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Year 2003

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BCML: Year 2009 | Year 2008 | Year 2007 | Year 2006 | Year 2005 | Year 2004 | Year 2003

January 2003

Fred McFadden wrote (January 2, 2003):
Thank you for compiling the list of Bach cantatas.

Philippe Bareille wrote (January 5, 2003):
Happy new year 2003. Thanks Aryeh for this fascinating and exciting website.

Johannes Minkus wrote (January 5, 2003):
I enjoyed the "Bach" site very much. Thank you for putting it all together.

Michael Watson [Faculty of International Studies. Meiji Gakuin University, Yokohama] wrote (January 6, 2002):
Fantastic site!

Michael Watson (January 7, 2002):
You are speedy webmaster! (I run a few sites myself and know that the best time to make corrections is as soon as one receives them, it's then or never...).

Ziv Haparnas wrote (January 8, 2003):
My name is Ziv Haparnas, I am Willy Haparnas's son. We, the family, have bumped into a web page with Willy's resume and pictures: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Haparnas-Willy.htm and we would like to first thank you for putting this page together. As I guess you know, Willy has passed away last May and it was very exciting to see this page with the information about his career and with his authentic pictures.

Stephen Bullamore wrote (January 11, 2003):
What a wonderful website!

Please could you tell me the copyright status of the scores published on the site? I would like to download and photocopy them for use by a school choir - is this allowed? In the future I may want to use them for a professional choir - is this allowed? It certainly saves having to buy single copies just to inspect the music for suitability!

Peter Wennersten wrote (January 13, 2003):
I just want to say that your Bach Cantatas Website is absolutely magnificent! It is easy to navigate, holds a wealth of information, and is simply astounding in its extensive discussion of different recordings. It is helping me enourmously.

Thank you very much!!!!!!

Ziv Haparnas wrote (January 13, 2003):
Thanks very much for the great web site you are doing,

Rodrigo Maffei Libonati wrote (January 14, 2003):
It would be my pleasure to provide you the Portuguese translations. It would be a way of contributing with your wonderful work in the site.

Boyd Pehrson wrote (January 14, 2003):
[Following the announcement of Spanish translations of the Cantatas]
Thanks for your links. It is incredible, and very good that you've translated over half of the surviving Cantatas of Bach into Hebrew. What great interest and connection with the music when one can actually understand the words being sung. [snip

Thanks for your continuing hard work at informing us on Bach!

Boyd Pehrson wrote (January 14, 2003):
[Sent to the Bach_Cantatas Mailing List]
For members that have not visited Aryeh's great Bach site - I highly recommend spending the day there!
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/

Rene Pannekoek wrote (January 18, 2003):
[Sent to the Bach Cantatas Mailing List]
I am a new member of the Bach Cantatas mailing list. I've been enjoying your discussions and reviews via www.bach-cantatas.com for quite some time. Great job! Before embarking on that site, I never really knew there were so much recordings of the cantatas. It's a whole universe in itself; and even as I'm only beginning to explore its near and distant stars and galaxies, it's a thrill to do so.

Jane Newble wrote (January 18, 2003):
Aryeh, thank you once again for your absolutely wonderful website! There is no end of information.

Boyd Pehrson wrote (January 18, 2003):
Your website looks great, I am amazed at the great amount of information available- and all very organized. It is a terrific and entertaining read. Very nice work!

Philip Bender [cantatasDeBach.com] wrote (January 21, 2003):
Thank you for including cantatasDeBach.com throughout your wonderful site.

Sergio Garzietta V. [Chille] wrote (January 22, 2003):
My name is Sergio Garzietta, I'm a Composition estudiant of the National Conservatory of Chile. I want to say that your site it's fantastic.

Thomas Braatz wrote (January 24, 2003):
Here is an article on Röschmann. There may be something here that you can add to your already excellent biography of her.

Boyd Pehrson wrote (January 24, 2003):
[Following the annoncement of 100,000 visit!]
Hearty congratulations on reaching such a great milestone! Aryeh, many thanks for your hard work in creating and maintaining such a valuable resource on the beautiful art of J.S. Bach. I think it will be a lasting legacy and record for succeeding generations. It will also be a record of the love and admiration that this generation has poured forth in effusive comments of all sorts regarding their beloved artform.

All good blessings upon your endeavours!

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (January 24, 2003):
[To Boyd Pehrson] I think we're neglecting an even more impressive fact about the site-it's completely recreational, that is, (as far as I know) none of the people are contributing to the site or the discussions because it's their job-it's all free time, and as well, out of Aryeh's pocket. My point is that the only reason we contribute here is because we want to, not because we have to, and it's this fact that makes the lists and the site among the best out there!

Congrats Aryeh!

Boyd Pehrson wrote (January 24, 2003):
[to Matthew Neugebauer] A hearty "amen" Matthew!

Eduardo Almagro [KAREOL] wrote (January 24, 203):
I put your link in my page: KAREOL http://www.supercable.es/~ealmagro/kareol/

Congratulations for your page.

Donald Satz wrote (January 25, 2003):
[Regarding the revised section of Reviews of Non-Vocal Works, including his reviews]
The revisions look very good to me - let em rip.

Pedro José Morales Bonilla wrote (January 25, 2003):
Hoping your site will always be as sublime as it is,

Wishing your wonderfull site best,

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (January 29, 2003):
I have an idea: how about a "Bach Concertos Site" and a "Bach Keyboard site", or simply, a "Bach Recordings Site". They don't have to (and shouldn't-he works tirelessly on BC) be moded/maintained by Aryeh-maybe someone else from this list could volunteer to work with Aryeh to start it up? It could have the same format as BC-both in content and appearance, but maybe a different colour, and be devoted to JSB's non-vocal works. I'd volunteer, but I have an extremely limited background in html, and, yes, am a horrible procrastinator! (I'm not proud of it.)

February 2003

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (February 5, 2003):
[Regarding adding his French translations of the Bach Cantatas to the BCW]
Bravo for your rapid answer and presence on the site.

Christopher Cain wrote (February 6, 2003):
I love this site and have given the addrto all my "Bach-loving" friends...

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (Febryuary 6, 2003):
You are making a wonderful job to spread the knwoledge of JSB all around the world!

Pete Blue wrote (February 13, 2003):
I just discovered Don Satz's typically thorough and helpful analysis of four recordings of the Toccatas, two of them (Tilney and Peter Watchorn) on the harpsichord, on Aryeh's invaluable Bach Cantatas Website. [snip]

Thomas Braatz wrote (February 14, 2003):
[Following revision of his ‘Examples from the Score’ articles]
A wondeful imrovement!

There's a marvelous difference between the before and after! I checked the previous format and it seemed to take forever on my slow internet connection. I can easily imagine that anyone else in the same predicament would not be as patient as I and would have quit the screen before it was fully loaded. And even then there were blemishes (cross patterns going diagonally) and some scores were still miniscule (much too small to read properly.). With your new method, the scores load quickly [snip]

Thomas Braatz wrote (February 14, 2003):
[Regarding the revised version of his article ‘The Esotoric Bach’]
This also is much improved. Thank you for all the time that you have spent with this. [snip] This is a wonderful improvement, and I'm glad that less time is involved with this for you too.

Francis Browne wrote (February 18, 2003):
Many thanks for your continuing work on the Bach Cantatas website, which goes from strength to strength.

David Zale wrote (February 19, 2003):
[Regarding the list of recordings of Cantata BWV 29]
Nice job creating that list - it must have been a great deal of work.

