Cantata Collective, Nicholas McGegan - Bach: St. Matthew Passion
(Avie Records, 2026)
Founded in 2017 in San Francisco, the Cantata Collective was born from a singular, laser-driven mission: to perform all 209 extant cantatas of J.S. Bach (adding to the present sets by Rilling, Harnoncourt/Leonhardt, Koopman, Suzuki, Gardiner, and Leusink). Many veterans of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and other local early-music luminaries form the ensemble, and they dedicate themselves to presenting these works as a “World Heritage Site” belonging to everyone.
The Collective’s treck began with a series of free public performances at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Berkeley. The Collective made these concerts accessible, often inviting the “congregation” of listeners to engage with the music in an intimate setting. When the COVID-19 pandemic halted live performances in 2020, the Collective pivoted to a “Recording Initiative” to bring their work to a global audience.
Nicholas McGegan’s leadership has been the driving force behind the group's "Recording Initiative," securing partnerships necessary to document Bach’s major choral masterpieces over a five-year period. His efforts have been instrumental is significant for bridging the gap between academic historical performance and emotionally resonant, accessible music-making. As the Music Director Emeritus of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, his involvement brings a level of international prestige and decades of expertise to this San Francisco-based ensemble.
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is a sprawling, big shaggy dog of an oratorio. It is not at a level with any Wagner opera, but it is a considerable jaunt, clocking in at just under three hours. The work has a lot of moving parts, harboring a dense demand on all musicians involved. The performance was captured live at Berkeley’s First Congregational Church and features the San Francisco Girls Chorus. McGegan and company, fine tune the narrative aspect of the work by modulating its dramatic momentum. The performance is warm and organic, providing a fecund environment for the excellent soloists to work. The soloists include tenor Thomas Cooley as the Evangelist and countertenor Reginald Mobley, with soprano Sherezade Panthaki as the wife of Pilat, and bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton as Jesus.
The sonics are superb: close and warm as have been the previous recordings by the Collective. Seeing this project to completion will be a treat.
Discography
J.S. Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 1 (2021/2022): The debut release on Centaur Records featuring solo cantatas BWV 84, 170, and 199 with soprano Sherezade Panthaki and countertenor Reginald Mobley.
J.S. Bach: St. John Passion, BWV 245 (2023): Their first major choral release on AVIE Records, praised as an “immediate hit” by the BBC.
J.S. Bach: Cantatas, Vol. 2 (2023): A continuation of their cycle on Centaur Records, featuring Reginald Mobley.
Bach: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 (2024): A live recording from Berkeley’s First Congregational Church, capturing a spontaneous performance of Bach’s final large-scale masterpiece.
J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio & Magnificat (2025): Released to international acclaim, featuring standout instrumental contributions and soloists like Nola Richardson.
J.S. Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (2026): Conducted by McGegan and featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus, this release coincided with the group’s sold-out performance in Berkeley.