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Cantata BWV 33
Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ
Discussions - Part 5 |
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Continue from Part 4 |
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Discussions in the Week of September 20, 2025
Cantata BWV 33, Rudolf Lutz OVPP recording compared to other recent HIP recordings. |
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Fritz V. Herbold wrote (September 20, 2025):
BWV 33 is the seventh cantata of Rudolf Lutz’s cycle, recorded live at the Evangelic Church in Trogen on August 31, 2007– 2 days before the 13th Sunday after Trinity in that year. See also the Bachipedia with links to the concert (YouTube), workshop and reflexion. The names of all performers, including all choristers can also be found there. See also my general comments about the Lutz cycle at Rudolf Luts - Discussions Part 1
I am comparing all movements with 3 other HIP recordings (Gardiner, Koopman and Suzuki) and 1 OVPP recording with the Il Gardellino consort. I am not going into the already existing discussion about HIP / OVPP interpretations in the BCW since this is all a matter of taste.
This is a Chorale cantata (Leipzig II, 1724) with its first performance on September 3 with subsequent performances in the 1730’ s and a revision in the second half of the 1740s (subsequent performance of Choralkantaten year). A further performance was likely on August 24, 1755 (Interim cantorship) by C. F. Barth/C. F. Penzel (see copy D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 1023)
Scoring: see KB, NBA: I/21and Bach Digital at Bach Digital.
Both original score and parts are well preserved and show an original scoring for Alt solo, Tenor solo, Bass solo, Sopran, Alt, Tenor, Bass (choir), Oboe I, Oboe II, Violine I, Violine II, Viola, Basso continuo. As in most of Bach’s Leipzig cantatas, there are two parts for the BC in different keys for strings and woodwinds at ‘Cammerton’ a’= 415 Hz, as well as a transposed part for the big church organa at ‘Chorton’ a’ = 468 Hz, a full tone lower. with many original autograph corrections and figuring remarks.
Important note: The NBA I /21 was published in 1959 and available at the time of all discussed recordings here.
Introduction Cantata BWV 33 by Alfed Dürr (from ‘The Cantatas of J. S. Bach’): ‘This cantata originated during Bach’s second year in Leipzig within the cycle of chorale cantatas, receiving its first performance on 3 September 1724. It is based on the hymn by Konrad Hubert (1540; verse 4: Nuremberg, 1540), of which the anonymous librettist retained the first and last (fourth) verses literally, paraphrasing the two middle verses to form a recitative-aria pair each (thus verse 2 = nos. 2– 3, verse 3 = nos. 4– 5). Although the connection between paraphrase and hymn is unmistakable due to the numerous correspondences of substance and the literal adoption of whole phrases, the expansion by two movements and the consequent lengthening of the text resulted in a freer paraphrase of the hymn than in the cantatas for the preceding Sundays. In general, the relationship between Hubert’s hymn— which asks Jesus for release from the oppressive burden of sin— and the Sunday readings is not very close. The main reason for its use was probably the phrase ‘Above all, love You and my neighbor as myself from the third verse, a reference to Luke 10.27 paraphrased in the fifth movement. In movements 2– 4, however, the librettist does nothing substantial to establish a closer link with the readings. Instead, he interweaves a number of additional biblical references: in no. 2 to Job 9.3 (the man who rails against God can answer Him ‘not one in a thousand’) and in no. 4 to Psalm 51.11 (‘ Cast me not away from Your Presence’) and to Galatians 5.6 (‘ In Christ Jesus avails … faith that works through love’).
Remark: the total times of the discussed interpretations here vary from 19:11 (Suzuki) to 22:42 (Gardiner), but most recordings are around 20:00 to 21:00. I will discuss tempo, soloists, choir and instrumentation (including the different composition of the basso continuo (BC) of each movement below. Regarding key, pitch and temperament, all recordings discussed here are performed in a minor at Leipzig’s pitch of a’= 415 Hz (Cammerton) at equal temperament, with the exception of Lutz who uses non equal temperaments following Young and Vallotti.
Movement 1: Chorale, S, A, T, B, Oboe I, Oboe II, Strings and BC
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘The opening chorus corresponds to the type used most frequently for Bach’s introductory chorale movements. The chorale melody is assigned to the soprano and supported by the other voices, which accompany in a plain chordal or imitative texture and are at times rhythmically accentuated, as on the words ‘Ich ruf dich an’ (‘I call upon You’). This chorale texture is embedded line by line within a thematically independent orchestral texture, which is nonetheless loosely connected with the beginning of the chorale through its initial, imitative semiquaver motive.’
Remark: the tempos of this movement vary only by seconds and are very similar, from Koopman (4:15) to Gardiner (4:29) sounding very adequate.
