Credits:

Bach, J.S. / Graupner / Telemann

Description:

Who would you choose? Bach was the Thomas cantor (director of music) of this church from 1723 to 1750. This tradition continues today, with Andreas Reiss currently serving as the 18th Thomas cantor. When Johann Kuhnau died in 1722, there were many candidates to succeed him. The first candidate mentioned by the city council was Telemann, who at the time was the director of music at five major churches in Hamburg. However, he was unable to reach a compromise in terms of treatment and gave up the job. The next candidate was Graupner, the court music director of Darmstadt and a pupil of Kuhnau, but his employer, the Duke of Hesse, would not allow him to resign, so he was again passed over. The city of Leipzig was finally forced to choose Bach, and in 1723 he was appointed Thomas Kantor, a post he held until his death in 1750.This disc includes Cantata No. 23, which Bach submitted for the cantor's employment examination, the first recording of Graupner's cantata "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles," and Telemann's unpublished cantata "Ich muB auf den Bergen weinen und heulen," in which the listener is invited to be a judge. The audience can hear the struggle for this historic appointment as if they were a member of the jury. Performed by AElbgut, a vocal ensemble of four up-and-coming singers, and the young baroque ensemble Capella Jenensis in their first collaboration. King International