Solo Cantatas from the collection Fortsetzung des
Harmonischen Gottes-Dienstes
Eva Lax
Affetti Musicali
Janos Malina
Hungaraton HCD 31597
recorded 1996
(flacs, scans & texts)
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Der himmlischen Geister unzählbare Menge, TWV 1:298. Den Christen mischt Christus, TWV1: 774. Ach, reiner Geist! TWV 1:904. Gott weiss! TWV 1:894. Nach Finsternis und Todesschatten, TWV 1:1150. Es fähret Jesus auf, TWV 1:489.
All six of these works come from the Fortsetzung or continuation of the Harmonischen Gottes-Dienst, Telemann's second cycle of solo chamber cantatas for the church's year published in Hamburg in 1731. With one exception all seventy-two cantatas of the Fortsetzung call for two obbligato instruments, the present disc concentrating particularly on those that call for a trumpet as one of them. Evidence that the composer's choice of an instrument rarely found in chamber sonatas was far from arbitrary is proven by the number of occasions where he has carefully chosen texts that allow the trumpet's brightness to be contrasted with the possible lower sonorities of the second obligato instrument (usually violin) and continue An example might be the opening aria of the Pentecostal cantata Ach, reiner Geist!, where the singer reflects on the “solace“ and “sweet delight,“ but also the “horror“ (or awe) and “silent fear“ of the Holy Ghost, both already established in an opening sinfonia in which the trumpet's serene melody is dramatically counter-pointed against the restless tremolandos of violin and continuo.
Such vivid imagery is present in most of the texts (all by the Hamburg pastor Tobias Henrich Schubart), presenting Telemann with plentiful and eagerly grasped opportunities to exploit expressive Affekt, a feature clearly recognized if not fully realized by the performers. Éva Lax is not new to this territory, having appeared on Volume 2 of Dynamic's ongoing series of Telemann sacred cantatas, where Tom Moore praised her “warm and focused tone“ (Fanfare 19:2). I'd go along with that, and add too that her singing is unfailingly stylish. But heard over a whole disc, despite Lax obviously having thought about the words, there is lack of color in the voice that leaves me wondering what a more expressive singer might achieve with some of those deliberately stark and closely juxtaposed textural contrasts. I'm bothered, for example, that I hear so little tonal difference between the Christian's mingling of “Lachen mit Seufzen“ (laughter and bitter sighs) or “Heilen mit Schmerz“ (healing and pain) in the opening aria of the Holy Saturday cantata Den Christen mischt Christus. But Lax is a sensitive and thoroughly professional singer in this repertoire and she is supported by some fine playing by the members of Affetti Musicali, a Hungarian period-instrument group which appears to have no connection with the identically named outfit who had a Telemann disc reviewed by Tom Moore in Fanfare 19:5. Special praise must go to trumpeter János Bali, who not only executes the often difficult parts with considerable accomplishment, but also manages an effective balance with the singer and other instrumentalists, no small achievement in chamber works. In that, of course, he is aided by Hungaroton's engineers, who have provided a pleasing recording whose slightly dry quality is soon forgotten.
Given that only Nach Finsternis und Todesschatten appears to have been recorded before (and that, if the very good note is to be believed, shorn of its trumpet part), the disc should have obvious attractions for Telemann collectors, who will find its musicality and integrity go a long way toward mitigating the reservations outlined above. Full text and translations are included. -Fanfare