At the risk of becoming clichéd, John Butt and his team have once again opened my ears to a fresh crystal-clear interpretation of Bach. Other versions which I like have been incremental improvements on the first recording which I heard, from Karl Richter (DG Archiv 4272362—still well worth hearing: a performance ahead of its time and on sale at budget price*) but it’s clear right from the wonderful opening chorus that the new Linn recording joins last year’s revelatory Christmas Magnificat and Cantata No 63 (CKD469 Recording of the Month review) at the top of the tree. Were it not too late, this would have been one of my Recordings of the Year. Whatever your reservations about the small-scale approach, set them aside for this release.