Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) | Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ...

Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) | Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ... | excellant buy

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Bach Edition: Comp...

	Bach Edition: Complete Works (155 CD Box Set) Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, ... Brilliant Classics, 2006 average customer review:based on 54 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

so far, definitely so good

I have listened to, thus far, 126 discs and have enjoyed all but three of the performances, especially the Mass in B Minor, Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio, Goldberg Variations, The Art of Fugue, and to my surprise in spite of unfavourable reviews elsewhere, the Sacred Cantatas. I found the choral singing and orchestral playing of The Sixteen to be very moving and beautiful. The organ survey by Hans Fagius, on its own, is worth the cost of the full anthology. The digital recording quality is very good. Having heard the complete keyboard survey on harpsichord, I have finally acquired a taste for the instrument.

A few concerns: the Anna Magdalena Notebook CD has a skipping problem with Track 34; and, on the English Suites No. 1 to 3 CD, there is a brief, odd, whistling-like high pitched noise following some of the higher notes. When I first heard this while driving, I thought my vehicle had a mechanical problem of some sort - since in general the harpsichord sound is clean, bright, and incisive. I think that may be due to the tuning of the instrument, not the player. This CD also had skipping problems with the last three Tracks 25 to 27. Cantata CD III Volume 12 was let down for me by a mediocre rendering of Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Actus Tragicus) BWV 106 and by skipping of the last two tracks, which effectively ruined the Komm, du susse Todesstunde BWV 161. This was unfortunate for two of Bach's finest cantatas.

I don't think anyone who buys this set will feel they paid too much for it. Speaking for myself, this is turning out to be the best deal I've ever seen on a large CD anthology. And like another member said, it does look great on the shelf. I've been playing from it every day during an extremely busy stretch of work, and the music has a profoundly calming and soothing effect on the mind and spirit. Regardless of the nature of Bach's compositions, one feels a deep sense of poise and commanding integrity (except perhaps for some of the keyboard works from 1700-1710 and parts of the Toccatas for keyboard). When playing through the complete keyboard survey, in the same order as presented, it is quite a contrast going straight from the Toccatas to The Art of Fugue.

Apart from the major works, it is a pleasure to explore less well-known and appreciated works, some of which turn out to be exciting discoveries (among them the organ piece Valet will ich dir geben: choralis in pedale, BWV 736, and the short Masses). The Praeludium & Fuge in C Major BWV 547 (for organ) was great fun; some passages reminded me of parts of Wagner's Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger.

The Art of Fugue was very enterprising, including two tracks on the second disc, in the appendix, of an alternate (partial) arrangement for two clavichords. Trying to comment on the experience of hearing this piece is a challenge. The performance was lingering in the memory almost 24 hours after it was over - more of a testament to the composer than the performer, although Menno van Delft acquitted himself very well too. It seems that a good (or better) performance of this piece (and few others) affects the listener at an experiental level, when one comes into contact with something, which can be felt, but not easily or adequately articulated. The effective limits in time and space of language and writing become a constraint on coming into the presence of something which seems to transcend them both. For me the piece has a similar effect as the Beethoven Op. 131 C Sharp Minor Quartet - they can take you into a different state of consciousness. After a performance of this quartet, Berlioz said of the composer, "he is not like the rest of us". In my opinion, neither was Bach. This work, in my view, points to a level of intelligence beyond normal organic limits, a manifestation of a higher form of energy beyond what one would normally recognize as human. The Art of Fugue, in my opinion, is an expression of what is sometimes described in mystical circles as the Higher Self, and seems to connect to that hidden presence in us. If this is true, then the performer's involvement would likely also be multidimensional. Yet the music itself, while being intensely spiritual, is absolute, non-programmatic.

Pieter Jan Leusink, the conductor of the Sacred Cantatas, has gone on record as stating that these Cantatas, taken as a whole, are the greatest body of music ever composed. Personally, I would rank the B Minor Mass and The Art of Fugue the finest of Bach's single compositions; however, as a collection of music, compared say to the Beethoven symphonies or Wagner's Ring, I agree with the conductor. The Cantata performances are not an unqualified success, but not a complete disaster either - although opinions are sharply divided in amazon and elsewhere. Personally, I find the bass Bas Ramselaar excellent, the tenor Knut Schoch not enjoyable (his timbre sounds more suitable to the role of Mime in Wagner's Ring), soprano Ruth Holton very good (some do not though - her singing style is very, for lack of a better term, "plain", uncharacterful, as far removed from Elizabeth Schwarzkopf as the Marschallin as you can get, but I like it here), and as for the male alto Syste Buwalda, I find his voice just unpleasant, not beautiful or lyrical, regardless of accusations of him having wobbly tone and so forth (with a notable favourable exception, to be fair, on Vol III CD 10). Personally I find Ruth Holton, herself much criticized elsewhere, far nicer to hear. Many critics find only the bass acceptable out of the 4 principals; I would, for now, endorse 2 out of 4 of them. Nico van der Meel sings well and one wishes to have heard more of him and less of Schoch. The Holland Boys Choir sings well, the orchestral playing is at the very least adequate (I find the woodwind and cello playing at times very beautiful, the continuo very good too), and the tempi and overall balance more than satisfactory. In spite of the faults I find these performances, for what they are, mostly very enjoyable. It's been implied elsewhere (not just on Amazon) that this music deserves better, and that the issues in this series do the composer a disservice. I have observed that every available cantata series (even the highly acclaimed Suzuki) has been criticized for one reason or another. It is impossible to satisfy everyone all the time. Speaking only for myself, having never purchased a full set of cantatas before, I am thankful to have this as an introduction, and that Bach's work is of such a high level of inspiration that even artistically flawed performances are enjoyable. I'd rather have second or even third tier Bach than none. On the other hand, I hope to explore at least the Rilling cycle in the future (which was supposed to have been licensed for this complete anthology as well, before the deal collapsed). I believe people should listen to the performances and draw their own conclusions, and not be swayed too much by others' opinions, for or especially against. I found CD III Volume 11, opening with BWV 172(Erschallet, ihr Lieder), and the bright trumpets and joyous choral singing, a delightful disc well worth repeated listening. Same observations (and kudos) for Volumes 17 and especially 16. I share Simon Crouch's opinion that Cantata 21, Ich hatte viel Bekummernis (on CD IV-20), is a very great piece of music. Its closing chorus, Das Lamm, das erwurget ist (the Lamb that is slaughtered), is artistically equal to its counterpart in Handel's Messiah.

As a whole, Bach's works are sheer joy to listen to, a gift to the world.

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excellant buy

Like everyone else I believe this is a great buy. But, if you prefer the piano to the harpsichord you have to accept that this is all harp.I personally like the Art of the Fugue much more with stringed instruments than with one keyboard instrument. (but that's just my preference). also, unless I just have not found them yet, it is not really a complete Bach if it doesn't include the fourteen canons that are based on the first eight notes of the Aria Ground. In spite of all this i still highly recommend this collection.

All the Bach you ever wanted

I haven't yet had time to listen to all the CDs in this set, but what I've heard so far is excellent. There are better recordings (at least of the works I'm familiar with - the Gould and Jarrett recordings of the Goldberg Variations, the Casals cello stuff and the Tognetti violin partitas for instance) but this is a very useful reference for anyone who's interested in Bach's music. It also has the advantage of being played (as far as I can determine) on Baroque instruments. I recommend it.

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