These two CD reissues have been taken from a seven-volume LP series of Bach’s secular cantatas conducted by Helmuth Rilling and recorded during the mid to late 1960s. The series had some strong features contained, above all, in the excellence of many of Rilling’s vocal and instrumental soloists: sopranos Edith Mathis, Helen Donath and Elisabeth Speiser, tenors Wilfrid Jochims and Theo Altmeyer and bass Jakob Stampfli all make eloquent contributions on these two discs; but the documentation that accompanies the Hunt Cantata (No. 208) sadly omits to enlighten the listener as to which singer has been allotted each of two soprano roles. For the record, Helen Donath sings the role of Diana, Elisabeth Speiser that of Pales – and it is she, therefore, who is rewarded with the jewel in the crown, “Sheep may safely graze”. Rilling is one of the few directors I know of who introduces a lute to the continuo group of this da capo aria with its preceding recitative. Since only later on in the surviving autograph score is Bach specific about continuo instruments Rilling’s decision seems legitimate, and is certainly justified by the heightened pastoral charm which a plucked string instrument lends to this ravishing piece. Speiser sings it beautifully, though elsewhere in the cantata the singers’ best endeavours are too often brought down by ponderous tempos, fussy harpsichord realizations and stentorian bowed string basso continuo playing. Pan’s robust, swaggering aria, “Ein Furst ist seines Landes Pan” is dreadfully put upon by these hindrances to affective declamation. Choral singing, too, suffers from lethargic, spongy and unfocused articulation, though this Rillingism is quite deliberate and not the result of shoddy preparation. But in spite of intensely irritating mannerisms of style there is sufficient merit in the performance to warrant a modest commendation. These soloists are always worth hearing and Bach’s music is, after all, wonderfully responsive to a wide conspectus of interpretative opinion. Among the instrumentalists Suzanne Lautenbacher’s violin obbligato and the recorder players Hartmut Strebel and Gerhard Braun deserve special mention.
The second of the discs contains the rarely performed and, I believe, uniquely recorded Schaferkantate or Shepherd Cantata (BWV249a). In all but its recitative the music of this birthday cantata for Duke Christian of Sachsen-Weissenfels – he was the lucky birthday boy for whom Bach had earlier performed Cantata No. 208 – was parodied by Bach in his much better known Easter Oratorio (BWV249). The performing criteria are precisely the same as those which prevail on the companion disc. Even in the 1960s some of these ideas must have seemed at least obsolescent, many of them already having been discarded by Bach specialists such as Fritz Lehmann, Felix Prohaska and Fritz Werner, all of whom were at least a generation older than Rilling. Never mind, the performances, as I say, are not without merit and the reissue of BWV249a will fill a gap in almost all Bach cantata libraries.
Each disc, furthermore, has as a bonus a Bach concerto. Good, stylish playing here, by Helmut Winschermann (oboe) who also directs the performances, and Georg Friedrich Hendel (violin). I hope I have not sounded too dismissive and that Musicaphon will continue the series. The colour which historical perspective lends the performances is fascinating enough in itself, but much of the singing and playing, if dated, is none the less expressive and technically accomplished. Lastly, it is earnestly to be hoped that this label will soon start to reissue its substantial treasure of sacred cantatas by Bach, in recordings by Wilhelm Ehmann, Wolfgang Gonnenwein, and many others. In the immortal words of Lord Badminton “Not everything, I fear, has changed for the best.”'