
It is, however, in the last of this group of cantatas, No. 167, that the Vienna Concentus Musicus are able fully to prove themselves; for this work begins with a large-scale concerto movement, more familiar to concertgoers as the opening movement of the Concerto in E major for solo harpsichord and strings, BWV1053. In the cantata Bach scores the music for solo organ with two oboes, oboe da caccia, strings and continuo (a bassoon is sensibly included in this performance). The organist is the gifted Tachezi, whose ornamentation is stylish and whose registration is a model of clarity. The remainder of the work, apart from the final chorale, is scored for alto voice and consists of two arias, a recitative and an arioso-recitative. The organ has a prominent, virtuosic role to play in both the arias but it is, of course, the voice which has the hardest task to perform. Esswood gives a sensitive account of the music with several instances of affective dynamic shading. He is also sensibly balanced with the instrumental forces so that listeners will be able to hear effortlessly each strand of Bach's carefully wrought textures. The last movement, like the first, is derived from the Concerto, BWV1053; this time it's the slow movement that Bach has taken, rewriting the solo line for voice and creating something more remarkable and musically more effective than the version for harpsichord.
In short, an absorbingly interesting release whose performances serve the best interests of the music more consistently, perhaps, than has been so in several of the earlier volumes. Fine recorded sound and informative documentation but no scores with the CDs. You do have to keep your wits about you when deciphering who is singing and playing what and where. The booklet, I'm afraid, is not a model of clarity in this respect. Recommended, none the less.'