Bach: Mass in B minor (1972 version), Johannes-Passion

Michel Corboz was a conductor whose joy in singing inspired his exploration of choral works. An early love of music, and vocal music in particular, was nurtured by congregational singing at church (including plainsong) and radio broadcasts of Bach cantatas on Sundays. Corboz consistently endorsed an artistry in which everything began with the vocal impulse ("I want an orchestra that sings", he declared in 1980). That approach is evident in his recordings of Bach's major sacred works. Corboz waited before recording the Passion and Christmas Oratorio, working each time with his Lausanne ensemble and tenor Kurt Equiluz, a quite exceptional Evangelist. The Mass in B minor and the Magnificat are two other key works in Corboz's discographic legacy.