Bach: Cantatas/Thomas Quasthoff

Cantatas 56 and 82 have often been paired on disc - recordings by such great bass-baritones as Hermann Prey and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (several times) come to mind. Now the magnificent Thomas Quasthoff adds his unique combination of dark tone, intense delivery (just listen to his very first words in No. 56--"I will gladly bear my cross"--sung with such weight one can almost picture the cross itself), and technical perfection to the batch. His delivery of 56's aria "Endlich, endlich" is quick and impeccably delivered, long runs and all. Or listen to the lullabye in No. 82, "Schlummert ein," so gorgeously, seamlessly intoned, that it brings peace and beauty all by itself. All three cantatas are expressions of suffering, and Quasthoff conveys it perfectly, but always with his eye on the prize - salvation. His diction is so clear that the German text might as well be English. The Berliner Barock Solisten play with unmatched beauty and the solo oboist deserves special praise. These are ravishing performances of three great works and this CD cannot be recommended highly enough. --Robert Levine