A new four-disc recording of sacred cantatas by Johann Ludwig Bach, a distant cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach, has been released to critical acclaim. The works, preserved thanks to JS Bach's meticulous copying, are performed here for the first time by Capella Sollertia under conductor Johanna Soller.
Johann Ludwig Bach, born near Eisenach in 1677, served as cantor and later kapellmeister in Meiningen until his death in 1731. His music demonstrates a gift for melody, sensitivity to text, and an ability to transform Lutheran doctrinal poetry into compelling music drama. How JS Bach obtained these works remains unclear, as there is no evidence the two ever met.
The Easter cantata 'Denn du wirst meine Seele nicht in der Hölle lassen' was once attributed to JS Bach as BWV 15. It exemplifies JLB's style: Italianate arias with French courtly grace and imaginative word painting, enhanced by sensitively deployed trumpets and drums. Soller's conducting is incisive yet flexible, supported by fresh-voiced soloists and superb engineering from Ricercar.
This set, nearly five and a half hours of music, is a remarkable rediscovery and warmly recommended.
