Bach Purification Mass

Missa brevis in g minor BWV 235; Ich habe genug BWV 82 (alto version)

La Tempesta/Jakub Burzyński Conductor & Soloist
Julita Miroslawska, Mariusz Cyciura, Artur Janda, Congregational Choir

ARTS SACD CD 47749

The male alto/countertenor voice erupted into consciousness through the pioneering work of England's iconic Alfred Deller in the 50s and '60s; I wonder if that summary satisfies also music lovers and musicians in Europe ?

Whatever, Jakub Burzyński is a fine counter-tenor and the first singer of that ilk who runs an early music organisation and so is well placed to have created this conjectural JSB Mass. There are cantatas for alto solo written by Bach; but lesser known amongst them is the alto version of the bass cantata Ich habe genug BWV 82, which with its three contasting arias becomes the central panel of this innovative CD.

This makes for an enjoyable alternative Bach sacred experience. The reasoning is a little tortuous, maybe, but one is happy to go along with it. All the singers, soloists and choir members, are named in the booklet and all are good, as is the small period instrument La Tempesta.

ARTS goes out of its way to present discs away from the canonic favourites, and this one deserves support by JSB collectors.