J.S. Bach: Philippe Herreweghe Complete Recordings (27 CDs in 9 CD books) [Box set]

I am not in a position to offer a genuine review, as at this date I have only had the set for a few days. But having found the limited information which Amazon attaches to this set, and having searched around, it seems worth providing an accurate listing of the contents of this newly launched box, which brings together the fruits of Herreweghe's long-standing commitment to Bach. So please skip to the listing below, but I've added a few comments to justify the five stars.

Firstly the box offers extraordinarily generous value. It really is a work of art in its own right, with beautiful and appropriate illustrations woven into the sturdy outer box, as well as within the individual 'books', which contain essays and texts. I cannot see the set continuing to be offered at such a low price for long; time will tell.

I've been collecting Bach Cantatas since the late 1970s, when I bought the Richter accounts on lp from DG Arkiv. My favourite set is the almost-complete Suzuki account. Based on what I've heard, Herreweghe's selective approach is sensitive and ideally recorded, which does not surprise me, as I've had his St John Passion since its first release. So much to look forward to...

Cantata BWV11 'Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen' (Ascension Oratorio)
Cantata BWV110 'Unser Mund sei voll Lachens'
Cantata BWV119 'Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn'
Cantata BWV12 'Weinen, Klagen, sorgen, Zagen'
Cantata BWV120 'Gott man lobet dich in Stille'
Cantata BWV121 'Christum wir sollen loben schon'
Cantata BWV122 'Das neugeborne Kindelein'
Cantata BWV125 'Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin'
Cantata BWV127 'Herr jesu christ, wahr' mensch und Gott'
Cantata BWV133 'Ich freue mich in dir'
Cantata BWV138 'Warum betrubst du dich, mein Herz'
Cantata BWV158 'Der Friede sei mit dir'
Cantata BWV159 'Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem'
Cantata BWV161 'Komm, du susse Todesstunde'
Cantata BWV170 'Vergnugte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust'
Cantata BWV176 'Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding'
Cantata BWV198 'Lass, Furstin, lass noch einen Strahl' (Trauerode)
Cantata BWV2 'Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein'
Cantata BWV20 'O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort'

Cantata BWV207 'Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten'
Cantata BWV21 'Ich hatte viel Bekummernis'
Cantata BWV214 'Tonet, ihr Pauken'
Cantata BWV22 'Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwolfe'
Cantata BWV23 'Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn'
Cantata BWV27 'Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende?'
Cantata BWV29 'Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir'
Cantata BWV35 'Geist und Seele wird verwirret'
Cantata BWV36 'Schwingt freudig euch empor'
Cantata BWV38 'Aus tiefer not schrei ich zu dir'
Cantata BWV42 'Am abend aber desselbigen sabbats'
Cantata BWV43 'Gott fahret auf mit Jauchzen'
Cantata BWV44 'Sie werden euch in den Bann tun'
Cantata BWV54 'Widerstehe doch der Sunde'
Cantata BWV56 'Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen'
Cantata BWV57 'Selig ist der Mann'
Cantata BWV61 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'
Cantata BWV62 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'
Cantata BWV66 'Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen'
Cantata BWV75 'Die Elenden sollen essen'
Cantata BWV78 'Jesu der du meine Seele'
Cantata BWV8 'Liebster Gott, wann werd ich sterben?'
Cantata BWV80 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott'
Cantata BWV82 'Ich habe genug'
Cantata BWV84 'Ich bin vergnugt mit meinem Glucke'
Cantata BWV91 'Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ'
Cantata BWV95 'Christus, der ist mein Leben'
Easter Oratorio, BWV249
Magnificat in D major, BWV243
Magnificat in E flat major, BWV243a
Mass in B minor, BWV232
Motet BWV225 'Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied'
Motet BWV226 'Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf'
Motet BWV227 'Jesu, meine Freude'
Motet BWV228 'Furchte dich nicht'
Motet BWV229 'Komm, Jesu, komm'
Motet BWV230 'Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden'
St John Passion, BWV245
St Matthew Passion, BWV244

Bruhns, Nikolaus
Ich liege und schlafe

Graupner, Christoph
Herr, die Wasserstrome erheben sich

Kuhnau, Johann
Gott, sei mir gnadig nach deiner Gute

Tunder, Franz
Dominus illuminatio mea
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Wend' ab deinen Zorn, lieber Herr, mit Gnaden

This box arrived today and I am delighted! Not only do you get music for less then £2 a CD, but overall these are perhaps the very best recordings of these wonderful pieces, and the packaging is top quality with full booklets including all sung texts and informative essays in three languages.

I was really looking forward to receiving this Herreweghe Bach collection, but listening through it, there arose some appalling defects reflecting very poor quality control. In the first 6 discs , four tracks were defective. The final straw was when this occurred in the Mache Dich aria in The Matthew Passion. Now I have the bother of returning this. Should not happen!