Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir, Ton Koopman, Conductor, in Bach’s Magnificat and Two Leipzig Cantatas, by Michael Miller


Ton-koopman
Ton Koopman

Lincoln Center presents Great Performers
Alice Tully Hall, Starr Theater
Mar. 15 at 7:30

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir
Ton Koopman, conductor

Teresa Wakim, soprano
Bogna Bartosz, alto
Tilman Lichdi, tenor
Klaus Mertens, bass-baritone

All-Bach program:

Du Hirte Israel, höre, Cantata BWV 104
Magnificat in D major, BWV 243
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, Cantata BWV 147

Last September I attended a remarkable performance of Bach's B Minor Mass at Emmanuel Church in Boston under their admirable new Music Director, Ryan Turner, who is a singer and came to Emmanuel Music as a member of the chorus. By working his singers and instrumentalists into a deep literal and spiritual understanding of the score and giving them a great deal of expressive freedom, he revealed the spirit of the Mass in the most direct and moving way. In it, Bach plotted his course toward the happy state of the faithful Christian, who is blessed with some intimation or perhaps experience of the Kingdom of Heaven. On March 15 in Alice Tully Hall I shared in an equally life-affirming experience in a concert which explored other joyful aspects of Bach's church music. While the approach to Ton Koopman and his Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra was more historically conscious and intellectually distanced, the spirit of the music and its liturgical message came across no less vividly. It was in fact a joy in itself to hear some of Bach's greatest music played and sung with such accuracy, sureness, and understanding.

Read the full review on New York Arts