This is a great bargain, with just over an hour of wonderful music. The ensemble is led with a healthy vitality, and the recording mercifully spares us the very tiresome sforzando, sighing attacks and straight-tone fussiness that ruin so many well-intentioned Bach releases. My only complaint is with the diction of the singers, which often sounds VERY North American, especially in the case of the tenor, whose diphthongs make his attempt at sounding German minimal at best. All the singers must have been told to adopt a very steely, driven tone in their closed vowels--it is rather bizarre, and seems really forced at times. But all the singers are fine musicians with solid techniques, and handle the florid lines with ease, especially the soprano, who in "Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn" seems to have breath for days. But these are all minor issues with a release that is a steal at 6 dollars.