Gardiner (September 2000): Gardiner’s experienced and excellent Monteverdi Choir (although relatively large with 6 sopranos, 4 altos, 4 tenors and 4 basses) dominate the ‘imitative texture’ (Dürr) with perfection. The individual chorale entries within the non-thematic instrumental ritornellos are admirably well played by the 2 oboes, strings and BC (2 Cellos, double-bass, bassoons, harpsichord AND Organ) Among my first choices.
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): This interpretation sounds almost as a copy of Gardiner’s recording above. Only somewhat faster, Koopman’s choir with 5 sopranos, 5 altos, 5 tenors and 4 basses is almost identical to Gardiner’s and sounds equally professional, as well as the instrumental background with the 2 oboes and strings. The organ in the BC is played by Koopman himself together with 2 violoncellos, double-bass, and bassoon. The BCW also mentions a lute but I can’t hear it in this movement or any of the following recitatives and arias. Also one of my first choices.
Suzuki (June 1996): again, this recording sounds comparable to both interpretations above, but the smaller choir of 4 sopranos, 4 altos, 4 tenors and 4 basses as well as the equally smaller strings section sounds more transparent. The BC comprehends violoncello, double-bass, bassoon, organ AND harpsichord, played by Suzuki himself. Again, one of my first choices with a slight advantage compared to both interpretations above.
Lutz (August 2007): this is Lutz’s first performance of a chorale cantata since the start of his cycle in 2006 and the result is exceptional. With his choir of ‘only’ 3 sopranos, 3 altos, 3 tenors and 3 basses (very similar to Bach’s choir in Leipzig) he obtains more clarity and transparency than all of the above. His minimal instrumental orchestra also fits perfectly here. While most parts of his first violin and concertmaster are played by Renate Steinmann, in this case we hear British baroque violinist and conductor John Holloway as orchestra leader, He is a pioneer of the early music movement. His BC is ‘ complete’ with violoncello, violone, bassoon and organ. Lutz only conducts here, using even a baton which is not always the case. This is my first choice, together with the Il Gardellino consort.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): this is the only OVPP recording I am aware of. The liner notes about soloists and instruments are somewhat confusing, but it is clear that Marcel Ponseele does NOT conduct here since he plays one of the 2 oboes in movements 1, 5 and 6. The BC sounds very discreet with violoncello, violone, bassoon and organ Similar to Lutz, the transparency of the solo OVPP voices sound very cheerful andsparkling, which makes it clearly my first choice, together with Lutz.
My personal preferences: with all these excellent recordings, a fair ranking is not easy, since I like them all:
First place: both Il Gardellino and Lutz, with a slight advantage of the former.
Second place: all the remaining HIP recordings: Gardiner, Koopman and Suzuki.
Movement 2: Recitativo Bass and BC
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘The second movement, a secco recitative accompanied by continuo, has an arioso conclusion whose text, ‘Mich wiederum erfreuen’ (‘Will again delight me’), is effectively differentiated from the preceding declaimed text by means of a lively coloratura.’
Remark: the tempos of this movement don’t vary much; from 1:01 (Gardiner & Suzuki) to 1:06 (Lutz)
Gardiner (September 2000): Canadian baritone, Jonathan Brown (see BCW) sings the bass part in many Gardiner recordings. I like his timbre, diction and coloraturas at the end of the recitative. According to the liner notes, the BC instruments are 2 Violoncellos, double-bass, bassoon, organ AND harpsichord. I can hear both organ and harpsichord but no bassoon. Among my first choices
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): German bass-baritone, Klaus Mertens (see BCW) mostly is my favorite bass soloist, with his perfect diction in German as well as the warmth of his timbre and technical perfection. According to the liner notes, the BC instruments are 2 violoncellos, double-bass, bassoon, organ and lute. I can’t hear the lute nor a bassoon. Also among my first choices.
Suzuki (September 2002): Dutch bass, Peter Kooij (see BCW) has a strong and darker timbre. His diction and coloraturas are also perfect. The BC with violoncello, double-bass, bassoon, organ AND harpsichord is similar to the above, but the harpsichord is louder in the forefront. I can’t hear a bassoon here either. This is my first choice among these well-known very professional bass soloists!
Lutz (August 2007): not so well known German baritone, Markus Volpert (see BCW), who sings many bass parts in the Lutz cycle and although from a much younger generation, is as good as all his colleagues mentioned above. His timbre reminds Mertens; his diction and technique are also perfect. Only violoncello and organ play the BC here. Among my first choices.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): Belgian baritone, Lieven Termont (see BCW) also has a darker and very agreeable timbre. And his diction and coloraturas are also perfect. The ‘lighter’ BC with violoncello, violone and organ is more delicate than in all the others above. I can’t hear a bassoon playing. Also among of my first choices.