Robert Monti wrote (February 22, 2003):
Congratulations on such a thorough and interesting web site!

Ryan R. Wood [Lunenburg, Vermont, U.S.A.] wrote (February 26, 2003):
While searching the Net for information on scores of Bach's vocal works, I happened upon your website!

Jean Pierre Grivois wrote (February 28, 2003):
[After adding indexes sorted by BWV Number, Title and Event to his French translations]
I think you made a very fine job and I hope that French-speaking people will enjoy an find interest in those datas.

Aya Mertens wrote (February 28, 2003):
[After updating the Klaus Mertens biography]
Oh? thank you so much for reacting so quickly!!! It seems that you were working when I had just been asleep. Thank you.

Thank you very much for updating the Klaus Mertens page. It looks good! Also a sincere thanks from Klaus, too.

March 2003

Jean Pierre Grivois wrote (March 2, 2003):
It is a very fine idea to have such a review by cantata.
Everyday I read your correspondants with very much interest.

Michael Wright [That's Amazing feature in the Doors computing section of the Sunday Times Culture supplement] wrote (March 2, 2003):

Trevor Holme wrote (March 3, 2003):
The funny thing is, I only came across bach.cantatas.com whilst doing a Google search on Jean Rigby & the very next day, I open my Sunday paper & the URL for your site hits me between the eyes, so to speak! I must say I agree with Michael Wright, the reviewer, about your site. Well done!

Thomas Shepherd wrote (March 4, 2003):
I thought you all might like to see that the Bach Cantata web site has attracted a comment from this leading British Sunday Newspaper

March 02, 2003
That’s amazing: Face the music
Michael Wright

Website designers don’t sing. That is the only conclusion I can draw from the number of dry-as-dust sites attempting to showcase Britain’s choirs online.

But they must listen to choral music, because www.bach-cantatas.com is a subtle demonstration of how intelligently the web can be used. Both recordings and vocal scores can be downloaded here free. Best of all, each week a different cantata becomes the subject of a spirited and well-informed discussion. And what about www.aria-database.com, a labour of love on which you can search for that aria you are about to sing at Covent Garden (or the local village hall), with information to help you prepare it? For CD buffs, likewise, www.gramophone.co.uk oozes generosity by allowing free access to much of the print edition of the pre-eminent classical-music magazine. A topical “on this day” feature adds to the immediacy, as does the up-to-date listing of concerts, beginning with those happening today, not last month or last year.

Kirk McElhearn wrote (March 4, 2003):
[Regarding Thomas Shepherd’s message]
Congrats Aryeh, and everyone else involved.

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (March 13, 2003):
I want to thank you once more for the wonderful job you make in general on Bach Cantatas website and specially for my translation.

Henny van der Groep wrote (March 14, 2003):
I have seen you have many visitors and still doing a nice job!

Ian Cox wrote (March 15, 2003):
This is an absolutely wonderful website. Thank you so much. I don’t read music, don’t understand why I enjoy Bach so much, but the fellow was a complete genius!

Thank you again for having the vision, not only to organise the site, but to manage such an extraordinary resource.

Henny van der Groep wrote (March 16, 2003):
You have done quite a wonderful job if I may say so.

S.W. Anandgyan wrote (March 19, 2003):
Much gratitude for Bach Cantatas Website.

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (March 19, 2003):
[After adding more of his French translations of the cantatas to the Bach Cantatas Website]
I speak to eveybody Bach lovers I know about your (our?) site. You are working rather quickly !

Joost wrote (March 21, 2003):
It's a real pleasure to find a cantata recording that is not yet in your excellent cantata site: [snip]

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (March 22, 2003):
[Following the announcement of finishing adding his French transltions of the complete sacred cantatas to the Bach Cantatas Website]
Wonderful ! You are doing an extraordinary job !

I don't know how to thank you. If you come to Paris one day, I would be delighted to meet you.

We have a special website in France for all choirs. I am going to advise them they can can find my translation on Bach-cantatas.com. The Bach webfamily is becoming everyday bigger !

Thanks again. and enjoy.

Pieter Pannevis wrote (March 22, 2003):
Congratulations all !
thank you Aryeh !

Francis Browne wrote (March 22, 2003):
Congratulations on your splendid achievement of translating all the sacred cantatas into Hebrew . I shall catch you up.....in about 2005!

S.W. Anandgyan wrote (March 23, 2003):
I just saw a taped documentary on Glenn Gould by ArtTV called Extasis. I noticed the little bit on the BWV 54 and was stunned by its beauty.

So I surf to the Bach Cantatas Website, and notice it is one of the rare ones I have two versions in my possession; [snip]

I'm quite stunned at the thoroughness of the BCW for I could get information on what I just saw on tape.

Meni Porat [Israel] wrote (March 29, 2003):

April 2003

Francine Renee Hall wrote (April 5, 2003):
I'm probably the only one around here stuck with web tv. Anyway, I've noticed today that I can't pull anything out of Aryeh's wonderful and beautiful Bach Cantatas website. There was a mention of a "404 server problem" on my 'help' display. On whim, I found a '404 website' full of humor and dismay stating that one must learn to 'nurture' and 'care' for the "404" (sarcastic, of course!).

Francine Renee Hall wrote (April 5, 2003):
[To Aryeh Oron] Thanks sooo much for such a quick reply! Your cantata website is a true labor of love!

Chad Boylan [Student at Wayne State University in Detroit] wrote (April 6, 2003):
Thanks, and my compliments on the website... a wealth of information it is. [snip]
Thanks again for the wonderful site,

Nick Ford wrote (April 9, 2003):
[From a discussion of Cantata BWV 72]
But thanks again for the pointers. The texts on Aryeh's site (for which many thanks) are what I shall use from now on.

Akemi Söck wrote (April 14, 2003):
All your sights are very interesting.

Francis Browne wrote (April 15, 2003):
The recent improvements on the website are much appreciated. I hope the musical examples will be a regular feature, and the scores are more acccessible.

Bradley Lehman wrote (April 15, 2003):
[After adding Music Examples]
A terrific idea, Aryeh. Thanks, and thanks for all the other resources you provide as well!

David Zale wrote (April 16, 2003):
[After addings links to the music files located at his site]
That's great. [snip] Anyway, keep up the good work!

Bradley Lehman wrote (April 18, 2003):
[The Music Examples are] Adequate for the purpose, and an excellent resource. Thanks again!

Thomas Braatz wrote (April 19, 2003):
There have been many marvelous changes and improvements in your Bach Cantata Site. I wish to congratulate you personally for all your efforts!

Francis Browne wrote (April 21, 2003):
Where possible I intend to provide texts and translations of these hymns as a further resource for the cantatas on Aryeh's ever more wonderful site.

Francine Renee Hall wrote (April 21, 2003):
Oh, yes, the server for the BCW is working wonderfully. Your site is absolutely perfect; you are the hardest worker I know, and you are a source of inspiration for all of us.

Francis Browne wrote (April 24, 2003):
Reading about the chorale cantatas I have often wanted to check on what use is made of the orignal hymns used by Bach- but it is not easy to do so, either in books or on the internet. It seems therefore to me that it would be useful if somewhere on your ever more compendious site one could access a text (and translation) for the chorale cantatas. More and more I am sure your site is becoming a point of reference for people seriously interested in the cantatas and the provision of such texts and translations would add still further to the site's usefulness. It would give me great pleasure to do this as well as English translations [snip]

Francis Browne wrote (April 25, 2003):
You work so quickly that sometimes I half expect to see my translations on your site before I have sent them! Everything looks fine [snip]

Many thanks as always for your help and all your splendid work on the cantatas.

