The Bach Cantata recordings of the Bach-Stiftung St. Gallen are one of the rare projects where everyone involved can be happy and proud of the results. The necessary resources were available to ensure the high standard of participants (musical and technical) and the venue was ideal. The plan was strictly adhered to: each cantata was performed twice in a live concert, with a talk in between the two performances. Before the concert the cantata was recorded as a “Dress Rehearsal”, thus providing a third performance to ensure ample material for the resulting DVD. It was a privilege and a pleasure to take part as guest concertmaster in a few of the performances. The two videos here are my favorites, involving as they do two wonderful singers, and in both arias the use of muted solo violin in response to the texts – a typical Bach device. As it happens these are almost my only performance appearances on film, for which I am deeply grateful to Rudolf Lutz, and to Nuria Rial and Ruth Sandhoff. (J.H.)
„Auch mit gedämpften schwachen Stimmen“ – J.S. Bach – Kantate BWV 36 Schwingt freudig euch empor (Bachstiftung) from John Holloway on Vimeo.
„Aria“ – J.S. Bach – Kantate BWV 33 Allein zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (Bachstiftung) from John Holloway on Vimeo.
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Both videos by courtesy of the J. S. Bach-Stiftung St. Gallen.