Final preferences: with all these excellent bass soloists I am abstaining from a ranking. I like all performances equally, everyone with its own particularities, with a slight advantage for Peter Kooij with Suzuki.
Movement 3: Aria for Alto, Strings and BC
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘The scoring of the following aria no. 3 is particularly charming: in its string texture, the muted first violin prevails as bearer of the melody, while second violin, viola, and continuo accompany pizzicato* The first violin part, with its melodic wavering up and down, its chromatic false relations, and its syncopated rhythm, unmistakably portrays the fearful, wavering footsteps of the text. These features, which obtain throughout virtually the whole movement, are significantly absent in the middle section at the words ‘Yet Jesus’s Word of Comfort reassures me that ‘He has done enough for me’.’
Remark: the tempos of this movement vary substantially, from 7:23 (Suzuki) to 10:43 (Gardiner). I believe that an adequate tempo here is around 9:28 and 9:37 (Lutz and Koopman).
Gardiner (September 2000): French contralto and conductor, Nathalie Stutzmann (see BCW) has a warm timbre and is also technically perfect. The first violins play too much legato here for my taste. BC see above. As a whole, not my first choice, mainly because of the extended tempo.
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): German mezzo-soprano, Franziska Gottwald (see BCW) sounds similar to Stutzman, but I don’t like her timbre as much. Strings play better here, both first violin and the remaining pizzicato strings. Here the additional lute sounds clearly in the BC which is a nice variation. Nevertheless, not my first choice either.
Suzuki (September 2002): this is the fastest interpretation, sounding perfect with English counter-tenor, Robin Blaze (see BCW). Strings and BC sound very equilibrated. my first choice for counter-tenor.
Lutz (August 2007): German mezzo-soprano, Ruth Sandhoff (see BCW) has a great timbre here and the tempo is perfect. Strings and BC (violoncello, violone and organ) sound intimate and very transparent. My first choice for the interpretations with mezzo-sopranos.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): Bart Vandewege, Belgian bass singer, composer and choral conductor (see BCW) may not be as well-known as all the above but sings his part well, special in the high registers. The strings and BC (violoncello, violone and organ continuo) sound very delicate. Also among my first choices.
Final ranking:
Mezzo-sopranos: (1) Lutz – (2) Koopman – (3) Gardiner
Counter-tenors: (1) Suzuki – (2) Il Gardellino
Movement 4: Recitativo for Tenor and BC
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘The fourth movement is another plain secco recitative, with a single, text-engendered lengthening on the word ‘halten’ (‘keep’). The first two lines of hymn verse 3, adopted almost word for word—‘ Gib mir nur aus [Hubert: “nach deinr”] Barmherzigkeit/ Den wahren Christenglauben!’ (‘ Just grant me out of [Hubert: “according to Your”] mercy/ True Christian Faith!’— are not emphasized in Bach’s setting, nor set to their chorale melody, as often happens elsewhere.’
Remark: tempos vary somewhat, from 1:00 (Gardiner) to 1:18 (Suzuki). I don’t think that these differences are significant for this recitative.
Gardiner (September 2000): German tenor, Christoph Genz (see BCW) has a great experience in Bach’s cantatas and worked also with Suzuki, Kuijken and Georg Christoph Biller. One of the leading Bach tenors, he has an excellent diction in German and technical perfection. His timbre sometimes sound somewhat shrill in the high registers. Still among my first preferences.
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): Scottish tenor, Paul Agnew (see BCW) gives a much more expressive performance here and his timbre is perfect, also for an evangelist! Among my first choices.
Suzuki (September 2002): German tenor, Gerd Türk (see BCW) is certainly at the same level of Agnew and performs with even more expression here. This is clearly one of my first choices.
Lutz (August 2007): German tenor, Andreas Post (see BCW) represents a younger generation of tenors and surprises with his good technique and excellent diction. Interestingly, there are some improvisations of the organ in the BC, very typical for Lutz’s cycle. Also one of my favorites.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): German tenor, Marcus [or Markus] Ullmann (see BCW) although not at the same level as his 3 colleagues abo, surprised me with his good and expressive singing in this recitative. That makes the ranking of the preferred tenors here much more difficult.
Ranking: any ranking of these excellent tenor soloists would be unfair for this recordings. I like them all, with a slight preference for Gerd Türk with Suzuki.
