Handel – Dixit Dominus; Bach &Schütz – Motets Ottawa Bach Choir; Lisette Canton ATMA ACD2 2790 (atmaclassique.com/En)
The Ottawa Bach Choir and Ensemble Caprice join forces in this
recording for thrilling performances of Baroque masters Handel, Bach and Schütz.
From the outset of Dixit Dominus, the quick pace and precision with
which the chorus deftly moves through Handel’s ever-running and cascading
phrases is awe-inspiring. Daniel Taylor guests for the alto aria Virgam
virtutis in which the interplay between his golden voice and the
continuo instruments is sublime. Soprano Kathleen Radke maintains a wonderfully
relaxed vocal line through the execution of elaborate lines in Tecum
principium in die virtutis and later she and Kayla Ruiz create
enchanting chemistry in the soaring duet De torrente in via bibet.
Looking back almost a century, next on the recording are rarely heard Passion Motets from Heinrich Schütz’s Cantiones Sacrae. Heavily influenced by Italian madrigals of the time, Lisette Canton coaxes the full anguish of the thematic material from the choir in emphasizing dissonances and highly expressive rhetoric. The recording ends with homage to the choir’s eponym. In Bach’s Komm, Jesu, komm, excellent recording technique and choice of venue shine through, with a lovely resonance from the start and an erudite interchange captured in the dialogue of a choir divided into two sections by the composer.
JUNO-award winning Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) – Virtual Bach – Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226, by J.S. Bach, recorded June 12-24, 2020 with 22 separate videos.
Virtual BACH – Dona nobis pacem from Mass in B Minor, BWV 232, by J.S. Bach. Peace and hope for the world in a time of uncertainty, recorded April 28-May 3, 2020 by the Ottawa Bach Choir with 29 separate videos.
Founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton, the Juno Award-winning Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) is an ensemble which specializes in the performance of early music, with a particular emphasis on the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Their latest release, titled Six Motets, is a monumental effort featuring Bach’s choral motets, noted for their complexity, profundity and breathtaking beauty. This recording begins with a thrilling rendition of Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV225, which launches at breakneck speed through passages of virtuosic counterpoint and driving rhythmic patterns, eases into a luxurious aria and returns with fiery energy for the conclusion. Such focus on rhythm and clarity is a defining feature of this entire disc, which brings Bach’s music to life in an illuminative and vital way. Perhaps the most exceptional excerpt of OBC’s Six Motets is the monolithic Jesu, meine FreudeBWV227, an 11-movement work for five-part chorus that spans a tremendous range of moods and affects. Here the choir offers a masterclass in precision and execution, but never at the expense of musicality. The opening chorale is well-paced, expertly phrased and subtly expressive, the devilish “Trotz dem alten Drachen” is one of the best this reviewer has encountered, and the lyrical “Gute Nacht, o Wesen” is hauntingly beautiful. In a market saturated with recordings of Bach’s famous motets, it could be challenging to rationalize yet another addition to the catalogue, yet this effort from the OBC holds its own as one of the finest on record. There is not a weak point present and, whether familiar or not with these legendary works, Six Motets is highly recommended listening for all.
