Bach's Adagios

The subtitle of this compilation - "27 Tranquil Tracks from the Master of Baroque"-might suggest you're in for a dose of watered-down, Muzaked treatments, but not to worry: this is actually a very attractive theme album that makes an enticing introduction if you're just setting out to discover the wonder of J.S. Bach. Some of the most familiar music Bach wrote does indeed reside in the slow movements of his concertos, suites, and sonatas. Often, they reveal an Italianate love for spinning gorgeous melodies that sound eternally fresh and haunting in a number of contexts (witness the opening "Air on a G String" and its reworking in Procol Harum's hit, "A Whiter Shade of Pale").
Opera was the only genre of his time in which Bach didn't write, but many of his slower movements display the intense emotional focus of operatic arias, and Bach's range of expression can cover an infinite degree of moods--from "tranquility" to the deeply mournful adagio of Brandenburg Concerto No. 6. From its archives, the Erato label has culled interpretations by some of today's leading Bach interpreters, such as Ton Koopman and his Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Jordi Savall, and Gustav Leonhardt.

The concept of "adagio" has been extended here to include chorales and slower passages from the great choral works, whereas some compilations offer only instrumental arrangements, thus overlooking this aspect so central to Bach's output. From the nearly two hours of music in this collection, you'll gain a pretty good overview of the stunning variety of genres that inspired Bach: the cantata, passion, concerto, solo instrumental suite, and many more (though a selection or two from the solo keyboard works would have been a nice inclusion). And, while Bach's slow movements are always integrated into a larger architecture, the gem-like beauty of these selections will likely inspire you to check out some of the full-scale works from which they've been excerpted.

tracks

cd1

01. Orchestral Ste No.3 in D: Air On The G Str - Jean-Francois Paillard CO/Jean-Francois Paillard

02. Son in E flat: Sicilienne - Jean-Pierre Rampal/Robert Veyron-Lacroix/Jordi Savall

03. Con in d: Largo Ma Non Tanto - Monica Huggett/Alison Bury

04. St. Matthew Passion: 'O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wunden' - Ens Vox De Lausanne

05. Brandenburg Con No.1 in F: Adagio - Monica Huggett/Ku Ebbinge/Michel Henry/Paul Dombrecht/Michel Garcin Marrou/Joe Konings

06. Con in d: Adagio - Cyprien Katsaris

07. Magnificat: Suscepit - Ens Vox De Lausanne

08. Trio Son No.2 in c: Largo - Marie-Claire Alain

09. Vn Son No.4 in c: Adagio - Lars Fryden/Gustav Leonhardt

10. Ste No.1 in G: Prld - Jorg Baumann

11. Son in C: Adagio - Jean-Pierre Rampal/Robert Veyron-Lacroix/Jordi Savall

12. Brandenburg Con No.4 in G: Andante - Ricardo Kanji/Reine-Marie Verhagen/Monica Huggett

13. Vn Con in E: Adagio - Monica Huggett

14. Mass in b: 'Qui Tollis Peccata Mundi' - Ens Vox De Lausanne

cd2

01. Con in f: Largo - Cyprien Katsaris

02. Prld in C - Marielle Nordmann

03. Con in a: Andante - Monica Huggett

04. Brandenburg Con No.6 in B flat: Adagio Ma Non Tanto - Jan Schlapp/Trevor Jones/Christophe Coin/Sarah Cunningham/Jaap Ter Linden

05. St. John Passion: 'Ruht Wohl, Ihr Heiligen Gebeine' - Ens Vox De Lausanne

06. Vn Son No.5 in f: Adagio - Lars Fryden/Gustav Leonhardt

07. Son in G: Adagio - Jean-Pierre Rampal/Alain Marion/Robert Veyron-Lacroix/Jordi Savall

08. Son in G: Adagio E Pno - Jean-Pierre Rampal/Alain Marion/Robert Veyron-Lacroix/Jordi Savall

09. Brandenburg Con No.2 in F: Andante - Ricardo Kanji/Alison Bury/Ku Ebbinge/Crispian Steele Perkins

10. Cant No.208: 'Sheep May Safely Graze' - Elisabeth Von Magnus

11. Son in b: Largo E Dolce - Jean-Pierre Rampal/Robert Veyron-Lacroix/Jordi Savall

12. St. Matthew Passion: 'Erbarme Dich' - Ens Vox De Lausanne

13. Cant No.147: 'Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring' - Scottish Chm Chor