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Bach: St. Matthew Passion on CD

The Bay Area-based Cantata Collective, under the direction of Nicholas McGegan, launched their series of J. S. Bach's large-scale choral masterworks with a "bold and beautifully constructed" St. John Passion (BBC Radio 3 Record Review). The Mass in B minor, and the Easter Oratorio paired with Magnificat, followed to equally glowing acclaim, setting the stage for the other of Bach's great Passions, the masterful St. Matthew Passion for double choir and double orchestra. Completing the cast is the Cantata Collective's own chorus, the inspirational San Francisco Girls Chorus, and a superlative sextet of soloists-tenor Tom Cooley as the Evangelist, bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton as Jesus, baritone Harrison Hintzsche as Pilatus, soprano Sherezade Panthaki as Pilatus' wife, alto Reginald Mobley, and tenor James Reese.

With texts blending gospel with poetry, the recording-captured live in the glowing acoustic of Berkeley, California's First Church-is by turns expressive and contemplative. Presented across three CDs and available digitally in Dolby Atmos, the sumptuous presentation includes insightful booklet notes by Daniel R. Melamed, esteemed Bach scholar and President of the American Bach Society.