Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 / Cantata BWV 199 [Lorraine]

Great singers have the gift of exploring the deep layers of a text and bringing to the surface the subtle nuances of the composer's intention. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson went even further: she sang as if she had written the text herself and was now singing it for you, yes, for you alone, there in the theater. When Lorraine sang the opening recitative at the first rehearsal of Bach's "Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut", silence fell after the end of the first movement. Some musicians fought back tears, others applauded shyly. This first rehearsal with Jeffrey Kahane and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra would have been more than good enough for a concert. Less than three years after the present recording of the Bach cantata on guilt and forgiveness, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson died at the age of 52 in 2006. With this CD, which begins with an exceptionally fresh and energetic interpretation of the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra commemorates the great singer who was able to enchant people with the magic of her singing.