May 2003

Chandler Branch [Soli Deo Gloria, Inc., West Chicago, IL, USA] wrote (May 1, 2003):
Thank you for all that you have done in structuring the content and design of the Bach Cantata Website and its presence on the web.

Hugo Saldias wrote (May 1, 2003):
[Rgarding recordings of Tölzer Knabenchor with Leonhardt & Harnoncourt]
Thanks, I missed that.Your web site is very informative.

Susan Kaczorowski [Beneficiary Services/Les services aux bénéficiares, Canada] wrote (May 2, 2003):
I just wanted to say this is an excellent website. Please keep up the good work. I just love searching and finding new things about Bach. He certainly is one of the great composers in music history!!

I will continue to visit it from time to time! Thank you.

Jean-Paul Martel [Montréal, Canada] wrote (May 2, 2003):
Thanks you for the fantastic site "Bach Cantatas".

Kirk McElhearn wrote (May 5, 2003):
[Regarding adding photos of members of the BCML & BRML]
I think it's a great idea. It's not that uncommon, though - one of the translation mailing lists I'm on has a "gallery". And I have seen it on other lists.

Bob Henderson [Tallahassee, FL] wrote (May 6, 2003):
First allow me to tell you how much I enjoy the site and the discussion. Where has it been all this time? Thank you. Thank you. Yes, I would support a limited formalized means for sharing personal information as it facilitates discussion.

Hugo Saldias [Denver, Co] wrote (May 6, 2003):
[snip] You work very hard to keep this yahoo group together.I want to thank you for all your efforts.

Thierry van Bastelaer [Director, Integrated Financial Services, IRIS Center, University of Maryland] wrote (May 8, 2003):
Nice site, as always; thanks for that tremendous public service.

Jane Newble wrote (May 8, 2003):
Thank you. You are amazingly quick!!!!

Thomas Radleff wrote (May 9, 2003):
BCW is great stuff, and has become something indispensable for any contemporary listeners & musicians. For me personally, my membership in the BRML has made my life richer - pathetic words, but true.

Leo Ditvoorst [J.S. Bach – The Sacred Cantata – Performed by Pieter Jan Leusink]wrote (May 13, 2003):
Thank you for the great effort you put in organizing things,

Bernard Nys wrote (May 17, 2003):
Thanks to the webmaster for (y)our magnificent website and for this latest initiative ! I wish I could contribute more but I have no knowledge at all about music ; I can only listen and "feel" Bach's music with my heart and faith.

Another dream would be that we all meet one day in Leipzig...

Francine Renee Hall wrote (May 18, 2003):
I just want to say that your optimism, energy and hard work are awesome! Thank you

Cesare Colletta [Napoli, Italia] wrote (May 21, 2003):
Thank you very much for your "Bach Cantatas Website" that I often visit always enjoying and learning.

As a very little tribute to your work I send you some data about a complete recording of BWV 248 [snip] Thanks again for sharing your love for JSB,

Tom Brannigan [Classical Vinyl Artwork] wrote (May 27, 2003):
I just wanted to thank you for all your work. I've just discovered the BCML last week and haven't stopped searching through the archives for all sorts of things. The Richter & Leonhardt recordings are the most familiar to a vinyl hound such as myself, but I do have my fair share of shiny bier coasters..........Philippe Herreweghe is represented the most for Bach vocal works. I only wish Nicholas McGegan would start recording some of J S Bach's works. He's local to the Bay Area and is my favorite interpreter of Händel's Oratorios & Operas on the HM label. His recording of the Messiah finally convinced me to purchase a CD player !

Peter Bloemendaal wrote (May 27, 2003):
[Following the announcemnet of a New Section in the Bach Cantatas Website – Librettists]
If this is reclining in the back seat go on, go on, go on. You are amazing!
Thanks for this new initiative.

Paul Dirmeikis wrote (May 27, 2003):
Congratulations ! What an extraordinary amount of work and invaluable information with this New Section in the Bach Cantatas Website !

Peter Bright wrote (May 27, 2003):
Just a note to say how much I enjoyed this new section. I really don't think I am exaggerating when I say that, as a whole, this is the best organised, transparent and well presented site I have come across on the internet to date.

Nessie Russell wrote (May 27, 2003):
< Aryeh Oron wrote: Since many of the BCML/BRML members are Christians >
Just because someone is Gentile it does not mean he/she is Christian. We Christians are a minority group in most countries. Very few of us left.

Lovely that Bach can thrill all people.

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (May 28, 2003):
Aryeh-hopefully you don't mind too much praise!

Your resourcefulness and the incredible usefulness (for lack of a better word) of your site never cease to amaze me! For my own interests, this new section is probably the most useful to me since I was able to download the vocal scores!

Peter Bright wrote (May 28, 2003):
It's common for people to exaggerate compliments out of courtesy for people putting so much work into their sites, but in this case I'm not exaggerating at all. The presentation is lean and uncluttered, the information is comprehensive and fascinating and the whole site is organised in such a way that you can find what you're looking for very easily. The only part I don't understand is how you have the time to keep it in such pristine condition - it looks to me that it must amount to a full time job!

Dima wrote (May 31, 2003):
Personaly, I'd like to appreciate you for your devotion to Bach's web site.

Francis Browne wrote (June 1, 2003):
Your new section on the biographies of authorsof texts is an excellent idea. <snip>

June 2003

Matthew Westphal wrote (June 1, 2003):
[snip] But many thanks once again for all the terrific work you do for the lists and the Bach Cantatas Web site.

Henri N. Levinspuhl wrote (June 2, 2003):
Primarily, what a respect I assign to you! [snip] I treasure your site and will be honored to have my profile in it. [snip]

Cliff Crouch wrote (June 4, 2003):
I like your site and have found it quite interesting & full of useful information. [snip] Again, my compliments on your site.

Joan M. Thomas wrote (June 6, 2003):
[To Bradley Lehman] Since I am also a member of the Bach-cantatas mailing list, I have been reading, your opinions [, together with those of others, concerning various cantatas and the larger-scale Bach vocal works. I am visually impaired and, as you can perhaps imagine, have found that it is hugely difficult to obtain textual information about baroque music, beyond the most elementary facts and generalizations, in braille, on audio tape, or even on disk. Web sites such as that for the cantatas, so easily accessible with the use of screen-reading software, are wonderful starting-point for persons who, like me, have enormous interest in the subject but comparatively little in-depth knowledge.

Barry Murray wrote (June 6, 2003):
[To Joan M. Thomas] Great to see another visually impaired member here. I have the same problems getting information, and find the Bach Cantatas website, and these e-mail groups absolutely essential.

Steven Kronauer [Tenor, USA] wrote (June 6, 2003):
My name is Steven Kronauer, I am listed on your web site. [snip] Thank you for your interest and time [snip].

