David Daniels - Bach - Sacred Arias & Cantatas (2008)

1	Qui sedes (ad dextram Patris) (Mass in B minor BWV 232)	4:16
2	Agnus Dei (Mass in B minor BWV 232)	5:17
3	Aria: Von den Striken meiner Sünden mich zu entbinder (St John Passion BWV 245)	4:46
4	Aria: Es ist vollbracht (St John Passion BWV 245)	5:14
5	Recitativo: Du lieber Heiland du (St Matthew Passion BWV 244)	0:52
6	Aria: Buß und Reu (St Matthew Passion BWV 244)	4:18
7	Aria: Erbarme dich (St Matthew Passion BWV 244)	6:46
8	Recitativo: Erbarmes Gott! (St Matthew Passion BWV 244)	1:01
9	Aria: Können Tranen meiner Wangen nichts erlangen (St Matthew Passion BWV 244)	6:57
10	Aria: Ich habe Genug (Cantata BWV 82a)	6:48
11	Aria: Schlummert ein (Cantata BWV 82a)	10:04
12	Aria: Vergnugte Rüh, beliebte Seelenlust (Cantata BWV 170)	5:40
13	Schafe Können sicher weiden (Cantata BWV 208)	4:20

David Daniels - Countertenor
The English Concert
Harry Bicket - Direction

This superlatively sung recital of alto highlights from Bach's Passions, Mass in B minor and cantatas begs a big question: why does Daniels not feature in any recent complete recordings of the large-scale works? The American countertenor's seraphic tone - sweet, intensely beautiful, but never feminine - is surely the ideal vehicle for the great solos assigned to boy altos and, occasionally, adult countertenors in the St John and St Matthew Passions, and, notionally at least, in the great B minor mass (which almost certainly went unperformed during the composer's lifetime). Daniels begins where Bach's great church music ends, with two numbers from his masterly "compilation" Latin Mass, now thought to have been a job application for the chapel of the Catholic court in Dresden. Qui sedes may be one of the few original compositions, but the sublime Agnus Dei is a so-called "parody" aria, an adaptation of a number from a wedding cantata of 1725. Daniels's singing here is of heart-stopping beauty, as it is in the great arias from the two Passions, especially in St Matthew's emotional heart, Erbarme dich (Have mercy, my God), and Schlummert ein (Slumber now), from the alto version of the much-revised solo cantata Ich habe genug (It is enough). Daniels sets a yardstick for the singing of these arias - even if the programme is a bit heavy on dolefulness for a single sitting, I will recall these extracts when listening to complete recordings. The stylish playing of the English Concert only enhances the glory of Daniels's unique voice. --- Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times

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