Christmas Music Both Rare and Elegant
Maestro Willens and his ensemble have again brought rare and beautiful music of the 18th century to the fore with this exploration of Agricola's cantatas for Christmas. The Die Kölner Akademie and soloists make for a fine presentation of works not generally performed either in concert or as part of the Christmas liturgy. This is unfortunate as a student of JS Bach, Graun and Hasse, Agricola has composed an impressive opus reflecting the bridge linking the musical Rococo to early Classicism. This disc provides listeners with the drama and serenity of the Christmas season. The musical forces have done so admirably under the baton of Maestro Willens.
All of this being said, I must add herein that when listening to this and other Kölner Akademie choral recordings, I often find myself wishing that there was a full choir employed rather than using the handful of solo quality singers for the choral movements. It would be interesting to learn whether the use of such small vocal forces was commonplace when these works were composed, or if the use of a small soloist-based group of singers is an artistic decision made by those creating the disc.
In the end it matters not, as the works on this highly recommended disc are wonderful additions to the Christmas repertoire.
