Motets

Bach's motets, most of them composed during the 1730s, occupy a rather special position in his output. Never did the Cantor of St. Thomas's devote such meticulous attention to the musical expression of the word; never did he exploit so great a variety of tone-colors, texture and effects. It is as if the entire panoply of Baroque expressionism were concentrated in these settings of scriptural texts. These exceptional performances by Collegium Vocale led by Philippe Herreweghe are now available at budget price.