Movement 5: Aria (Duetto) for Tenor and Bass, Oboe I & Oboe II, BC
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘In the following duet, no. 5, we might almost believe that Bach allowed himself to be inspired by the soprano aria from the previous year’s cantata, BWV 77/ 3. In both cases, the subject is our love of God, the obbligato* instruments are two oboes, and the theme (or at least its head-motive) is characterized by parallel sixths or thirds, which in the present case, since it is a duet, are present in the voice parts too. Although the continuation of the theme is on this occasion more polyphonic, the impression of tender intimacy holds true in both cases. Generally speaking, there are grounds for the assumption that the listener of Bach’s day was more inclined to associate oboe tone with inspired singing than we are today: the tendency nowadays is to assign the instrument a more coquettish, pert character. A distinctive feature of this movement is that the melody of the two oboes is so similar to that of the voices that the movement might be rewritten without any great difficulty as a vocal quartet for soprano and alto (playing the oboe parts), tenor and bass.
Remark: the tempos in this movement don’t vary much; from vary from 3:36 (Koopman) to 3:59 (Gardiner). They all sound adequate.
Gardiner (September 2000): German tenor, Christoph Genz (see BCW) and Canadian baritone, Jonathan Brown (see BCW) sound both very professional and mix well. Their interpretation sounds very passionate and the oboe playing is also technically perfect. BC see above, but also with bassoon. Among one of my first choices for both voices.
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): Scottish tenor, Paul Agnew (see BCW) and German bass-baritone, Klaus Mertens (see BCW) mix even better here although their tempo is faster. The oboe playing is also clear and technically perfect. BC see above, but also with bassoon. One of my first choices for both voices.
Suzuki (September 2002): German tenor, Gerd Türk (see BCW) and Dutch bass, Peter Kooij (see BCW) also mix very well and sound much like with Koopman, above. But I hear more passion (closer to Gardiner) here and the oboe playing is also perfect. BC see above, but also with bassoon. Also a good choice for both voices.
Lutz (August 2007): German tenor, Andreas Post (see BCW) and German baritone, Markus Volpert (see BCW) also mix very well and the oboe playing is fine. The BC is played by violoncello, violone, bassoon and organ. Among my first choices.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): German tenor, Marcus [or Markus] Ullmann (see BCW) doesn’t sound as mature as his colleagues above, but Belgian baritone, Lieven Termont (see BCW) is as good as in his recitative (movement 2) above. Still, the mix is not bad and the first oboe playing with Marcel Ponseele is outstanding. BC see above, but also with bassoon. Not bad, but not my first choice.
Ranking:
Tenor: (1) Suzuki – (2) Gardiner – (3) Koopman – (4) Lutz – (5) Il Gardellino
Bass: see movement 2, above.
Movement 6: Chorale (with instruments and BC)
Introduction by Alfred Dürr: ‘The cantata concludes with the last verse of the hymn in a plain choral setting’
Remark: whenever Dürr says ‘plain chorale setting ‘or ‘simple chorale setting’ I find that this sounds too simplistic for any of Bach’s finale chorales, that are so well loved by any baroque music fan. Again, I certainly prefer any OVPP performance for Bach’s chorales – especially for the earlier Weimar composition, many times with a 5th. instrumental voice added. Although this is not the case here with the later Leipzig chorales, I still like the transparency of the single soloists, although most original scores contain parts for both soloists and ‘ripienists’.
The tempos here are very similar, from 1:12 (Lutz) to 1:36 (Suzuki).
Gardiner (September 2000): Gardiner’s outstanding and professional Monteverdi Choir seldomly disappoints, although the size of the choir is relatively large, with 6 sopranos, 4 altos, 4 tenors and 4 basses. Always among my first choices for HIP recordings.
Koopman (Nov 25-Dec 2, 2000): his choir with 5 sopranos, 5 altos, 5 tenors and 4 basses is similar in size as with Gardiner but sounds more delicate and transparent. Also among my first choices for HIP recordings.
Suzuki (September 2002): this interpretations sounds very similar to Koopman’s; the choir with 4 voices for each part is also similar. Also among my first choices for HIP recordings.
Lutz (August 2007): with a smaller choir of 3 voices per part this performance clearly sounds more transparent that all other HIP recordings. My first choice among these.
Il Gardellino (March 2013): the OVPP soloists guarantee the best transparency for this chorale. Certainly my first choice.
Ranking:
(1) Il Gardellino (OVPP) – (2) Lutz) – (3) Kuiken - (4) Gardiner – 5 Koopman
Final Ranking: with all the different nuances in all movements (soloists, choir size, instrumentation, key, pitch and temperament) a fair ranking of these interpretations is not easy. But considering all individual movements, I would choose:
(1) Suzuki – (2) Lutz – (3) Koopman – (4) Il Gardellino – (5) Gardiner |
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