Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Although there are many lovely melodies to enjoy on this CD there is one over-riding failing that spoils it for me. Of the 23 tracks only two are vocal, "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" performed (and one must say without sincerity) by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and "Erbarme Dich" from 'St Matthew Passion', sung by Angelika Kirchschlager. There is no "Sacred Head", nothing else from the Passions and nothing from the great Mass In B Minor that is Bach's masterpiece. We do get "Sleepers Awake" from Cantata No 140 and "Ein' Feste Burg" but both are instrumentals, the former by The Philadelphia Orchestra and the latter by E Power Biggs on the organ. Perversely the magnificent "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" is here performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Stokowski's arrangement rather than as an organ solo. Highlights for this reviewer are Hilary Hahn's violin solo on Parita No 3 in E, The Canadian Brass version of the "Little" Fugue in G Minor and Peter Sekin's Presto from the Italian Concerto. Although the other orchestral performances are good the overall impression is of Bach as easy-listening background music and not the challenging, uplifting offering to the glory of God that the composer intended.

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