Henri N. Levinspuhl wrote (June 6, 2003):
[snip] In this context, being a worshiper accepted by Mr. Oron in his excellent and instructive site, I have only to commend him, in all sincerity. As far as human mood ranges in just a single person from very uncomfortable jests to the most pleasant [snip]

Craig Satterfield [Hawaii] wrote (June 13, 2003):
Hi there I really enjoy your site. [snip]

Coen van den Berg [Netherlands] wrote (June 22, 2003):
I've just been surfing on your site, it looks very good. [snip]

Thomas Braatz wrote (June 22, 2003):
Yes, I think that your new arrangement and easy access to the various aspects of the cantata discussions are a great improvement. [snip]

Hester Zevenhuizen [Personal management Patrick Van Goethem, Zevenhuizen Artists Agency & Early Music Events, Amsterdam, The Netherlands] wrote (June 23, 2003):
Last year October you have done a wonderful job by putting countertenor Patrick Van Goethem on your wonderful Complete Bach Cantatas-website. [snip]

Pippa Thynne [Assistant to Andrew Parrott] wrote (June 25, 2003):
I've just come across your webpage for Andrew Parrott and the Taverner Consort while searching for existing 'Taverner' sites. Andrew was amazed - he had no idea this existed! [snip]

Dr George E.N. Kass [School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK] wrote (June 30, 2003):
I very much enjoyed reading your article about Fernand Koenig. [Snip]

Robert Mirabeller-Ramos wrote (June 30, 2003):
Keep up the good work on your site.

July 2003

Dmitry Vinokurov wrote (July 1, 2003):
Hello there. first of all I'd like to thank you for your web site. [snip]

Jan Kobow [Tenor, Germany] wrote (July 1, 2003):
I really apreciate your site [snip]

Keep on your good work and thank you for your cooperation,

Leo Ditvoorst wrote (July 2, 2003):
[Following the addition of BGA Scores to the BCW]
That must have been a hell of a job.

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (July 2, 2003):
Aryeh! You just can't stop outdoing yourself can you? I'm not going to even try to express how grateful I am for all you've done, are doing and will do to further enhance the Bach experience!

Arie Goud wrote (July 2, 2003):
Thank you very much.
You have done a good work.

Martin Janssens wrote (July 2, 2003):
For the rest, my congratulations with this initiative! As an enthusiast Bachlover and - singer I am a regular user of this website and I have already downloaded a lot of cores from some Bachcantatas. Each month we sing in our city (Tilburg in the Netherlands, see our website www.bachcantates.nl, unfortunately in Dutch) a cantata from our great friend Johann Sebastian and this a rather cheap opportunity to become the scores from that cantata.

Thierry van Baestelaer wrote (July 2, 2003):
What a tremendous resource indeed! [snip] Thanks,

Peter Bloemendaal wrote (July 3, 2003):
Thank you ever so much. Hartelijk bedankt. It is great to have available all these scores from now on. I have almost finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I would not be surprised to read in the final volume, that now Lord Voldemort has been destroyed the Order had admitted for the first time in their existence a muggle wizard and welcomed with universal cheers Aryeh Oron as their new member of honour. If not, I will personally nominate you to Professor Dumbledore.

P.S. I just listened to BWV 151 for the 12^th time this week. This time with the score on screen. Super!

Cesare Colletta wrote (July 3, 2003):
Have a nice day and thank you again for your great site.

Andre Schonberg [M.Soc.Sc., H.U.J., Management Consultant, Change Consultants, Ra'anana, Israel] wrote (July 4, 2003):
I was thrilled to find an Israeli on Bach site…..

Jaime de la Zerda [Haifa, Israel] wrote (July 4, 2003):
No composer reaches deeper in my soul than Bach, and was very pleasantly surprised when I found your website. Although a Chemist by profession, I've been involved in music since birth due to the fact that my mother is a pianist and my father was also a talented musician though he never studied music. I sing, and in the past I've sung in diverse choirs interpreting among other things Bach Cantatas, Passions, the Magnificat and the B-minor mass. I feel that Bach's music is of a supernatural character. [snip]

I want to congratulate you for the excellency of the website. I can imagine that it has implied an immense effort in researching and in assembling it. I am sure that scores of people enjoy it. I love its methodicity, a really professional work in every possible sense. [snip]

Christian Panse (July 4, 2003):
[Following the addition of BGA Scores to the BCW]
This is simply amazing, breathtaking, whatever you want – huge congratulations for this grandious piece of work!!!

Margaret Greentree [J.S. Bach Chorales] wrote (July 5, 2003):
I found your site today and I am so impressed with the work you have done. I would like to make a link to your site from my site, if that is all right with you.

I have a site with midi and QT files of the Bach chorales: J.S. Bach Chorales

Alain Rousseau Wimereux [France] wrote (July 18, 2003):
As a musician, I enjoyed very much your web site [snip]

Thank you so much for the great job you are doing.

Thomas Braatz wrote (July 20, 2003):
Congratulations on all of the wonderful improvements you have been making to the Bach Cantatas Website!

Bradley Lehman wrote (July 21, 2003):
< Robert Sherman wrote: Somebody please enlighten my ignorance. Is there a website from which Bach can be auditioned or downloaded (more than the snippets on Tower)? What's the URL? >
Aryeh has links to "music examples" on each week's cantata page at
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/

...a terrific service that unfortunately doesn't connect reliably for some of us. (The "Zale" hosted examples are the ones that don't work; Aryeh's own samples from LP and CD usually work fine.)

The even better feature of Aryeh's site, in my opinion, is his .pdf scan of the Bach-Gesellschaft scores: full score, with the original clefs.

Ádám Kondor wrote (July 28, 2003):
Anyway, thanks for the page, it's invaluably useful!

Francis Browne wrote (Jul30, 2003):
Thank you again for all your work on the site - recently the resources seem to have grown amazingly with the addition of scores and music.

August 2003

Sami Mizrahi wrote (August 4, 2003):

Barry Murray wrote (August 6, 2003):
[snip] You will find extensive material on other recordings on the Bach Cantatas website.

Sherrie Stohl wrote (August 8, 2003):
I just saw the extent of your wonderful website! May I please use other pictures also? I will definitely use your site in my music classroom as part of my curriculum.

Thank you so much!

Riccardo Nughes wrote (August 11, 2003):
[Following the addition of the page Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works according to Performance Dates]
Great work! [snip]

Barry Murray wrote (August 11, 2003):
Your Bach Cantatas page is such an indispensable source of information. One can only imagine how much work and effort you have devoted to this project.

Thanks.

Bob Henderson wrote (August 11, 2003):
[To Aryeh Oron] So Much thanks for the formidable task which you have accomplished in the content of this site. No need for the instrumental works. Even if you had the time. Some one else can do it in time if so inclined. But what are we to do when the current cycle is exausted? I have my own opinion but hope that others will become involved in the future of the site. How do you see the site developing after the current cycle is finished?

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (August 11, 2003):
< Bob Henderson wrote: But what are we to do when the current cycle is exausted? >
If you mean the discussions, they reach far beyond simply the cantata of the week-I get enough out of these lists without reading the cantata of the week discussions (because I have about 15 or so in my CD collection, and I think all have been discussed)

If you mean the site: there's always room for articles!

hey I might even put up some of my better school essays pertaining to Bach (after they've been finished, submitted and marked of course-I gave my mod-west-civ final essay on Beethoven to my adjudicators at my auditions)

I hope that this community (BCML, BRML, BCW) never dies out!

p.s. I intend to use the BCW in my research, either directly or to point me to published works (but with the wealth of knowledge that has gone into the information on the site, at least it's trustworthy info!)

Bradley Lehman wrote (August 11, 2003):
[To Kirk McElhearn] One of the most valuable recent features of the web site has been the addition of the BG scores. Thanks again, Aryeh! I've been picking them up every week and learning the pieces much better this way. [Snip]

Arjen van Gijssell wrote (August 11, 2003):
[To Aryeh Oron] We cannot thank you enough for your work and contribution to understanding the music of Bach and bringing together people fascinated by his gifts to the world. [snip]

Jean-Pierre Grivois (August 12, 2003):
[After adding his translations into French of the Secular Cantata BWV 201-215 to the BCW]
Thank you for everything for what you do to get JSB better known. I often think that if the people whole rule the world took everyday 5 minutes to listen JSB, peace would be everywhere !

