RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/ Hans-Christoph Rademann, Harmonia Mundi HMC 902080

Not a great deal is known about Johann Ludwig Bach (1677-1731), a cousin of the great Johann Sebastian, who is known as the “Meiningen” Bach after the place where he spent his working life. Johann Ludwig’s employer, Duke Ernst Ludwig of Saxe-Meiningen wrote religious poetry and left verses for his own funeral music as well as a sermon for the occasion. Johann Ludwig’s

Trauermusik

, setting an elaboration of the Duke’s words, is impressive in scale and scope. It plays for nearly 80 minutes, is scored for soloists, double choir and two orchestras, and its three parts trace a course from earthly bondage to the prospect of heaven and the experience of its glory. Hans-Christoph Rademann and his excellent soloists (soprano Anna Prohaska, alto Ivonne Fuchs, tenor Maximilian Schmitt, and bass Andreas Wolf) wring the most from the music. See url.ie/55ay