Bach: Cantatas (BWV 56, 4 & 82)

In addition to the less well known 'Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen', two of Bach's most important and highly regarded Cantata's 'Christ lag in Todesbanden' and 'Ich habe genug' receive exceptionally dramatic, remarkably heartfelt performances here. The youthful Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's seamless legato and passionate delivery beautifully compliments the often introspective subject matter of the texts. Ristenpart (who many remember as conducting arguably the most popular and best selling recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto's ever on Nonesuch LP) and Lehmann's conducting as well couldn't be more powerfully evocative or fully explore the emotional range of these transcendent settings. Archiv's original-image bit-processing restored sound as well, belies the early 1950's vintage.