Brian Stephens [Penarth, UK] wrote (August 12, 2003):
I greatly admire your Bach Cantata site [snip]

Francis Browne wrote (August 13, 2003):
I would like to add my appreciation to what others have said about Aryeh's achievement over the past four years. Whenever I click on 'What's New' I am amazed by the extent and thoroughness of his work maintaining and extending this website, and his own cantata reviews I find always perceptive and illuminating, criticism that adds to my appreciation and enjoyment of the work.
[snip]
It seems to me that with new recordings, new members of the list, different approaches, the greatly increased resources Aryeh has made available - and simply second thoughts- there is ample scope for a second cycle of discussions even where there has already been detailed discussion of a particular cantata, and of course there have been weeks where only Aryeh and one or two others have contributed.

As we approach the end of the current list I hope that many of the 350 members of the BCML would share their views on what should happen so that through discussion some consensus might emerge which will ensure that this precious resource that Aryeh's dedication and hard work have given to us will continue to flourish.

Ehud Shiloni wrote (August 13, 2003):
Dear Aryeh - first of all a thousand thanks for your monumental effort of the past four years. Any cantata aficionado could not have expected a better "gift", and it is all due to your amazing enterprise.
[snip]
Cheers, and , again, a big THANK YOU to the fabulous Aryeh Oron - truly one of a kind!

Heath Morber wrote (August 15, 2003):
Just wanted to say that I love the website and I appreciate all the info available for us Bach enthusiasts. [snip]

Arno Klomp [Holland] wrote (August 16, 2003):
With great pleasure I read the discussions on your site. [snip]

Pablo Fagoaga wrote (August 16, 2003):
I join to the warm thankfulness the rest of the group is expressing to Aryeh.

I dare to say he's work resulted in a unique source of information on the web, with rarely seen accuracy and comprehensiveness, at least as far as I know. I think it can sound as a bold statement, but I guess members may agree !!

An outstanding point to make is that the site, AND the discussions made me get used to a particularly "serious" (and at the same time not boring or excesively technical) approach to issues.

I "consume" some other groups and sites that discuss other fields of my intereset (i.e. aquarism) with as much as TEN times the mailing traffic this one has hoping to find useful reading, and I get dissapointed.

It is remarkable the "high standards" I unconciously apply (since I joined this group) when it comes to judging the usefulness and interest of a given group or site.

Hans-Joachim Reh wrote (August 18, 2003):
This is my first contribution. So let me say that I admire your work, Aryeh, these endless hours you must have put into establishing this site. It´s fabulous. [snip]

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (August 19, 2003):
[snip] Thanks-for everything!

Hans-Joachim Reh wrote (August 21, 2003):
[snip] Once again, thanks for all your efforts and great work

Barry Selwin [Webmaster, Linden Baroque] wrote (August 23, 2003):
[After adding a link to Linden Baroque Official Website]
Gosh that was quick!!!! Thanks very much indeed. :-)

Thomas Braatz wrote (August 24, 2003):
Your site remains a unique 'masterpiece' for which you should deservedly be proud. The improvements continue to add depth to all aspects of the world of the Bach cantatas.

Andrew Koll [Australia] wrote (August 25, 2003):
I haven't subscribed yet to the BCML, but I use the bach-cantatas website all the time. It's a very useful site - thanks for your great work on putting it together. I have started a society in Australia called the Real Bach Society which is in its infancy (no website yet, but coming sometime). I present seminars about Bach's music to interested people and I've recommended people to visit your site for information at our meetings.

Peter Bloemendaal wrote (August 25, 2003):
[After adding Order of Discussion for 2004-2005]
Just returned from the campsite (without access to the internet), I just managed to catch up reading some 200 messages. Wow! And again to find that Aryeh has done another fantastic job when I was lazing in the sun or rather more often in the shade. Thanks again! Oh yeah, I listened to Bach as well on my ghetto blaster and managed some writing on an ordinary note pad with an ordinary ballpoint. How extraordinary these days. [snip]

John Pike wrote (August 26, 2003):
Just a note to congratulate everyone involved in the website (especially Aryeh). I think it's absolutely brilliant. I came across it while trying to find recordings of BWV 190, which I had acquired a facsimile of...(see previous e mail). I got the answer to my question and discovered a wealth of other informatias well. I am well and truly hooked and I think that the discussion groups/mailing lists are also excellent.

Piotr Jaworski [Warasw, Poland] wrote (August 27, 2003):
Polish Weekly mentiones BCW(!)

I can imagine that I'm not the first one who informs you about that nice event!
I know that there are quite many Polish subcribers to BCML....

Several months ago, excellent Polish Christian weekly magazine "Tygodnik Powszechny" - published short article about SMP recordings. BCW had been mentioned as the most appropriate source of any reference in that subject!
http://www.tygodnik.com.pl/numer/274810/okonski.html

Congratulations and best regards!

William Vine [British Harpsicord Society] wrote (August 27, 2003):
You have an impressive collection of links. [snip]

Peter A. Lerro wrote (August 28, 2003):
[snip] Anyhow, thank you again, but just not for your response, but for your dedication in maintaining such an outstanding serious musical web site.

David Breeden wrote (August 28, 2003):
FANTASTIC website of my favorite composer. I already own all of the scores to the cantatas, but occasionally use the very helpful piano reductions for transcriptions I make to perform in my church. [snip]

Congratulations and many thanks for such a wonderfully generous labor of love for Bach.

Cesare Colletta [Naples, Italy] wrote (August 29, 2003):
It's difficult to find words, in my twisted English, to thank you for your Bach Cantatas Site. In these long sticky hot days (really months) of summer here in Naples it has been of great and most useful company in my study and enjoyment of the Cantatas. I have by now listened to 140 of them, each in all the recordings I have (270 Cantatas CDs) and following with the eyes on the scores, many of these last seen for the first time thanks to you.

This morning was the turn of BWV 110. I first listened to Harnoncourt and Leusink; then to Herreweghe with the score downloaded from your site displayed on my monitor. [snip]

Thanks again very very much.

Cynthiya Kane wrote (August 30, 2003):
I visited your website " http://www.bach-cantatas.com" - th Bach Cantatas website. Your website's neat centered layout with the white background gives your website a great look. The recordings and the discussion sections provided by you are very informative. [snip]

Charles Francis wrote (August 31, 2003):
[snip] By the way, your Bach Cantata Web site is a wonderful resource - thank you!

September 2003

Yoël L. Arbeitman wrote (September 2, 2003):
Aryeh Oron wrote:
< I opened a new mailing list, named BachVocalConcerts Mailing List [Bach-VCML]. The only goal of the Bach-VCML is exchanging information about schedule of concerts in which Bach's Vocal works are performed. >
Aryeh Oron's work on behalf of informing us all of most everything concerning Bach on records has now expanded to further efforts for "live Bach". This is all very much appreciated. I cannot recommend his extraordinary annotated site about all Bach vocal works in strong enough words. It is a treasure I keep an icon of on my desktop. [snip]

Rudolf Bayer [Publisher, Bayer Music Group] wrote (September 2, 2003):
At first - congratulations to your web-side. [snip]

Greetings and comliments!

