Following the album Arias, her much-acclaimed debut album on Sony Classical, the German soprano returns to Bach with three famous cantatas she has never recorded before. Regardless of their extraordinary musical beauty all of these cantatas are concerned with religious considerations of grief, guilt and farewell. Based on the Italian model of solo cantata which reached its peak in the extensive output of Alessandro Scarlatti, these melodious and touching pieces highlight Schäfer´s outstanding vocal abilities and musical taste. The arias offer most delightful duets with various instrumental solo parts such as flute, oboe and violin. Christine Schäfer is accompanied by the Berliner Barocksolisten, a first-class ensemble of players from the Berlin Philharmonic who perform on modern instruments in historically informed style.

Die zweichörige Matthäus-Passion, die bereits im posthumen Andenken der Bach-Familie als die «Grosse Bassion» bezeichnet wurde, gehört nicht nur zu Bachs umfangreichsten und gewichtigsten Kirchenkompositionen. Sie hat auch seit den spektakulären Wiederaufführungen Mendelssohns und Zelters im Jahre 1829 die neuzeitliche Wahrnehmung des Komponisten wesentlich geprägt.

Christine Schäfer models the notes in a sovereign and refreshingly light manner: Werner Güra not only convinces as an evangelist, but also proves his class in the arias." The two bassists intone a hearty-bawdy, sometimes very soft and gentle tone There is nothing wrong with Harnoncourt's portrayal of the opening movement of the Third Cantata, where the music explodes in a way that has not been heard before.

All are equal before the work, before the mysteries of a score; this was Claudio Abbados heart-felt conviction. For him, the willingness to be open to one another and to the independent life of musical processes was the only prerequisite for making music. In the live performances documented here for the first time, Abbado could be sure of the devotion of these world-class artists: the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, the sopranos Christine Schäfer and Juliane Banse, as well as the actor Bruno Ganz. They shared his credo of listening togetherness (Die ZEIT) that made possible those precious moments of musical truth toward which this great conductor strove throughout his life.

Christine Schäfer's bright, silvery soprano is a perfect vehicle for these solo cantatas. The adventurous Musica Antiqua Köln supports her in lively readings, full of spirit and animation. Schäfer sails through the technical demands with ease, but she also brings a welcome warmth and sensitivity to the texts. Some of the movements are taken at a clip that may surprise, but the performers bring it off with aplomb. The familiar Cantata No. 51 actually isn't a wedding cantata, but its joyous spirit fits the mood, so it's welcome all the same, especially in a performance of such agility and precision.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt war der vielleicht wichtigste Pionier einer Musikauffassung, die hinter der spätromantischen Sichtweise auf die Passionen Johann Sebastian Bachs das originale Klangbild suchte. Dabei ging es ihm keineswegs um Authentizität als Selbstzweck, sondern vielmehr um ein Ausloten der Bach'schen Klangfarben und Ausdrucksmittel, die im Brahms- und Bruckner-Sound der großen Oratorienchöre und Symphonieorchester verloren gegangen waren. Inzwischen ist diese Auffassung etabliert und Harnoncourt weit ins romantische Repertoire eingedrungen. Die Zeit reinen Bach- und Mozart-Spezialistentums scheint vorbei. Mit der Neueinspielung der Matthäus-Passion begibt sich der Dirigent daher wieder zurück zu seinen Wurzeln.

Following the iconic series of the complete songs of Schubert and Schumann, Graham Johnson’s latest enterprise traverses the complete songs of Brahms. He is joined here on Volume 2 by the wonderful Christine Schäfer, whose contribution to the Schumann song series won a prestigious Gramophone Award.