New September 2009 Brandenburgische Konzerte 1-6 J.S. Bach

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13774 in Music
• Released on: 2009-09-28
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .29 pounds

Review
These are the most electrifying Brandenburg Concertos to hit the market in a long while --The Times

CD Description
The six Brandenburg Concertos, described by their composer as Concertos for several instruments are widely regarded as among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque. Now considered a benchmark of Baroque music, the concertos still have the power to move people almost three centuries later. John Eliot Gardiner and his superb period-instrument chamber orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, record their unique inetrpretation of the Brandenburg Concertos for the very first time. The booklet includes a long note by John Eliot Gardiner entitled "A conductor-less slant on the Brandenburg Concertos" and entries by each member of the English Baroque Soloists where they discuss their personal experience of recording the Brandenburg Concertos.

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Customer Reviews

Splendid!
Also completely agree with r.b. Pleasingly, the opening seems less frantic than other versions, but that's not to say that this recording lacks passion or dynamism (when required). The players have clearly worked hard in rehearsal & obviously thoroughly enjoy Bach's great work, playing it with effortless virtuosity that expertly mixes verve & excitement with pathos & subtlety.

This is also an excellent recording: the instruments sound detailed, rich & expansive in tone, but never harsh or brittle; the soundstage is open & room-filling with fine separation; & it's always a good sign that a recording is so detailed that you can hear the musicians drawing breath.

Completely agree with r.b.
This is a truly outstanding rendition of the Brandenburgs, which is saying something, as there are many excellent versions in the field. My picks are 1 and 2, 1 with the wonderfully exuberant horns (the players give every impression of having a great time), and 2 with a brilliant account of the wickedly difficult trumpet part, the best on a natural trumpet I've heard. And you can still hear the recorder! The others are also beautifully played, with bouncy Gardinerish tempi (clearly concertmaster Kati Debretzeni has learned from The Boss).

Arise, go forth, and buy. You won't be disappointed.

Bach Brandenburg Concertos
Finally we have John Elliot Gardiner's interpretation's of Bach's famous Brandenburg Concertos.Of all the well known authentic specialists Gardiner is among the last to record them although as he states in the booklet notes,he only conducted concertos 1 and 2 but rehearsed the others with his players.
The results on initial hearing are staggering.Gardiner sets brisk tempi for the allegro's in concerto no 1 for which the horn players do a fantastic job.Natural Horns from the Baroque era are incredibly difficult to play and this is usually a weak point in period instrument recording's but Anneke Scott and David Bentley perform very well indeed here.In concerto no 2 Gardiner sets VERY brisk tempi,perhaps a little too much so,but the notoriously
hard trumpet part is AMAZINGLY played by Neil Brough,certainly the best i have yet to hear.It's a brilliant performance for which he deserves a medal,especially at those speeds.Concerti 3 to 6 are all played very skillfully too and the sound throughout is present and crystal clear.
How this new period recording of the Brandenburg's will stand up upon repeated listening only time will tell but on first hearing it's truly remarkable.I have never heard concerto's 1 and 2 (always extremely difficult for the brass players) performed so technically well.Although the tempi Gardiner sets is possibly a shade too brisk there is no denying that it's also exhilarating.

All in all this is a joyous and lively account of the Brandenburg Concertos which is superbly played and recorded.There are countless authentic instrument versions available but this one certainly deserves a place in the very top bracket.If you want your Brandenburg's performed more moderate then go for Trevor Pinnock's version on Avie but if zest and vitallity are your thing then go for Gardiner.

For me,this is now a first choice on period instruments - it really is that good.