Fermo Vignetti [Italy] wrote (September 3, 2003):
First of all, 1000000000000000 (and more ...) thanks for your site, Aryeh.
It is GREAT (Bach is GREAT!). [snip]

Bradley Lehman wrote (September 4, 2003):
[snip] I'm always amazed at how much information is in your web site. Thanks!

Lawrence A. Plumlee wrote (September 4, 2003):
Thank you very much for adding the list of live Bach choral performances. Already the list is larger than I dreamed possible in so short a time! I know this is largely due to hard work on your part. I look forward to attending many of these performances.

Lenny Matczynski [Emmanuel Music] wrote (September 5, 2003):
[After adding Schedule of Concerts of Bach's vocal works]
Thank you for the listing - it all looks good for us and the site in general is wonderful. I will have our webmaster link to your site from ours.

Many thanks again,

Neil Midkiff [Schola Cantorum] wrote (September 5, 2003):
Thank you for including our concert in your listing!

Andrea Laguni [General Manager, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra] wrote (September 5, 2003):
Thank you so very much, Mr. Oron, for making us aware of your website and for including us in the listings. I will pass on your message to our webmaster and ask him to establish a link.

Sonja Wohlgemuth [Executive Director, Baroque Choral Guild, Palo Alto, CA, USA] wrote (September 5, 2003):
Wow, thanks for your website. [snip]

Francis Browne wrote (September 6, 2003):
[snip] A few months ago someone sent me me an e-mail saying that they were going to use a translation and mention the website in a programme for the Carmel Bach Festival. [snip]

Alessandro G. Simonetto [Kunst der Fuge] wrote (September 6, 2003):
[snip] Mr Oron, thank you for a great resource on Bach cantatas & music!

Alessandro G. Simonetto [Kunst der Fuge] wrote (September 7, 2003):
[snip] Many things and please continue to increase your important site!

Nick Fisher [Birmingham Bach Choir] wrote (September 7, 2003):
Thanks for the listing. [snip]

Riccardo Nughes wrote (September 11, 2003):
First of all my compliments to Aryeh for this great work about Bach Concerts!

Peter S Hauge [President, Board of Directors, Taghkanic Chorale] wrote (September 11, 2003):
Thanks for the listing

Lucie Brosseau [Librarian, Violons du Roy (Les)] wrote (September 12, 2003):
I have checked on your web site the accuracy of the details for the Violons du Roy 2003/2004 season. All the informations you have is right. You really do a great job compiling all those informations and it is always interesting to visit your site.

Dale Higbee [Music Director, Carolina Baroque, NC, USA] wrote (September 14, 2003):
Thanks for listing CAROLINA BAROQUE on your website. [snip]

Ian Shuman [The Bach Sinfonia, MD, USA]] wrote (September 14, 2003):
I'd like to thank you for listing our performance of Bach's Peasant Cantata on your website. [snip] I will look into adding a link to your excellent website!

Thanks again,

Ann Lang [Chair, The Aeolian Singers, Hemel Hempstead, UK] wrote (September 14, 2003):
Well! - we've got an international mention! [snip]. We shall happily add your website ot our links page.

Yoshiko Fujimoto [MIDI files of Bach Cantatas] wrote (September 16, 2003):
I feel I've never explored your site enough. I've just found some long-looking-for information in your site! I'm glad if I could contribute such a wonderful site, so you're welcome to use my midi files in your site. Please just remember they are made mainly for part-practice purpose and not for fancy performance demonstration, and are also subject to change due to misreading, typo, or any other reason.

Brad Hughley [Saint Batholomew’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA, USA] wrote (September 18, 2003):
Thanks for including this on your site. Your information is correct. [snip] I will ask our webmaster about adding links - there may be restrictions, but I'll check.

Ken Lam [Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra] wrote (September 19, 2003):
Thanks foyour e-mail. In fact I have been a subscriber to your site for a while now - and I really appreciate the efforts you and the other contributors have and are putting in. I will ask the webmaster to include a link as requested and once we have confirmed our programme for Nov and next year (likely to include more cantatas) we will let you know.

Many thanks again and best wishes

Kathryn Brewer [Grace Lutheran Church & School, River Forrest, IL, USA] wrote (September 19, 2003):
As I was perusing your very interesting site looking for graphic material for the Grace cantata poster, I came upon a discussion about when and where cantatas are performed today. [snip]

Peter Bright wrote (September 20, 2003):
[Following the announcement of Schedule of Concerts of Bach's vocal works]
This is fantastic!

Rebecca Rollett [Pittsburgh Camerata, PA, USA] wrote (September 20, 2003):
[Following the announcement of Schedule of Concerts of Bach's vocal works]
What a great idea!

Boyd Pehrson [Santa Barbara, California, USA] wrote (September 21, 2003):
[Following the announcement of Schedule of Concerts of Bach's vocal works]
Effusive thanks for your incredible concert list! Your information is truly a great resource. Hopefully Douglas can share any reviews he may write in the L.A. Area on Mr. Grant Gershon and his marvellous L.A. Master Chorale.

Keep up the wonderful work Aryeh. It is very much appreciated!

All good blessings,

Ryo Masuda [J.S. Bach MIDI Orgel, Osaka, Japan] wrote (September 21, 2003):
I'm willing to agree that you use my MIDIs & MP3s as audio examples (link or copy) on your great Bach cantatas site. [snip]

Kevin Faulkner [Artistic Director, Atlanta Bach Consort, Atlanta,GA] wrote (September 22, 2003):
I appreciate your web-site and the work you do on behalf of J.S.. I will use your web-site as a reference and urge my collegaues to do the same. [snip]

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (September 23, 2003):
[snip] Wonderful job you are doing, thanks again. [snip]

Dahal wrote (September 24, 2003):
Can you make some other websibes about other composers of classical music?
Thank you !

Michiel Tebbes [Webmaster Laurenscantorij, Holland] wrote (September 25, 2003):
I noticed that several of our visitors visit our site are comming from your site http://www.bach-cantatas.com

Many compliments on your site!! It's of great use for fans of the cantata works of Bach. [snip]

Keep up the goor work and hope to see you at one of our cantatas.

Eitan Loew wrote (September 26, 2003):
[Following the announcement of Schedule of Concerts of Bach's vocal works]
Returning from a vacation, I found out only today what a great job you did!
Wonderful!
The list is sorted by date, which is reasonable, of course; however, I wonder if it would be possible to enable other sorting, like location?

Shana Tova,

Francis Browne wrote (September 28, 2003):
Your schedule of performances is another valuable addition to the website.<snip>

October 2003

Matthew Neugebauer wrote (October 1, 2003):
[snip] I can't thank you enough for provided such a mindbending wealth of resources!

Uri Golomb wrote (October 3, 2003):
[snip] Your own list was of immense value to me. In fact, I should tell you that I recommended to Daniel Leech-Wilkinson of King's College, London, to have a look at it. Daniel will be co-ordinating the assembly and inter-linking of online discographies on behalf of the soon-to-be-opened Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music (see http://www.soton.ac.uk/~musicbox/Centre.htm), and I pointed his attention to your site. [snip]

Henri Dété wrote (October 3, 2003):
I discovered recently your wonderful site. [snip]

Henri Dété wrote (October 5, 2003):
Thanks for mentionning my name as a contributor. I've seen the pages tonight. Simply beautiful !

Arjen van Gijssel wrote (October 5, 2003):
Aryeh, thanks for your enormously rich set of new audio samples! The website is becoming more and more an unparallelled treasure.

Charles Francis wrote (October 7, 2003):
[snip] Thanks for all the samples on the Web site - they are wonderful. I hope to find some time to comment in the near future.

