Bright, fast, and vivacious, Paul McCreesh's performances of Bach's Easter Oratorio and Magnificat may sometimes seem to skimp on the sacred, but they more than compensate with a big dose of the secular. This is not to say that his 2000 Archiv recording is entirely lacking the spiritual -- some of the more melancholy arias touch the infinite, try for example the soprano aria "Quia respexit humilitatem" from the Magnificat -- but the emphasis here is on high-spirited fun. Using his expert Gabrieli Consort and stripping down the choruses to just one voice per part, McCreesh's ensemble is alert, his colors are brilliant, his rhythms are lively, and his interpretations will put a smile on the face of even the most severe fan of the Lutheran from Leipzig. Captured in sparklingly clean digital sound by Archiv, this disc will appeal to anyone who loves Bach and enjoys joyous music making. ~ James Leonard, AMG

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.