J.S. Bach: Solo Cantatas for Alto - Armenian Chants Seda Amir-Karayan, Camerata Vivaldiana & Fritz Krämer

• Mesrop Mashtots (ca. 361 - 440): Bazum en Qo getutyunqd:
• 1 Mashtots: Bazum en Qo getutyunqd 01:32
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170:
• 2 Bach: Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170: I. Aria "Vergnügte Ruh! Beliebte Seelenlust!" 07:00
• 3 Bach: Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170: II. Recitativo "Die Welt, Die Welt, das Sündenhaus" 01:28
• 4 Bach: Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170: III. Aria "Wie jammern mich doch die verkehrten Herzen" 09:56
• 5 Bach: Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170: IV. Recitativo "Wer sollte sich demnach wohl hier zu leben wünschen" 01:14
• 6 Bach: Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170: V. Aria "Mir ekelt mehr zu leben" 06:19
• Grigor Narekatsi (ca. 951 - 1003): Havun, havun:
• 7 Narekatsi: Havun, havun 03:46
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54:
• 8 Bach: Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54: I. Aria "Widerstehe doch der Sünde" 06:42
• 9 Bach: Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54: II. Rezitativo "Die Art verruchter Sünden" 01:20
• 10 Bach: Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54: III. Aria "Wer Sünde tut, der ist vom Teufel" 03:19
• Nerses Shnorhali (ca. 1102 - 1173): Luys, ararich luso:
• 11 Shnorhali: Luys, ararich luso 01:58
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35:
• 12 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: I. Sinfonia 05:58
• 13 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: II. Aria "Geist und Seele wird verwirret" 07:49
• 14 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: III. Recitativo "Ich wundre mich" 01:33
• 15 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: IV. Aria "Gott hat alles wohlgemacht" 03:47
• 16 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: V. Sinfonia 03:52
• 17 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: VI. Rezitativo "Ach, starker Gott" 01:18
• 18 Bach: Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35: VII. Aria "Ich wünsche nur bei Gott zu leben" 03:09
• Total Runtime 01:12:00

Info for J.S. Bach: Solo Cantatas for Alto - Armenian Chants

The famous alto solo cantatas by J.S. Bach not only display an extraordinary musical variety, but also place the highest demands on the virtuosity of the singing voice. Nowadays, these cantatas are mostly performed by countertenors. The exceptional alto Seda Amir-Karayan is bucking this trend. She is accompanied by the young baroque orchestra Camerata Vivaldiana under the direction of Fritz Krämer. And as a further speciality, she combines this magnificent figural music with the ancient, simple a cappella church chants from her Armenian homeland, which on the one hand form a captivating contrast, but at the same time show an astonishing closeness to the cantatas of the Thomaskantor in their spiritual content.

Seda Amir-Karayan, contralto
Camerata Vivaldiana
Fritz Krämer, direction

Seda Amir-Karayan
is an internationally sought-after concert pianist and lieder singer. She has performed at venues including the Elbphilharmonie (recital Frauenliebe und -leben), the Berlin Philharmonie (Christmas Oratorio, St Matthew Passion, Messiah, ...), the Cologne Philharmonie (St John Passion, Brahms' Alto Rhapsody, Reger's Requiem, Szymanowski's Stabat Mater, Tippett's A Child of Our Time, ...), the Konzerthaus Berlin (Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's 9th Symphony), the Herkulessaal in the Munich Residence, Berlin Cathedral, the Liederhalle in Stuttgart, the Konzerthaus Berlin (Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's 9th Symphony), the Hercules Hall in the Munich Residenz, the Liederhalle Stuttgart, the Liederhalle Stuttgart and the Konzerthaus Berlin. Symphony), in the Herkulessaal of the Munich Residenz, in Berlin Cathedral, in the Liederhalle Stuttgart, at the Leipzig Bach Festival, at the Bachwoche Stuttgart (Mass in B minor), at the Rheingau Music Festival (St Paul) and at the Stuttgart Music Festival and works with renowned conductors such as Ton Koopman, Frieder Bernius, Helmuth Rilling, Hans-Christoph Rademann, Alessandro De Marchi, Enoch zu Guttenberg, Denis Rouger, Kay Johannsen, Jörg Halubek, Fritz Krämer and Horst Meinardus. She performs with renowned orchestras, including the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, L'arpa festante, Il Gusto Barocco, the Bavarian Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Stiftsbarock Stuttgart and the Freiburg Bach Orchestra.

In 2020, her debut CD Wehmut with pianist Götz Payer was released on the Spektral label. In 2024, the recording of Bach's alto solo cantatas with the Camerata Vivaldiana (concertmaster: Christine Busch) under the direction of Fritz Krämer will be released.

Seda Amir-Karayan studied concert singing with a focus on oratorio and lied (Master's degree with honours at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart under Professor Ulrike Sonntag). During her studies, she won 1st prize at the Podium Junger Gesangssolisten in Zwickau. In recognition of her special achievements and talent, she was awarded a German scholarship and was supported by the Gerhard Trede Foundation. She has taken part in masterclasses with Helen Donath, Malcolm Walker, Margreet Honig, Brigitte Fassbaender and Lioba Braun.

Booklet for J.S. Bach: Solo Cantatas for Alto - Armenian Chants