Somebody from Johann Sebastian Kammer Chor Yokohama [Johann Sebastian Kammer Chor Yokohama, Japan] wrote (October 8, 2003):
I greatly appriciate your work!

I create a link to your site just now!
I'm sorry but there are no english page in my site.

Eitan Loew wrote (October 8, 2003):
[From discussion of Cantata BWV 100]
First, a word about Aryeh: there are not enough words to express my appreciation to the enormous task that he accomplishes: the BCW is an outstanding interesting well done job (and lately I've learnt that he is sponsoring it from his own pocket) and so is his contribution to the BCML and the BRML. It is unbelievable his devotion to these tasks!

Peter Harvey [Baritone, Peter Harvey] wrote (October 8, 2003):
I am the baritone singer, Peter Harvey. I cam across your excellent site when I was searching (in vain) for my own. [snip]

Andrew Koll [Australia] wrote (October 9, 2003):
I thought you might like to know that I am recommending the members of the Real Bach Society (an Australian organisation) to visit your website to download information they might like to study - like the BGA scores - for when they come to our study group, which will start up in Canberra, Australia next week. I have included an attachment with information about - if you could pass it onto interested people in Australia, that would be much appreciated.
[snip]
Thanks for your work on the Bach Cantatas website - we really appreciate and value what you've done.

Cesare Colletta wrote (October 11, 2003):
I've been looking for some way to thank you for your website that I continue to use almost everyday in my studying of Bach's cantatas. [snip]
Thanks again for your work,

Pat Maimone wrote (October 13, 2003):
[snip] Thanks for your labors.

Claudio Ahumada [Chile] wrote (October 18, 2003):
I'm a chilean music and i'm realy gratefull for your work with your page...... [snip]

Susanne Langholf [Soprano, Germany, Susanne Langholf] wrote (October 19, 2003):
It was very nice for me to find my biography on your page. I'm pleased to see, that the WWW creates it's own network. Thankyou. [snip]

Thank you for publishing my Bio.

Carol wrote (October 19, 2003):
Thank you for recommending I join the "Bach Cantata Website". I have loged into it in the past. I thought it was fun to read and download the biographies of my favorite singers and musicians, and peruse the available recordings. I think you serve us well. [snip]

Jeremy Vosburgh wrote (October 20, 2003):
I often visit the bach-cantatas site looking for information on different recordings of different pieces as well as information on different performers. A while ago I became quite a Hughes Cuenod fan after picking up a barely touched Scherchen conducted Matthew passion (1953) LP at a church fair for 10 cents. [snip]

Susan Milner [BC, Canada] wrote (October 22, 2003):
[snip] Otherwise I enjoyed your website.

David O. Berger [Director of Library Services, Concordia Seminary Library, Saint Louis, MO, USA] wrote (October 23, 2003):
[snip] Thanks for your consistent work in keeping up a very fine site.

André Reis [Longy school of music, Cambridge, MA, USA] wrote (October 23, 2003):
Thanks for such a wonderful website… [snip]

Paul J. Olsen [Festival Chorale Oregon, USA] wrote (October 24, 2003):
Thanks so much for your support of Bach singing internationally, I'll tell my music friends about your site and will ask our Web Master to put a link to you on our page.

Paul J. Olsen [Festival Chorale Oregon, USA] wrote (October 24, 2003):
Manythanks. It's really a very exciting resource.

Christian Leblé wrote (October 25, 2003):
[snip] I appreciate your work, [snip]

Bill Heide [St. John’s of Orange, CA, USA] wrote (October 28, 2003):
My name is William Heide, and I just found your website.

I was THRILLED to see that our series of Bach Cantatas at St. John's Lutheran Church in Orange, California was included in your performance listing.

We give 5 or 6 cantatas a year within the context of a vespers service. We use the Scripture readings for the day that Bach wrote his cantata, two related hymns, and a homily based on the readings and/or the cantata text. The choirs are from St. John's Church, but we hire the instrumentalists and the soloists. We have a good response from our parish and the community with an average of 300 attendance.

Our next cantata vespers is on Nov 2, BWV 79.

Keep up the good work, and thanks for including us in your list!

John Hargraves wrote (October 29, 2003):
Thanks for your help. It's a great site. I will acknowledge your web site if I use the Browne translations.

Michael Thompson [Editor, Logos: A Journal of Modern Society & Culture] wrote (October 31, 2003):
This is a wonderful resource. Upon its full completion, it will be an incredible, inestimable contribution to Bach devotees.

Thank you.

November 2003

Michael Thompson wrote (November 3, 2003):
Yes, I will join--thank you and keep up the good work!!

Jason Marmaras wrote (November 5, 2003):
[snip] ... thanks Aryeh and www.bach-cantatas.com !

Jerry Carbone wrote (November 6, 2003):
[Regarding rhe world-wide Schedule of Concerts of Bach's Vocal Works]
What a great list--Many thanks

Francis Browne wrote (November 8, 2003):
[snip] Keep up the good work!

John Pike wrote (November 9, 2003):
[Snipped from Introducing Myself message]
Last Christmas, I donated some money to the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek in Berlin for the restoration of the Bach manuscripts there (80% of all the Bach manuscripts which survive). I was rewarded with a facsimile of Cantata BWV 190. I had difficulty trying to find a recording of it and it was then that I came across the excellent Bach cantatas web site.

Johan de Wael [Beoordeling van de Cantates van Bach] wrote (November 9, 2003):
[snip] Thanks and keep up the good work!

Alessandro G. Simonetto [Kunst der Fuge] wrote (November 9, 2003):
[snip] Thank you for a great site!

Ingried Boussaroque wrote (November 17, 2003):
I've consulted on many occasion your website about the Bach Cantata. I must say it's an absolutely wonderful ressource! [snip]

Wang Xiao-yun [Shanghai, People's Republic of China] wrote (November 18, 2003):
[snip] At last I would like to thank Aryeh for his Bach Canata Website which is an indispensible knowledge source for me and all contributors of BCML and BRML who provided insightful comments that gave me much much knowledge I would never get elsewhere.

Brett wrote (November 20, 2003):
[snip] Thanks for putting these up anyway!!

Eszter Halmos wrote (November 20, 2003):
I was very happy when I found your website, it is excellent. [snip]

Frank Hopkirk [Webmaster, New Cambridge Singers] wrote (November 21, 2003):
[snip] I find your site very useful and informative.

Brett wrote (November 21, 2003):
[snip] It's so great that you have offered the orchestral scores of the cantatas, I'm hoping one day I'll find the parts scores for all the cantatas in printable form. It's too bad some rich guy like Bill Gates, or William Hewlett doesn't spend a few million to digitize them appropriately.

David Wihowski wrote (November 22, 2003):
I was just cleaning out my old e-mail and realized I hadn't replied to on this. I will add a link to your site when I update our website this weekend. I have visited your site several times in the past and enjoyed it very much.

Sweetpea (Konagai Yasuko) wrote (November 23, 2003):
I am Yasuko Konagai of a "Sweet on Bach - Bach Clavier Concert" site. Thank you for visiting and linking my site. Your site was linked to my site.

Stephen P. Wall wrote (November 23, 2003):
Thank you so much for your comprehensive website. I am reviewing the Christmas Oratorio Evangelist/tenor aria music for performance this year (12/21/03) and your translation has been very useful in reworking the intricate recitatives and bringing closer to home an intimate relationship between text and musical setting for me.

