The liturgical year with Johann Sebastian Bach: Rondeau Production and Deutschlandradio Kultur are currently releasing a ten-disc CD series with Thomanerchor Leipzig (St Thomas's Boys Choir Leipzig). The present CD features three cantatas for the feast of the Ascension, composed and performed by Bach between 1724 and 1726: Wer da gloubet und getauft wird (BWV 37) has a fairly restrained scoring for a festal cantata, but is nonetheless musically highly appealing. With only five movements, the cantata Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein (BWV 128) is rather short: it's large-scale, eponymous opening chorale, however, is stunning. The longest cantata of this CD, Gott fohret auf mit Jauchzen (BWV 43), has 11 movements and is of particularly festive character, expressed prominently by trumpets, timpani and oboes. Georg Christoph Biller, current cantor at St Thomas, performs the cantatas with extraordinary boys' voices in the solo parts for soprano and alto; a sign of the new recording's unique quality.
