Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Volume 28 of this outstanding series is the first to be issued in surround sound as a hybrid SACD and with a fresh, updated cover and much stronger jewel case. The audio technology allows the disc to be played on any CD player and the clarity is excellent, even on my venerable machine. There are four cantatas on this disc (BWVs 62, 139, 26, and 116 if you are counting). These take us into Bach's second year as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, to November and December 1724. In English the titles are "Now Come, Saviour Of The Gentiles", "Happy Is The Man Who On His God", "O How Fleeting, O How Trivial", and "You Prince Of Peace, Lord Jesus Christ". Both the date and the titles make it clear that we are in Advent but even without these clues we can tell that something special is happening as there is a palpable sense of wonder, of a mystery being made clear, expressed through the music. It now goes without saying that Suzuki and his Bach Collegium Japan are in total control and the four soloists, Yukari Nonoshita, Robin Blaze, Makoto Sakurada and Peter Kooij are superlative.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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