• Cantata for solo tenor
• Rating: 2+

Cantata BWV 189 is now thought to be by G.M. Hoffman but the attribution is not considered certain so the work remains in Anhang II of the BWV. For references on this work, see Glöckner, Beiträge zur Bachfurschung, 8, p 55 and Dürr, Bach-Jahrbuch, 1956, 155.

There is a currently available recording of this solo tenor cantata by Peter Schreier on Philips 442 786-2. Listening to this paraphrase of the Magnificat it's quite easy to see why this was attributed to Bach. The opening aria is gloriously tuneful (in a Brideshead Revisited sort of way) with a lovely flute/oboe introduction. The next aria is less interesting, with a very spare basso continuo accompaniment and the vocal line of the final aria doesn't really do justice to the quality of the accompaniment. Well worth investigating especially for the opening aria.

Copyright © 1998, Simon Crouch.