Over the past decades, together with the two ensembles he founded: The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists, Sir John Eliot Gardiner has recorded some of the most important Bach recordings ever made. For many, Gardiner is considered the greatest Bach interpreter of our time. To celebrate Gardiner's 80th birthday, this 22-CD edition "J.S. Bach - Sacred Masterworks and Cantatas" is available again. In addition to reference recordings of the Christmas Oratorio, St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion and B Minor Mass for the ARCHIV label, the edition also includes 12 CDs of the famous "Pilgrimage" on which Sir John Eliot Gardiner and his ensembles performed Bach cantatas live in churches throughout Europe and recorded them.

"Gardiner once said: If he didn't meet Bach in heaven – should he ever get there - he wouldn't need to go there at all. If Gardiner's cantatas weren't played there, we'd prefer purgatory, too." - Die Welt

Tracklist:

CD 1      Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part One, Two and Three

CD 2      Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part Four, Five and Six

CD 3      St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part One

CD 4      St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part Two

CD 5      St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part Two (cont.)

CD 6      St. John Passion, BWV 245, Part One and Two

CD 7      St. John Passion, BWV 245, Part Two (cont.)

CD 8      Mass, BWV 232

CD 9      Mass, BWV 232 (cont.)

CD 10    Magnificat, BWV 243; Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, Cantata BWV 51

CD 11    Advent Cantatas, BWV 36, 61 & 62

CD 12    Christmas Cantatas, BWV 63, 64, 121 & 133

CD 13    New Year Cantata, BWV 16; Cantatas for the 21st and 23rd Sunday after Trinity, BWV 98 & 139

CD 14    Cantatas for the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany, BWV 72, 73, 111 & 156

CD 15    Cantatas for the Feast of the Purification of Mary (2 February), BWV 82, 83, 125 & 200

CD 16    Easter Cantatas, BWV 6 & 66

CD 17    Cantatas for Ascension Day, BWV 11, 37, 43 & 128

CD 18    Cantatas for the 1st day of Whitsun, BWV 34, 59, 74 & 172

CD 19    Cantatas for the 9th Sunday after Trinity, BWV 94, 105 & 168

CD 20    Cantatas for the 11th Sunday after Trinity, BWV 113, 179 & 199

CD 21    Cantatas for the 27th Sunday after Trinity, BWV 140 & for the Feast of the Visitation of Mary (2 July), BWV 147

CD 22    Cantatas BWV 106; 118/231 & 198

Sir John Eliot Gardiner

The Monteverdi Choir

The English Baroque Soloists