Motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, discography

This article includes a list of commercial recordings of the motets of Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach motets have often been recorded as a set (typically comprising the six motets catalogued as BWV 225-230).[lower-alpha 1] However, other motets are attributed to Bach and there is some doubt about the authorship of Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden, BWV 230, one of the BWV "six".

A single CD has the capacity to contain the set of six motets plus some other works. For example, Maasaki Suzuki's 2009 recording with the Bach Collegium Japan on BIS includes O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 118 (which at one time was categorised as a cantata) and Ich lasse dich nicht, BWV Anh. 159 (the authorship of which has been disputed).[1] The motets chosen for a particular recording project can reflect the way the balance of opinion changes regarding the status of particular work: given Bach's status as one of the great composers, a firm attribution to him is likely to result in more interest in recording the piece in question. For example, BWV Anh. 159 was not included by John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir in their first set recorded in 1980. However, they included it in their 2011 recording,[2] by which time scholarly opinion had re-assessed the work.

Recordings have also been made of the less securely attributed and even spurious motets. For example, Wolfgang Helbich recorded The Apocryphal Bach Motets, sung by the Alsfelder Vokalensemble, in 1993 (released in 1994, re-issued 2014).[3][4]

Types of choirs

Choirs with one voice per part (OVPP) are used in some historically informed performances of Bach. However, OVPP recordings of the motets are in the minority. Exceptions include the Hilliard Ensemble's second set,[5] and Konrad Junghänel with the group Cantus Cölln.[6] Philippe Herreweghe's second set uses OVPP for some motets, for example Jesus meine Freude, and not others.[7]

At least some of the motets would have been first performed by singers from Leipzig's Thomanerchor, which comprises boys and young men. This choir has recorded the motets (initially under Günther Ramin in the 1950s),[8] as have other choirs with boys' voices such as the Choir of New College, Oxford.[9]

Instrumental accompaniment

Music directors need to make choices about the instrumental accompaniment, if any, to be used. There are three possible approaches:

• a cappella, that is, without an accompaniment
• instruments doubling the vocal lines, something which is described as playing colla parte
• Basso continuo, or just an organ accompaniment, to provide some instrumental support for the singers

Surviving sources do not make it clear what Bach's approach was to the accompaniment of most of these pieces. In the case of Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226 orchestral parts are extant, indicating that choir I was doubled by strings and choir II by reeds (two oboes, taille and bassoon). There is also a basso continuo provided (separate violone and organ parts) which underlies both choirs.[10] An accompaniment is also specified for Lobet den Herrn.[11]

La Petite Bande and Bach Collegium Japan, for example, use the orchestration of Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf for the other pieces for double choir. However, a capella performance is long-established tradition,[12] which is also reflected in recordings. The Hilliard Ensemble's OVPP version is mainly a capella. They omit the instrumental parts of Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, but sing Lobet den Herrn to organ accompaniment.[5]

The recordings with continuo accompaniment include The Sixteen's version (the instruments are cello, violone, theorbo, organ) and the second recording by the Monteverdi Choir (cello, double bass, bassoon and organ).[13]

History

The first of the motets to be recorded was Jesu meine Freude in 1927. This version was sung in English.[14]

Awards

In 2010, Suzuki and his ensemble were given a French award (Diapason d’Or de l’Année) and a German award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik) for their recording of Bach motets on BIS.

John Eliot Gardiner, who has won more Gramophone Awards than any other living artist, received one for his second recording of the motets with the Monteverdi Choir on SDG. It was one of the 2013 awards, the category being "Baroque Vocal".

Grete Pedersen with the Norwegian choir Det Norske Solistkor won a Diapason d'Or in 2018 for their recording of the motets on BIS.

Discography

The intention has been to feature versions which are still available. The year given is that of recording. In the case of pre-1980s recordings, the date of reissue on CD can be significantly later than the original recording.

Recordings of Bach Motets

Title	Conductor / Choir / Orchestra	Soloists	Label	Year	Additional info
6 Motetten[8]	Günther Ramin Thomanerchor		Archiv (reissue)	1950s
Bach: Motets	Philippe Herreweghe		Harmonia Mundi France	1985	first Herreweghe recording
The Six Motets[15]	Harry Christophers The Sixteen		Hyperion	1989	reissued 2014: continuo[16]
	Sigiswald Kuijken La Petite Bande	OVPP	Accent[6]	1992	first Kuijken recording; instrumental doubling
	Konrad Junghänel Cantus Cölln	OVPP	Deutsche Harmonia Mundi	1995
J.S. Bach: Motets[6]	The Scholars Baroque Ensemble		Naxos	1996
Bach Motetten	Hilliard Ensemble	OVPP	ECM	2003	second Hilliard recording
Bach Motets[9]	Edward Higginbottom Choir of New College, Oxford		Novum[17]	2008	organ accompaniment
Bach Motets[1]	Masaaki Suzuki Bach Collegium Japan		BIS	2009
Motetten	Philippe Herreweghe Collegium Vocale Gent		Phi	2010	second Herreweghe recording
Bach Motets[2]	John Eliot Gardiner Monteverdi Choir		SDG	2011	second Gardiner recording; continuo; live performance
Bach - The Motets	Grete Pedersen Norwegian Soloists' Choir Ensemble Allegria		BIS	2017

Notes

1. "BWV" is Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, a thematic catalogue of Bach's works.

References

1. "Bach Motets". bis.se (BIS Records). Retrieved 6 April 2020.
2. Bach: Motets and Bach Motets at www.muziekweb.nl.
3. The Apocryphal Bach Motets: BWV Anh. 159–165 at www.muziekweb.nl.
4. The Sacred Apocryphal Bach (8 CD set) at ArkivMusic website.
5. Clements, Andrew (18 May 2007). "Bach: Motets". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
6. "Motets / Recordings – Part 6". Bach Cantatas Website.
7. Riley, Paul (January 2012). "Bach, JS: Motets BWV 225-230". BBC Music Magazine.
8. "Motets / Recordings – Part 2". Bach Cantatas Website.
9. "Motets / Recordings – Part 7". Bach Cantatas Website.
10. "Motet BWV 226". Bach Choir of Bethlehem. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
11. Leavis, Ralph (January 1971). "Bach's Setting of Psalm CXVII (BWV.230)". Music & Letters. Vol. 52, No. 1. OUP. 52 (1): 19–26. JSTOR 731829. Accessed via JSTOR (subscription required)
12. Emery, W. (1974). Bach in Practice. The Musical Times, 115(1578), 661-661. doi:10.2307/960490. Accessed via JSTOR (subscription required)
13. "Bach: Motets". ArkivMusik. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
14. "Motets / Recordings – Part 1". Bach Cantatas Website.
15. "Motets / Recordings – Part 5". Bach Cantatas Website.
16. Anderson, Nicholas. "Bach Motets". Gramophone. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
17. "Recordings". Choir of New College, Oxford.