J.S. Bach: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis

Johann Sebastian Bach has long been a touchpoint in the ECM New Series catalog, but almost nothing can touch the sheer transcendence of this program. Curated by oboist Heinz Holliger, fronting the Camerata Bern under the direction of violinist Erich Höbarth, the album’s German title translates as “I had much affliction” and points to the selections from Bach’s cantatas and Easter Oratorio arranged here. The music’s mournful retrograde draws us into orbit, never letting go until its prayer is silenced. Four concertos are also offered, including Bach’s reworking of an Alessandro Marcello opus, to salve that affliction with exuberance.