‘Radiance, then, radiance of tone and personality, that is Elly Ameling’s gift, and as she smiles, sweetly, we hear the smile in the voice.’ So John Steane wrote in his essay on the Dutch soprano in Singers of the Century, and her recordings of Bach preserve and communicate that radiance as much as her celebrated albums of Schubert Lieder.
The earliest recording here is the St. Matthew Passion conducted by Karl Münchinger from 1964, in which Ameling sings all the arias (no double-soloist division to match the double choir and orchestra) as well as the smaller parts such as Pilate’s wife, and she does so with not only a poise but a communicative urgency that seized the attention of countless listeners hearing her for the first time (though by then she had been singing professionally for more than a decade).
Before this recording, she recalled in a later interview, Münchinger had heard her on a German radio broadcast, ‘and said to himself, “There is a Bach singer!” So he told [Decca] that if he was to record any more Bach for them, he must have me as his soprano.’ She went on to bring her special qualities of serenity and pathos to his recordings of the St. John Passion, Easter Oratorio, Magnificat and several cantatas.
Münchinger brought a lighter touch to this music than other German Bach conductors, and his graceful rhythmic feeling paired well with Ameling’s voice, but then so did the more clipped and extrovert, French style of Ernest Ansermet (a single tantalising album of cantatas), the pacier, punchy but compact approach of the oboist-turned-conductor Helmut Winschermann (three albums of cantatas, including a legendary account of Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen), and finally the warmer, more relaxed legato cultivated by Raymond Leppard (two cantata albums).
Both of her Christmas Oratorio recordings (led by Münchinger and Eugen Jochum) feature, dating from 1966 and 1972 respectively, and in both she sings with an ideal voice for the part: bright, a little cool, not exactly forward but with plenty of body, absolutely pure and effortless in coloratura. As another critic remarked, one can no more tire of Elly Ameling in her most congenial repertoire than complain about the regularity of the return of spring: ‘Sure, it’s the same as last time, but the response (like Ameling’s to her songs) is always new.’
This set features a new appreciation of Elly Ameling’s artistry in Bach by the Dutch critic René Seghers, based on a new interview with her, which he conducted at her home in July 2022. Ameling herself contributes an introduction to the set, which will enhance its appeal to all lovers of great (Bach) singing.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
CD 1
Cantatas, BWV 199 & 51
Helmut Winschermann
CD 2
Cantatas, BWV 32 & 57
Hermann Prey
Helmut Winschermann
CD 3
Cantatas, BWV 140 & 80
Linda Finnie · Aldo Baldin · Samuel Ramey
Raymond Leppard
CD 4
Cantatas, BWV 84, 52 & 209
Raymond Leppard
CD 5
Cantatas, BWV 130, 101 & 67
Helen Watts · Werner Krenn · Tom Krause
Ernest Ansermet
CD 6
Cantata, BWV 10
Helen Watts · Werner Krenn · Marius Rintzler
Magnificat, BWV 243
Hanneke van Bork · Helen Watts · Werner Krenn · Tom Krause
Karl Münchinger
CD 7
Missae breves, BWV 235 & 236
Birgit Finnilä · Theo Altmeyer · William Reimer
Helmut Winschermann
CDs 8–9
Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Yvonne Minton · Helen Watts
Werner Krenn · Tom Krause
Karl Münchinger
CDs 10–12
Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244
Peter Pears · Hermann Prey · Marga Höffgen · Fritz Wunderlich · Tom Krause
Karl Münchinger
CDs 13–14
Johannes-Passion, BWV 245
Julia Hamari · Werner Hollweg · Hermann Prey · Dieter Ellenbeck · Walter Berry
Karl Münchinger
CD 15
Osteroratorium, BWV 249
Helen Watts · Werner Krenn · Tom Krause
Karl Münchinger
CDs 16–17
Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248
Helen Watts · Peter Pears · Tom Krause
Karl Münchinger
CDs 18–20
Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248
Brigitte Fassbaender · Horst Laubenthal · Hermann Prey
Eugen Jochum
“Elly Ameling, in particular, sings with warmth and tenderness and with a delightfully sweet and pure tone.” High Fidelity, July 1969 (Easter Oratorio)
“Elly Ameling, at the top of her form, is the perfect Bach soprano.” Gramophone, July 1969 (Easter Oratorio)
“Elly Ameling proves once again to be the Bach soprano par excellence. In the Cantata, she carries off a vigorous and agitated aria stamped from the same florid mold as the solo Cantata, Jauchzet Gott, with confidence and élan.” High Fidelity, January 1970 (Magnificat & BWV10)
“Elly Ameling shows herself the most perfect Bach soprano now before the public.” Gramophone, April 1970 (Magnificat & BWV10)
“The ideal Bach soprano.” Gramophone, April 1971 (BWV 32 & 57)
“Ameling and Krenn are simply superb in the ‘Domine Deus’; their conception and vocal qualities are in perfect accord throughout.” High Fidelity, June 1971 (Mass in B minor)
“Simply exquisite performance … Miss Ameling is superb here; her feeling for the religious sentiment could not be greater, and her lovely voice copes magnificently with the taxing technical demands of Jauchzet Gott, as well as with the more intimate sections of both works … Don’t miss this one.” Stereo Review, June 1971 (BWV 51 & 199)
“Needless to say, Ameling’s grasp of the stylistic requirements is unsurpassed … Ameling et. Al. do a superb job with the cantata.” High Fidelity, July 1971 (Magnificat & BWV10)
“Perfect in every way … The second aria is sung as freshly and prayerfully as the words suggest … and the ‘Alleluia’ is pure joy throughout.” Gramophone, August 1971 (BWV 51 & 199)
“Elly Ameling’s contributions rate superlatives … This disc belongs to the increasing list of the best Bach cantata performances on discs.” Stereo Review, June 1971 (BWV 32 & 57)
“Ameling, the soprano on both [recordings], is her usual lovely, unaffected self.” High Fidelity, February 1974 (Christmas Oratorio)
“Miss Ameling is quoted as saying that her dearest desire is to achieve a probably unattainable perfection, but she does achieve just that in the echo aria from the Christmas Oratorio [and] in Jauchzet Gott.” Gramophone, July 1975 (‘The Delectable Elly Ameling’)
“Elly Ameling’s tones are as pure and exquisite as ever.” Stereo Review, February 1983 (BWV 52, 84 & 209)
“The warmth of Bach’s music and the spirit of the text well suit Elly Ameling’s vocal temperament and she brings a radiance to her performance which recalls that of Agnes Giebel.” Gramophone, November 1983 (BWV 52, 84 & 209)