Here is a perfectly fine rendition of Bach’s ever-popular and oft-performed-and-recorded Magnificat in D major. The Choir of the Swiss Radio in Lugano is an experienced ensemble, well-seasoned in Baroque repertoire. These singers and their able conductor Diego Fasolis know how to clearly articulate and energize these familiar passages, all of which is enlivened by the period instrumentalists of the Ensemble Vanitas. The opening orchestral outburst springs into action as it should, the trumpets’ gleaming tone properly balanced with the rest of the players, and when the chorus enters it’s one grand show–but without extremes of tempo or over-emphatic singing. In fact, the choral movements are uniformly first-rate as is the orchestral playing. Yes, there could be a bit more sensuousness–more “amore”–to the oboe d’amore solo in “Quia respexit”, but the following chorus entrance to “Omnes generationes” is unexpected–it’s super-quiet, only gradually building to a solid but not excessively loud ending. Another unusual touch: the alto/tenor “Et misericordia” duet is here sung by the respective sections of the choir, and it’s really lovely. As with all Bach Magnificat performances, your preference will depend on the soloists–after all, seven of the 12 movements belong to them–and they are generally fine here. Soprano Antonella Balducci is too stiff for my taste, projecting her tone with tension and clipping her phrases, but the others are admirable–as good as most on disc.
The other works follow consistently with the solid performance standard and stylish interpretation that characterize the Magnificat. The cantata is very expressive, with Fasolis’ tempos careful to convey the music’s essential flow while allowing us to clearly hear the detail in the choral parts and to grasp the sense of the arias. The performers effectively capture the poignancy and emotional scope of this, one of Bach’s finest works in the genre–and the soloists here (different from those in the Magnificat) are all superb. The motet Singet dem Herrn, a real vocal-ensemble tour de force, is marvelously sung, with sustained energy, well-measured phrasing, and dynamic expressive technique, especially in an opening movement that leaves no question about the sincerity of the choir’s conviction in uttering the words “Sing to the Lord a new song!” Sonically, the recording leaves nothing to be desired, making for a very attractive and satisfying presentation of three of Bach’s enduring masterpieces. [9/1/2004]
