Płytowe rejestracje kantat kościelnych Johanna Sebastiana Bacha
Recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Church Cantatas

Summary/Abstract: Johann Sebastian Bach’s church cantatas hold a special place among composer’s works. Althoughthey were primarily intended for use in the Lutheran church liturgy in order to deepenthe understanding of readings from the Bible, they are at the same time masterpieces of highestartistic value. The cantatas, accompanying Bach throughout his artistic career, becamea kaleidoscope of all the forms, techniques, motifs and musical means he employed. Forgottenafter the composer’s death, the works were rediscovered in the 20th century. The first chapterof this work is devoted to the description of the cantatas and their performance history.The popularization of Bach’s cantatas was connected with both their inclusion in theconcert repertoire and the development of recording industry. The first, single recordings 168 Wiesław Delimatof cantatas come from 1950s. Recordings of cantata cycles began soon after. As aroundtwo hundred cantatas survive to this day, each project of recording the complete cycle excitesinterest among music lovers and professional critics. Until today, only a few recordingsof the complete cycle of cantatas have been made, some of which deserve particularattention due to their high artistic value and cognitive significance. A detailed discussionof these selected renditions constitutes the second chapter.Apart from recordings of Bach’s complete cycle, there exists a number of recordingscontaining variously selected cantatas. Many of these have been internationally recognizedas most important masterpieces of world phonography. These works are listed andcompared in chapters two and three.

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