Bach Cantatas by J.E. Gardiner

Posted by: Reto D on 02 October 2003

Hello,
I'm interested in the Pilgrimage Recordings(most of them recorded in 2000), which are not yet finished I suppose (I don't know if it was or is intended to be a complete Cantata recording?)

I (usually) appreciate J.E.Gardiner works very much and would like to learn more about his Cantata recordings.

Any recommandations...


Reto

Reto
Posted on: 03 October 2003 by --duncan--
Reto,

Gardiner's Bach Cantata recordings were originally intended as a complete cycle. The record company, DG, pulled the plug probably for financial reasons. The decline in full-price classical CD sales means few of these Grandes Projets get past the accountants in large conglomerates, whatever their artistc merits. There are also several other versions under way, notably the Suzuki, offering strong competition which can't have helped sales.

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com
Posted on: 03 October 2003 by herm
The Swiss Connection

Same with Ton Koopman who was working on a mommoth Bach project on Erato, which got cancelled. Koopman started his own "Antoine Merchant" label. Even if the mudicians engaged work for pittance these endless Cantata projects stretching over many years and dozens of releases are bound to fail in the current climate, with record companies very much concerned with the bottom line. (And maybe it's asking for the impossible if you want to record every single page Bach wrote.)

It won't take long before your compatriot Mr Tones (not to be confused with Mr Toon of Wales), the ZeroGain Cantata nut, will post here. So we'd better save some space for him. Wink But you might also have a look on his ZeroGain thread.

Herman