Christopher Foster [Bass-Baritone, England] wrote (November 24, 2003):
I see from your amazing website that you do not have my details available – I am on the Whitsun Cantatas recording as a soloist (my name is Christopher Foster). [snip]

Jean-Pierre Grivois wrote (November 26, 2003):
[snip] Thanks a lot for the Christmas Oratorium and all the job you did to put this translation on Bach-Cantatas.

I hope our common work will help a better understanding of JSB all around the world and especially in the french speaking countries !

December 2003

Peter Bäkgaard [Trancriptions for Organ of Works by J.S. Bach] wrote (December 5, 2003):
Thank you for your e-mail. I'm very glad that the Bach Cantatas Website includes a link to my site, and it will be a pleasure for me to add a link to your excellent site, too.

S.W. Anandgyan wrote (December 7, 2003):
[To a member of BeginnersBach Mailing List]
MBM stands for the Mass in B Minor.

This shortened parlance is proposed to Bach's music enthusiasts sharing through words on Mr. Oron's tremendously informative website: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Term/index.htm

Jack Botelho wrote (December 7, 2003):
[To S.W.Anandgyan] Thanks Anandgyan,

You are a genius! thanks to all the work provided by Mr. Oron at the Bach Cantatas website!

Gerrit Jan Hamerslag [Member of Consensus Vocalis] wrote (December 7, 2003):
You're welcome. Great website! [snip]

You are really fast!

Sabien Stols [PR & Marketing, Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Diemen, The Netherlands] wrote (December 8, 2003):
All the information give is checked and okay! A wonderful service you are giving! I will see if I can arrange a link, if not this project, perhaps for future bach-projects with vocal music.

Dale Higbee [Music Director, Carolina Baroque] wrote (December 9, 2003):
Looking at your remarkable Bach Cantata website, I noticed the bio of Thomas Dunn, conductor [snip]

Daniel Auchincloss [Tenor singer, Canada) wrote (December 9, 2003):
I was surfing the net, and came across your site. Thank you for adding a bio for me [snip]

I'm very impressed with your site - quite a font of knowledge!

Dale Higbee [Music Director, Carolina Baroque] wrote (December 9, 2003):
I've been going through your performers list on your fabulous Bach Cantata website. [snip]

Frank Aderholdt, Jr. [MBA, CPA, Business Manager, Hattiesburg Public School District, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA] wrote (December 13, 2003):
Many thanks for your wonderful site! I am printing the English translations of the cantatas as I proceed through the Leusink recordings. [snip]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Francis Browne wrote (December 14, 2003):
Not BWV 215: Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Internet!

About this week's cantata I have very little to say. As always there is some magnificent music and the details of the first performance give a vivid picture of Bach's life in Leipzig on one particular day.. But in truth Bach's celebration of the esteemed Augustus III did not seize my interest - but Aryeh's celebration of the incomparable Bach is a different matter. It would be remiss and ungrateful to let this last week of four years of cadiscussions pass without comment.

All too often the internet is a disappointment. Full of hope you type a topic in a search engine and get 5,000 hits - 4,997 of which are useless. If by chance you do find something of interest, there is again too often the dreaded words 'site last updated....' a long, long time ago. The internet is littered with promising projects that are never continued. None of this applies to the Bach Cantatas website. Anyone who has an interest in the cantatas and comes across this site has come across a jewel of the internet.

It is of course a collective enterprise. Reading some of the early discussions I am struck by the number of people who made interesting and perceptive comments and I feel grateful to all of them, particularly those who kept the project going in the early days. It would be easy to mention half a dozen names, but invidious since it would be equally easy to mention half a dozen more. Some who contributed very substantially sadly no longer appear, but others happily are still active members. But all who have contributed both in the past and the present would I am sure wish to join me in expressing gratitude for Aryeh's amazing and sustained work over the past four years. It is through his efforts week after week, month after month, year after year, that the enterprise has continued and grown to be the rich resource it now is. Quite apart from the constant work on maintaining and updating the site, his own contributions to discussions have been outstanding. Even when I find myself in disagreement his comments are always illuminating and show a wonderfully receptive and catholic taste in music.

I do not think Bach himself would mind if we adapted the final chorus of one of the recently discussed cantatas (BWV 205) to fit this concluding discussion:

Vivat Aryeh , Aryeh vivat,
Sei beglückt, gelehrter Mann!
Dein Vergnügen müsse blühen,
Dass dein Lehren, dein Bemühen
Möge solche Pflanzen ziehen...

Dr. James H. Carr [Resident Fellow, Trancos, Wilbur Hall, Stanford University, USA] wrote (December 16, 2003):
We love your website!
I wish to request 3 minor corrections concerning my wife, Jennifer Lane. [snip]
Thank you very much. Keep up the good work!

Hagai Hitron [Ha’aretz, Galleria] wrote (December 16, 2003):

Ehud Shiloni wrote (December 17, 2003):
Bach-cantatas.com in the Media

Yesterday, 13 Dec 2003, the Israeli daily "Haaretz" , pointed out that Aryeh's site is not only superb in its general qualities, but it is also a good source of information for the discerning international traveler about live concerts of JSB's music.

More power to Aryeh!

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 17, 2003):
[To Ehud Shiloni] Another kudo: last week one of my friends and former professors (not in music at all, and going into retirement) asked me about Hans Hotter and I forwarded her to the bach-cantatas.com page about him; she's a fan of his singing and refers to his tone affectionately as "God with a cold." That's in reference to his Wagner; she hasn't heard his Bach yet. She's giving herself a Christmas present of his recording of "Parsifal."

She clicked through some of the rest of the web site with interest, and told me later she learned something she had never known: that Bach wrote his cantatas for specific dates and events in the liturgical Christian calendar. Of course, she could have simply asked such a question of any of her music department colleagues, or former students such as myself, but when one doesn't know what questions to ask at all, it's helpful to see it somewhere.

So, the site is (at least in part) a valuable educational tool also for people who have never thought much one way or another about Bach's job. Again, bravo to Aryeh.

Bradley Lehman wrote (December 17, 2003):
And credit is of course due also to Jane Newble, Marie Jensen, and others who have contributed parts of the site such as that page about the liturgical year. My "bravo" there was not only to Aryeh, but to all who provide accurate information!

Mike Hatch [Director, Floating Earth Ltd.] wrote (December 18, 2003):
Werner Cantatas

I thought you might like to know that I am currently working on a project to re-issue all the Bach cantatas recorded by Werner for Warner classics. The plan is to issue them in two 10 CD sets during 2004. My company is responsible for making the digital transfers from the original analog tapes and compiling the new CD's.

Your website is extraordinary in scale and accuracy - there is more detailed information on it than on many of the tape boxes themselves!! Many thanks for the work you and your colleagues have put into it and I hope that there will be considerable interest in the CD's when they are available next year.

Rene Pannekoek.wrote (December 19, 2003):
I am very much interested in the scores of the Bach cantatas, so I find your collection on bach-cantatas.com really terrific! [snip]

Once again, great job!

Mike Hatch wrote (December 21, 2003):
[snip] Once again many thanks and congratulations on the site - almost as much of a magnum opus as the wonderful cantatas themselves! [snip]

Thomas Manhart [artyfakt - space for intercultural arts] wrote (December 28, 2003):
I haven't yet digested the entire amount of information of your site, but I am so overwelmed by you pairing enthusiasm and musicological accuracy, that I simply have to express my highest respect for this Bach platform you have created. Hopefully, I will be able to contribute as a new member, and yet the individual contributions will never make up for the gain each Bach lover wins from your work. My heartfelt thanks for this.

With Best Regards

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