JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1759)

Psalm 51: Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden, BWV 1083
after the Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)
for soprano, alto, strings and continuo

01 Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden: Largo
02 Ist mein Herz in Missetaten: Andante
03 Missetaten, die mich drücken: Larghetto
04 Dich erzürnt mein Tun und Lassen: Andante
05 Wer wird seine Schuld verneinen: Largo
06 Sieh, ich bin in Sünd empfangen
07 Sieh, du willst die Wahrheit haben
08 Wasche mich doch rein: Andantino
09 Lass mich Freud und Wonne spüren: Alla breve
10 Schaue nicht auf meine Sünden: Andante
11 Öffne Lippen, Mund und Seele: Adagio spirituoso
12 Denn du willst kein Opfer haben: Largo
13 Lass dein Zion blühend dauern: Allegro
14 Amen: Alla breve

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)

Nisi Dominus, RV 608
for alto, strings and continuo

15 Nisi Dominus: Allegro
16 Vanum est vobis: Largo
17 Surgite postquam sederitis: Presto
18 Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum: Largo
19 Sicut saggitae in manu potentis: Allegro
20 Beatus vir qui implevit: Andante
21 Gloria Patri: Larghetto
22 Sicut erat in principio: Allegro
23 Amen: Allegro

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About this CD

Damien Guillon, who has been proving himself to be a much-admired interpreter of the more spiritual side of Baroque music, now makes his debut on Glossa both as countertenor soloist and director for a fascinating pairing of Bach and Vivaldi psalm settings: Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden, BWV 1083 and Nisi Dominus, RV 608. Guillon directs his ensemble Le Banquet Céleste (with which he recently made his stage conducting debut in Avignon with Acis and Galatea).

Whilst he was Konzertmeister in Weimar JS Bach was entrusted by his employer with transcribing scores by Vivaldi brought back from Amsterdam, and a fascination ensued with the Venetian composer’s style, especially with that of his concertos. As is pointed out by Stefano Russomanno in his booklet essay for this new recording Vivaldi will have employed the concerto logic also in his sacred vocal works, such as the early Nisi Dominus (Psalm 126) recorded here. It was however a Neapolitan composer from the next generation along in GB Pergolesi, whose music Bach turned to as the basis for a setting of Psalm 51, Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden. The result was a magisterially rendered reworking – in parody form – of Pergolesi’s theatrical (and catholic) Stabat Mater, adjusted by Bach to accommodate the different demands of the German Protestant text.

The warmth of Guillon’s countertenor finds an ideal match in the soprano Céline Scheen, another fabulous singer of Baroque music, whose vocal agility and purity has been entrancing audiences across Europe in recent years.