CHRISTOPH GRAUPNER (1683-1760): Die sieben Worte Jesu am Kreuz.

Description: In cantata form, this cycle was written for Passiontide in 1743. Graupner had only small performing forces available and his chapel only held 130 people, so expect intimacy, nuance and subtlety here as the soloists are accompanied only by string quartet and continuo with a virtuosic solo extra violin part in seven out of the total of the 36 arias or accompagnato recitatives, and a solo oboe and tenor and bass recorders also used as extra dashes of color in accompaniment. 2 CDs. German-English incipits; rest of texts available on-line. Ingrid Schmithüsen (soprano), Claudine Leloux (alto), Nils Brown (tenor), Normand Richard (bass), Les Idées Heureuses; Geneviève Soly (organ).