This CD presents a good mix of cantatas for baritone with trumpet obbligato, alternating with varied solo sonatas and concertos. Two of the cantatas were written as part of the 72-work set called Harmonischer Gottesdienst. As usual for those compositions, the two featured here are fairly modest efforts of sincere musical expression in which the trumpet is given chamber music assignments–partnering the solo violin, for example. The other two cantatas are more florid and grand, with more virtuoso treatment of the brass solos. Terrific demands are placed on the baritone singer as well, most notably in the “Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt” where the technical obstacles make some rough going for Klaus Mertens, who acquits himself better in the two less challenging Christmas and Ascension Day works.
The Berliner Barock-Compagney has become one of my favorite small ensemble Baroque specialty groups through its excellent Capriccio recordings, but this one seems a bit uncomfortable. Tempos are not always right on the mark and the players seem uneasy with each other at times. The recorded sound is odd, too–the echo and sense of space seem more electronic than actual. These are terrific works and need better recordings, especially the “Jauchzet dem Herrn…” Bryn Terfel, perhaps?
