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The Sacred Flame - Cambridge Singers   

I'll be honest, my mental image of the Cambridge Singers is of rather heavy handed singing, suitable for John Rutter's jolly carols, but not exactly competition for the Sixteen. However in this collection of Renaissance and Baroque they have proved they can do subtlety too. The Monteverdi pieces bounce along with just enough lightness. There's a wonderful range of the best music here. Gesualdo's O vos omnes, for example, is full of 'he can't do that!' moments - it's electrifying. Buxtehude's chunky and jubilant Magnificat adds a little light relief among the exquisite likes of Victoria and Josquin Desprez... and it runs through neatly through Schütz to the (relatively) trendy 'new' music of Mr Bach.

All in all a great collection.

CDs by Johann Sebastian Bach

1685 - 1750

Certainly one of the best-known composers ever, Bach's choral writing goes from short, simple pieces to the immense sophistication of the Matthew Passion. It's easy for a familiar piece like Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring to be over-performed and seem trite, but don't let familiarity breed contempt - they don't come much better than Bach.

Bach spent much of his working life in the Lutheran church in Leipzig, as both organist and music director. Much of his music is overtly religious, while even many of his secular works have religious interpretations on some levels. His large output of organ music is considered to be the greatest legacy of compositions for the instrument, and is the measure by which all later efforts are judged. His other solo keyboard music is held in equally high esteem, especially his 48 Preludes & Fugues. His other chamber music is similarly lofty, the sets for solo violin & solo cello being the summits of their respective genres. But for us it is the choral music that will always be Bach's ultimate gift to us.

We’ve clearly only a very small representation of the vast recorded repertoire of Bach - but we only list CDs we’ve heard and liked.

Matthew Passion - Monteverdi Choir/Sir John Eliot Gardiner   

There are lots of recordings of the Matthew Passion, and this isn't the most modern, but it is a definitive recording of a remarkable piece of music. It's long and yet somehow doesn't seem heavy - Bach's magic is to build up the emotion of the passion, to leave the piece ending as if it almost isn't finished, yet not to feel that you've been battered by three hours of music.

This is anything but a heavyweight 'choral society' assault on the Matthew Passion, but neither is it the over-pared approach of a tiny choir. Instead it is very precise, with a suitably baroque feel, with plenty of spirit where required. And the performers realise this isn't high opera - so there's no unwanted and unneeded excessive vibrato. Recommended.