Album

Since most of Johann Sebastian Bach's oratorios, cantatas, concertos, suites, and sonatas contain slow movements—many of which have become favorite excerpts—putting together a double album of them would seem quite easy; since Decca has an extensive catalog of Bach performances by such luminaries as Trevor Pinnock, Neville Marriner, Raymond Leppard, Arthur Grumiaux, Heinz Holliger, Alfred Brendel, and many others, assembling this collection would almost seem like child's play. All Bach's popular hits are included here, from the Air on the G string to the Prelude in C major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, and the variety of solo performances and instrumental combinations keeps the music sounding fresh at virtually every track. Purists may lament that these are not uniformly authentic performances on period instruments, but there are certainly several examples of Baroque style here, though the majority of the selections tend toward modern practices. Because this collection is mostly directed to casual listeners, issues of historicity are perhaps secondary to the musicality of the performances, and most people will find the playing to be tasteful and the interpretations in the proper spirit. Decca's sound quality is quite smooth and well-balanced throughout, even though the session dates range from 1962 to 1998 and include ADD as well as DDD recordings; those who play this collection as background music will find it quite soothing and free of loud, disruptive passages. However, the choral tracks that close each disc—Jesu, Priceless Treasure, and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring—are a little disconcerting, coming after so much instrumental music, and feel too religious for what otherwise seems intended as a secular album.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Orchestral Suite No.3 in D, BWV1068 (includes 'Air on the G String') Work Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
1	2.Air ('On the G String')	5:13			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (27th Sunday after Trinity), BWV140 (includes 'Sleepers Awake')...Cantata No.140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (27th Sunday after Trinity), BWV140 (includes 'Sleepers Awake'; various arragements) Work Raymond Agoult Conductor, New Symphony Orchestra of London Orchestra
2	4.Chorus: Zion hört die Wächter singen ('Sleepers Awake')	2:27			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Triple Concerto in A-, for Flute, Violin and Keyboard, BWV1044 Work Trevor Pinnock Harpsichord, English Concert Chamber Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin, Lisa Beznosiuk Flute
3	2.Adagio, ma non tanto, e dolce	5:40			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.156: Ich steh' mit einem Fuss im Grabe (3rd Sunday after Epiphany), BWV156 Work Heinz Holliger Oboe, Camerata Bern Ensemble
4	1.Sinfonia (Arioso, based on lost Oboe Concerto)	2:32			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D, BWV1050 Work Henryk Szeryng Violin, Jean-Pierre Rampal Oboe, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
5	2.Andante	5:41			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Goldberg Variations, BWV988 (Clavier-Übung IV) Work Andras Schiff Piano
6	Aria	3:50			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Italian Concerto, BWV971 Work Alfred Brendel Piano
7	2.Andante	5:42			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Violin Concerto in A-, BWV1041 Work Arthur Grumiaux Violin, Les Solistes Romands Ensemble, Arpad Gerecz Conductor
8	2.Andante	6:06			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Oboe Concerto in G-, BWV1056R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1056) Work English Concert Chamber Ensemble, Raymond Leppard Harpsichord
9	2.Arioso: Largo	2:54			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cello Suite No.6 in D, BWV1012...Cello Suite No.6 in D, BWV1012 (arr. guitar) Work Pepe Romero Guitar
10	4.Sarabande	4:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Oboe Concerto in F, BWV1053R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1053) Work Heinz Holliger Oboe, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
11	2.Siciliano	4:17			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Christmas Oratorio (6 Cantatas, from Christmas to Epiphany), BWV248...Oratorio 2: Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (Dec. 26), BWV248, No.2 Work Münchner Bach-Orchestra Orchestra, Karl Richter Conductor
12	1.Sinfonia ('Shepherd's Music')	7:14			$1.49
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Flute Sonata No.3 in A, BWV1032 Work Henk Bouman Harpsichord, Wilbert Hazelzet Flute
13	2.Largo e dolce	3:25			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Suite for Lute in G-, BWV995 (arr. of Cello Suite, BWV1011) Work Narcisco Ypes Lute
14	5.Gavotte 1 and 2 (en rondeau)	5:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Jesu, meine Freude, BWV227 (a5)...Jesu, meine Freude, BWV227 (a5; English version) Work Simon Preston Organ, Choir of King's College, Cambridge Chorus/Choir, Sir David Willcocks Chorus/Choir Director
15	1.Jesu, priceless treasure	1:50			$0.49
CD 2 of 2
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Double Concerto in D- for 2 Violins, BWV1043 Work Regis Pasquier Violin, Zino Francescatti Violin, Rudolf Baumgartner Conductor, Lucerne Festival Strings Ensemble
1	2.Largo ma non tanto	7:13			$1.49
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Flute Sonata No.2 in Eb, BWV1031 Work Maria Graf Harp, Irena Grafenauer Flute
2	2.Siciliano	2:15			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Violin Concerto in E, BWV1042 Work Henryk Szeryng Violin, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
3	2.Adagio	6:41			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.2 in F, BWV1047 Work Münchner Bach-Orchestra Orchestra, Karl Richter Conductor
4	2.Andante	3:44			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Viola da gamba Sonata No.1 in G, BWV1027 Work Janos Starker Cello, György Sebak Piano
5	3.Andante: Recitativo	2:23			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Double Concerto in C- for Oboe and Violin, BWV1060R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1060) Work David Reichenberg Oboe, Trevor Pinnock Conductor, English Concert Chamber Ensemble, Simon Standage Violin
6	2.Adagio (alternate version)	5:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Oboe d'amore Concerto in A, BWV1055R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1055) Work Heinz Holliger Oboe, Iona Brown Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
7	2.Larghetto	5:06			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Partita No.1 in Bb, BWV825 Work Andras Schiff Piano
8	1.Praeludium	2:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G, BWV1049 Work Henryk Szeryng Violin, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Michala Petri Recorder
9	2.Andante	3:44			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Partita No.4 in D, BWV828 Work Pepe Romero Guitar
10	5.Sarabande	4:13			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Double Concerto in C- for Oboe and Violin, BWV1060R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1060) Work Carmel Caine Violin, Tess Miller Oboe, Trevor Pinnock Conductor, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
11	2.Adagio	5:15			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Well-tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV846-869...Prelude and Fugue No.1 in C, BWV846 Work Friedrich Gulda Piano
12	1.Prelude	2:08			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Anna Magdalena Notebook, BWV Anh.113-32, etc. (with works by J.S.Bach, C.P.E. Bach, G.Bohm, F.Couperin, etc.) Work Celedonio Romero Piano
13	35.Menuet in D-, BWV Anh.132 (doubtful)	2:16			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Partita No.3 for Solo Violin in E, BWV1006...Partita No.3 for Solo Violin in E, BWV1006 (arr. harp) Work Maria Graf Harp
14	3.Gavotte en rondeau	3:15			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Visitation), BWV147 (includes 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring')...Part 2 Work George Guest Chorus/Choir Director, Peter White Organ, Choir of King's College, Cambridge Chorus/Choir
15	10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring)	7:23			$1.49