This is hardboiled, take-no-prisoners Bach. In his motets, Bach refines his music's contrapuntal quintessence in settings that eschew the warm consolations of instruments for the icy purity of voices. Sung here by the 18-voice Flemish Radio Choir led by
Bo Holten and accompanied very discretely by organist Bart Naessens and bassist Elsie Christanes, Bach's motets stand stark and defiant in performances of unerring accuracy and uncompromising intensity. No matter how gnarly the textures or how angular the counterpoints, the Flemish singers are equal to the challenge. Recorded in rich, ripe digital sound with just the right amount of reverb in the Jezuïtenkerk in Heverlee, Belgium, this disc should be heard by Bach fans and fans of noire music-making.