J.S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244

Two decades after his first recording, Suzuki returns to the St Matthew Passion, having finished his complete survey of Bach’s cantatas and most of his other major works. More experience certainly, but more insight? Whatever the artistic vision, what we experience most vividly as listeners are the performers themselves. The soloists assembled here feel vocally more generous, led by the sophisticated and sensual Carolyn Sampson (with an airborne “Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben”) and a masterful but empathetic Christian Immler as Jesus. All of them, except the Evangelist, step forward from the choir for their solos, just as Bach expected. Benjamin Bruns (the Evangelist) is a varied storyteller: measured, but lyrical and deeply involved when required. Suzuki’s vision of the work as an act of devotion still stands as powerfully as in his first recording, but here everything, including the sound, feels just a little richer.