It’s been a few years since Volume 2 of this Johann Christian Bach opera overture series was issued, but I’d be hard pressed to come up with a compelling reason to have brought this to market any sooner. There are no major revelations here, just a resounding confirmation of J.C. Bach’s reputation as an elegant craftsman. This youngest son of J.S. and Anna Magdalena was popular for most of his lifetime and certainly was well regarded as an opera composer, although by the end of his life Johann Christian’s music was seen as somewhat passé. With the exception of Amadis des Gaules, which was written between 1778 and 1779, the works heard here all come from a prolific earlier period when his compositions were in much demand in England: Endimione was premiered in 1772, as was Temistocle, and Lucio Silla debuted in 1773.
The Hanover Band matches Bach in fruitfulness; in a little more than 20 years the orchestra has made in excess of 100 recordings! The playing here is sweet, with taut rhythms and fleet pacing. There’s no lingering over phrases nor scrabbling for deeper meaning. It’s a perfect match for the evanescent pleasures of these overtures. The one glaring exception is the ariette and chorus of Amadis des Gaules, where the uncredited tenor and chorus drag the work’s momentum considerably, though speed is hastily regained for the ending Tambourin. (Note as well that the album’s notes give no text for this sung portion.) The sound is crisp and even-handed.
Is this a groundbreaking recording? No, but as a colleague of mine recently remarked, “There’s always a place in this world for good music.” Not great, life-changing music, but good music, well written and well played. This recording definitely fills that bill.
