15 Tenor Arias from Cantatas: Voice & Piano

These arias represent Bach at his most singable, with melodies that soar above thoughtfully voiced accompaniments. Edition Peters' selection distills the richness of the complete cantatas into a focused collection that works beautifully in recital and allows tenors to explore the depth of Baroque vocal writing without the ceremonial bulk of full cantata performance. The 84-page format makes this practical for serious study while maintaining the integrity of Bach's original conception.

These arias breathe with the spiritual contemplation of the Lutheran liturgy that shaped them. Bach's melodies unfold with clarity and directness, yet harmonically they move with unexpected richness, creating moments of both intimate devotion and architectural grandeur. Singing them demands precision and warmth simultaneously.

This collection serves tenor soloists preparing recitals, voice students building their Baroque repertoire, and choral singers wanting to deepen their understanding of Bach's vocal writing. It's equally valuable for teachers seeking accessible yet artistically substantial material that challenges singers beyond the standard aria repertoire.

• Shape the line with Renaissance and Baroque phrasing principles: bring weight to structural downbeats rather than metronomic ones, allowing the harmony and text to guide your breath placement.
• Listen to the continuo part as a conversation partner. The keyboard figures often mirror or anticipate the vocal line, and recognizing these dialogues reveals Bach's architectural intent.
• Give yourself room for ornamentation and tasteful embellishment in repeats. Bach's notation is economical; performers are expected to add appropriate graces within the style.
• Work with your accompanist to establish how florid passages function harmonically. A rising sequence or scalar passage often carries harmonic momentum that affects where you place rubato.

Feature one or two arias in a themed concert exploring the church year or redemption narratives that Bach favored. A pairing of these works with arias from other Baroque composers or with instrumental movements from the same cantatas creates a cohesive program. They also work well as bridges between English Baroque song and Continental repertoire.

• Baroque phrasing and text-driven articulation
• Ornamentation and improvisation within stylistic constraints
• Reading figured bass and understanding continuo harmony
• Managing melismatic passages while maintaining textual clarity
• Ensemble sensitivity and dialogue with keyboard accompaniment