Bach: Cantatas, Sacred Arias, Sacred Lieder by Aafje Heynis (2022 Remastered, Netherlands 1960-63)

A contralto with a distinctive timbre — at once radiant, delicate, and generous, marked by a characteristic touch of androgyny, as the musicologist Jean-Charles Hoffelé, who knew her well, has recalled — Aafje Heynis was often compared to Kathleen Ferrier, with whom she shared a rare emotional intensity. The smile of this tall woman of immense talent, always elegant, seemed to come straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock film.

Aafje Heynis began singing in church choirs. She might have remained there, anonymous and content, had her friends not pushed her onto a platform one morning in May 1945, amid the electric atmosphere of a Liberation still full of promise: “Sing!” She sang Dank sei Dir, Herr. It was a revelation. Anthony van der Horst took her under his wing, providing the technical foundations she still lacked — for artistry and sensitivity, everything was already there. Still uncertain of her path, she crossed the Channel and worked with the great baritone Roy Henderson, a highly renowned vocal teacher at the Royal Academy of Music. They worked together for three years in the music salon where Kathleen Ferrier had studied ten years earlier. Upon returning to the Netherlands, she went back to the church.

It was in Bach that she truly found herself, seeking the celestial line behind earthly words, transforming herself by turns into a cello, a clarinet, or even a viola. She had fully grasped, with natural ease, what instrumental singing truly means. Far removed from any notion of a career built for personal acclaim, Aafje Heynis never sought to reap publicly the rewards of her spiritual labour, and passed away on December 16, 2015, at the age of ninety-one — long, long after she had withdrawn from the spotlight, without regret, though not without bitterness..

This edition brings together these recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach. Particular care has been taken to ensure sonic consistency. The depth and beauty of the orchestra, together with the brilliance of the singing, achieve an ideal balance. The songs with organ reach the same level of satisfaction.

Enjoy your listening