The ongoing cantata cycle of Masaaki Suzuki and his Bach Collegium Japan was initiated in 1995. Described by one reviewer as ‘one of the greatest recording achievements of my lifetime’ the series has now reached its 40th volume, in the meantime receiving an astonishing number of distinctions from magazines and critics all over the world. But parallell to their cantata cycle, Suzuki and his Collegium have also recorded Bach’s larger-scaled choral works; recordings which have caught the imagination and attention of audiences and critics alike. This luxurious box, released in a limited edition, provides a unique opportunity to acquire these as a set: a true collector’s item. Besides the ten CDs with the music, the set consists of three full-sized booklets (Mass, Passions, Oratorios) giving ample information about the works and the performers, as well as the full texts (in Latin/German as well as English) of all six works.

This performance of the B minor Mass has everything: great playing, sensational singing from the soloists and chorus, ideal pacing, and a powerful feeling for the character of each movement as well as for the architecture of the whole massive musical edifice. Although Suzuki uses relatively small forces (18 singers, 11 strings), he never compromises the grandeur of such movements as the Sanctus, the opening of the Gloria, or the Credo's final Et expecto--and the concluding Dona nobis pacem must be accounted one of the most satisfying ever recorded. Taken a touch slower than the Gratias, whose music it shares, Suzuki's conception has a rhetorical splendor that caps the performance like the dome on a cathedral.

The soloists are uniformly strong, and are major names in Bach perfomance. Carolyn Sampson leads the sopranos with a tone at once rich but still pure, and teams up with Rachel Nicholls for a gorgeous Christe eleison. Countertenor Robin Blaze is in excellent voice on this outing, and his Qui sedes hasn't a trace of the hollowness that sometimes mars his vocal production. Bass Peter Kooij is a veteran of this series. His dry-ish timbre and focused intonation (aided by gutsy horn-playing) make the Quoniam a highlight of the performance.

BIS's engineers wisely put a good bit of space around the players, which allows the big choruses to fill the room while giving just the right prominence to the trumpets and drums. The result, whether in stereo or multichannel formats, gives the music tremendous physicality and impact. Make no mistake, this is one of the great versions of Bach's masterpiece.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

THE EASTER ORATORIO
"The performance is full of life, full of Baroque spirit while being strict to the letter of authentic practice. The horns have just the right amount of grit, the strings just bouncy enough. Balances side to side and front to back are perfect. Balance between instruments, chorus and soloists is perfect. The soloists are exceptional, ...if you buy only one recording, buy the Suzuki." Musicweb.uk.net 03/2006

The St, MATTHEW PASSION
"Masaaki Suzuki brings to the St Matthew Passion the same devotional intensity that has characterised his Bach cantata recordings. This focus is immediately evident in the opening chorus/chorale, which he imbues with compelling power despite opting to use relatively small vocal and orchestral forces throughout. It is evident, too, in Bach Collegium Japan’s impeccable performances, which bespeak a score explored in meticulous detail and with profound affection. There is certainly much to admire here: fierce turbas, gentle chorales, exemplary instrumental solos."

5 out of 5 stars for both sound and performace!

-- Graham Lock, BBC Music Magazine