Thank goodness the absurd prejudice that has long deprived us of adequate recordings of Bach's four Lutheran Masses (or short Masses, as they are also known because, in accordance with Lutheran usage, they set only the Kyrie and Gloria) seems finally to have died a death. The Masses' crime has been to be made up almost entirely of paraphrases of cantata movements from the 1720s, yet Bach is Bach, whatever the circumstances, and this is wonderful music which, like the B minor Mass, offers sober old-style polyphonic choral movements of impressive cumulative power alongside choruses of almost physical excitement and clamour and some first-rate arias with instrumental obbligato. Anyone who can sit through it and honestly say that their enjoyment has been spoiled by the knowledge that it was originally conceived for another purpose deserves only pity.
The Purcell Quartet and friends issued the Masses in A and G minor last year (9/99), so this volume completes the set. As before (and uniquely among available recordings), they adopt a one-to-a-part approach, with the four vocal soloists also forming the choir and the Purcell Quartet being augmented by whatever extra instruments are needed, including two oboes and (for the F major Mass) two bustling horns. The result sounds not in the least underpowered, and gains considerably over Herreweghe's typically well-turned but more traditional choral approach in vividness of texture and harmony, crispness of attack and a madrigalian litheness of expressive response.
The rather dry recording which sometimes caused discomfort in Volume 1 has here been replaced by a more generous one which allows just the right amount of bloom without becoming washy. There are times when the two higher voices sound further forward than the others, and Michael Chance occasionally disappears a bit towards the bottom of his range, but in general this release brings nothing but pleasure both in the music and the stylish and lively performances of all involved.
There is a bonus, too, in the form of one of Bach's sprightly organ trio sonatas, forgivably arranged for the Purcell Quartet's core members by gambist Richard Boothby so that he can get a bit of the melodic action for once.'