"J. S. BACH CANTATAS AND ARIAS".(Ian Bostridge)(Brief Article)(Review)

Ian Bostridge [] "J. S. BACH CANTATAS AND ARIAS" Europa Galante, Biondi. Texts and translations. Virgin Veritas 45420 2 2

In Bach's Cantata BWV 82, "Ich habe genug," a devastating meditation on mortality, the soloist sums up his wretched existence and confidently welcomes God's embrace in the afterlife. But the music tells another story: the singer stares into an abyss, dark and uncertain. At least, that's Bach's original setting for baritone, with which many a deep-voiced soloist has taken listeners on a gut-wrenching night of the soul.

Bach eventually reworked the cantata twice for lighter voices, and one of these reworkings launches Ian Bostridge's new album. It's a daring choice: predictably, a lot of soul-searching is lost along the way. Any tenor with Bostridge's bright, supple youthfulness will necessarily sound more optimistic than did (for example) the late baritone William Parker, a less gifted artist, but one whose real-life struggles with mortality informed every note. By contrast, Bostridge isn't facing any abyss: he's packing for summer camp.

That's not inappropriate, actually. The text projects such utter confidence ...