Cantata Collective, an ensemble “of San Francisco early music luminaries” (San Francisco Chronicle) inaugurates a major series of J. S. Bach’s choral works with a live recording of the composer’s St. John Passion.

With celebrated conductor Nicholas McGegan, the toast of today’s new generation of vocal soloists and a three-to-a-part chamber choir, the Cantata Collective conveys the emotional intimacy and dramatic power of this monumental passion in a highly polished performance that led Early Music America to implore: “To the excellent musicians of Cantata Collective: More Bach Please!”

CD 1:Part 1 (35:31)
1. No. 1 “Herr, unser Herrscher” (Chorus) (8:39)
2. No. 2 “Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern” (Evangelist, Jesus, Chorus) (2:25)
3. No. 3 “O große Lieb” (Chorale) (0:53)
4. No. 4 “Auf daß das Wort erfüllet würde….” (Evangelist, Jesus) (1:03)
5. No. 5 “Dein Will gescheh!” (Chorale) (0:57)
6. No. 6 “Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptman…” (Evangelist) (0:46)
7. No. 7 “Von den Stricken” (Aria) (5:24)
8. No. 8 “Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesus” (Evangelist) (0:14)
9. No. 9 “Ich folge dir gleichfalls” (Aria) (4:11)
10. No. 10 “Servus Der Selbige Jünger…” (Evangelist, Maid, Peter, Jesus, Attendant) (3:03)
11. No. 11 “Wer hat dich so geschlagen” (Chorale) (1:46)
12. No. 12 “Und Hannas sandte…” (Evangelist, Chorus) (2:07)
13. No. 13 “Ach, mein Sinn” (Aria) (4:41)
14. No. 14 “Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück” (Chorale) (1:19)

Recorded live on March 21st, 2022 at the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, California, Part 1 opens on the most beautious “Herr, unser Herrscher” and the sterner fare of “Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern,” and then brings is the veritably festive “O große Lieb,” the strident “Auf daß das Wort erfüllet würde….,” the harmonious “Dein Will gescheh!,” a quite reverbative “Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptman…,” the dutifully crafted aria “Von den Stricken,” a quick, blink and you will miss it “Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesus,” the flute then comes to the fore on “Ich folge dir gleichfalls,” an atmospheric “Servus Der Selbige Jünger…,” and then comes the chorale “Wer hat dich so geschlagen, an aching yearn within “Und Hannas sandte…, the disc closing on the densely sculpted aria “Ach, mein Sinn” and the chorale of “Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück.”

CD 2:Part 2 (79:10)
1. No. 15 “Christus, der uns selig macht” (Chorale) (1:07)
2. No. 16 “Da führeten sie Jesum…” (Evangelist, Pilate, Chorus) (4:14)
3. No. 17 “Ach großer König” (Chorale) (1:40)
4. No. 18 “Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm” (Evangelist, Pilate, Jesus, Chorus) (2:03)
5. No. 19 “Betrachte, meine Seel” (Arioso) (2:00)
6. No. 20 “Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbte Rücken” (Aria) (8:20)
7. No. 21 “Und die Kriegsknechte…” (Evangelist, Chorus) (5:54)
8. No. 22 “Durch dein Gefängis” (Chorale) (1:05)
9. No. 23 “Die Jüden aber schrieen…” (Evangelist, Chorus) (4:17)
10. No. 24 “Eilt, ihr angeofochtnen” (Aria, Chorus) (3:56)
11. No. 25 “Allda kreuzigten sie ihn…” (Evangelist, Chorus) (2:16)
12. No. 26 “In meines Herzens Grunde” (Chorale) (1:06)
13. No. 27 “Die Kriegsknechte aber…” (Evangelist, Chorus) (3:56)
14. No. 28 “Er nahm alles wohl in acht” (Chorale) (1:15)
15. No. 29 “Und von Stund an…” (Evangelist, Jesus) (1:20)
16. No. 30 “Es ist vollbracht!” (Aria) (5:37)
17. No. 31 “Und neiget das Haupt…” (Evangelist) (0:29)
18. No. 32 “Mein teurer Heiland” (Aria, Chorus) (4:59)
19. No. 33 “Und siehe da, der Vorhang…” (Evangelist) (0:25)
20. No. 34 “Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt” (Arioso) (0:50)
21. No. 35 “Zerfließe, mein Herze” (Aria) (6:35)
22. No. 36 “Die Jüden aber…” (Evangelist) (2:06)
23. No. 37 “O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn” (Chorale) (1:12)
24. No. 38 “Darnach bat Pilatum…” (Evangelist) (2:11)
25. No. 39 “Ruht wohl, ihr heiligem Gebeine” (Chorus) (7:56)
26. No. 40 “Ach Herre, Iaß dein lieb Engelein” (Chorale) (2:13)

Part 2, the much longer portion of the two, opens on the expressive Christus, der uns selig macht” and the dulcet “Da führeten sie Jesum…,” before in turn being followed by the chorale beauty found within “Ach großer König,” the earnest “Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm,” the truly magnificent, harpsichord-imbibed “Betrachte, meine Seel,” the quietly impish aria “Erwäge, wie sein blutgefärbte Rücken,” before bringing us the forthright, yet breezy “Und die Kriegsknechte…,” the harmonius chorale of “Durch dein Gefängis,” the candid “Die Jüden aber schrieen…,” the free flowing majesties found within “Eilt, ihr angeofochtnen,” the stoic nature of “Allda kreuzigten sie ihn…,” the beautiful chorale “In meines Herzens Grunde” and the impassioned “Die Kriegsknechte aber…”.

Along next is the sheer magnificence heard within the chorale “Er nahm alles wohl in acht” and the tempered “Und von Stund an…,” and they are backed by the mournful aria “Es ist vollbracht!”, the expressive “Und neiget das Haupt…,” the subtle dance floor swirl of “Mein teurer Heiland,” the boisterous “Und siehe da, der Vorhang…,” before we are brought forth the cultured “Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt,” the sweeping aria “Zerfließe, mein Herze,” the recording rounding out on the fervent “Die Jüden aber…,” the chorale-tastic “O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn,” the ascetic of the chorlae “Darnach bat Pilatum…,” closing on both the engaging “Ruht wohl, ihr heiligem Gebeine” and the harmonious chorale of “Ach Herre, Iaß dein lieb Engelein.”

Musicians:
Cantata Collective
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Thomas Cooley, tenor
Paul Max Tipton, bass-baritone
Nola Richardson, soprano
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor
Derek Chester, tenor
Harrison Hintzsche, baritone

Soloists:
EVANGELIST - Thomas Cooley tenor
JESUS - Paul Max Tipton bass-baritone
SOPRANO ARIAS - Nola Richardson soprano
ALTO ARIAS - Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen countertenor
TENOR ARIAS - Derek Chester tenor
PILATUS & BASS ARIAS - Harrison Hintzsche baritone

Official Purchase Link

Official Cantata Collective Website

Official Nicholas McGegan Website