J. S. Bach: Cantatas Nos. 147, 140, 80 / Motet: Jesu, Meine Freude

In two classic recordings from 1957 and 1967, conductors Geraint Jones and Wolfgang Gonnenwein, two first-rate choirs, and some of the century's top soloists combine to give performances that exemplify the ideal of modern, pre-period-revival Bach. But even period-performance enthusiasts will appreciate these full-blooded, passionate, yet well balanced, elegantly shaped interpretations, which simply remind us that Bach's music can brilliantly shine in different contexts. --David Vernier