Bach: Brandenburg Concertos [Box set]

Universal has done everyone a favor by reissuing Reinhard Goebel's superb Bach recordings with Musica Antiqua Köln (MAK) in a modestly priced bargain box. The chamber music was recorded for DG/Archiv's 300th-Anniversary Bach Edition, which came out in segments from 1982-1985. The Brandenburg Concerti, Suites, and Triple Concerto came out a few years later. All proved controversial, though Goebel's and MAK's approach to this repertoire sounds less dated than many who were recording at the time. Indeed, their penchant for bracing tempos, bold expressive gestures, and virtuosic abandon foreshadows the proclivities of today's best period-performance groups. There is nothing remotely dry or academic about these performances; they are, in a word, terrifically exciting.

Goebel's Brandenburg Concertos, Orchestral Suites (including the spurious "Fifth Suite" in g-minor), and Triple Concerto never cease to astonish for their infectious rhythmic vitality, quicksilver responses to Bach's constantly shifting textures, and remarkable technical assurance. The music swings, jitterbugs, rocks, and break-dances with irrepressible vitality. This is an apotheosis of the dance; the joy of movement raised to the level of heavenly bliss. MAK's bracing, terpsichorean approach to Bach's orchestral music will prove too much of a good thing for some listeners;but for those willing to take a walk on the wild side will be amply rewarded.

The charm factor is more often on display in the chamber music than in the orchestral works. This is, I believe, the most complete set of Bach chamber works available. It includes not only the canonical sonatas featuring violin, viola da gamba and flute with harpsichord (or, in some cases, continuo), but a fair number of others whose authenticity is dubious, but whose invention is quite fetching. Goebel and Hill offer rhythmically crisp and often extravagantly expressive playing in the violin-keyboard works. Not everyone will appreciate Goebel's occasional "squeezing" of the tone; it was a fashionable expressive gesture in period-instrument performance practice of the time. But his technical address is superb, and Staier participates fully, and with tremendous flair, in the contrapuntal interplay. The flute sonatas (and solo Partita) featuring Hazelet are, in a word, ravishing. Hazelet plays the pied piper, and the listener is coaxed along hypnotically. The lesser-known duo sonatas are expertly dispatched; you will probably never encounter performances that make a better case for these "attributed" works. The three gamba sonatas are given more aptly subdued interpretations, though as ever with these artists there is plenty of rhythmic vitality and textural clarity.

The sound throughout the set is excellent: vividly immediate sense of presence, surrounded by plenty of hall ambience, yet never so much as to cloud even the most dense of polyphonic textures.

Overall, I would rank MAK/Goebel's traversal of the Brandenburgs and Suites very highly indeed;if you're not averse to Bach-with-an-attitude, this could be a first choice for both in the period performance category. The chamber music discs are a must for all Bach "completists," even if better period-instrument versions of the violin sonatas are available (try Caramigliola on Sony)--to say nothing of modern-instrument greats such as Oistrakh and Grumiaux. On the other hand, no finer version of the flute and gamba sonatas exists.

In brief, this is a splendid set, and will afford listening enjoyment for a lifetime.

A music student told me once that some musicians/groups/etc deliberately record obscure works because nobody else does, so it won't matter so much if they've got talent or not because they don't have much 'competition'. Well I was very eager to give this box a shot because at that time I was a huge fan of MAK & also Bach so I thought this would be good. I wasn't disappointed in the least; MAK can REALLY play, no doubt about it!! The fast parts are very precise & clean, and the slow parts have lots of feeling. The ensemble on these discs is almost a 'dream team' of baroque musicians: Goebel, Manfred Kraemer, Jaap ter Linden, Karlheinz Steeb, Phoebe Carrai, Andreas Staier, Wilbert Hazelzet, Florian Deuter... Some might be offended by the comparision but I would say that MAK's recordings (not just this album) have the same magic as a great guitar solo at a rock concert or something. There are some nights where the musicians are really on their game and play with all their heart & soul and every note is perfect. (like Clapton's Crossroads solo or some Van Halen solos) That's what MAK's performances are like to me. Anyway I'll go work by work:

Brandenburg Concertos

Most of these have no real surprises in terms of interpretation, just sharp, precise playing by MAK. The tempo of most of the concertos is almost always faster than every other recording; sometimes it's a little, sometimes a lot. The 3rd movement of the 3rd concerto is usually fast, but in this case it's ridiculously fast even compared to other recordings. lol Somehow the group stays together for the whole movement. Staier's harpsichord solo in concerto 5 is excellent. The 6th concerto is even faster compared with other recordings, making it somewhat 'unconventional' but I love it anyway. I would say that this is probably my favourite set of the Brandenburg concertos. Other good ones are by Il Giardino Armonico, Academie fur Alte Musik and Concerto Italiano.

Orchestral Suites

Again, there aren't a lot of surprises re: the interpretations, just amazing playing by MAK. There are even fewer surprises than with the Brandenburg concertos. The 2nd suite is extra 'sneaky-sounding' and 'devilish' (esp te badinerie) and the air ("on the g string") from suite 3 is slow & relaxing. There's apparently a 5th orchestral suite, in G minor, that is included in this set also; I've never heard of it before nor have I ever seen it on any other recordings. It's a bit like the B minor suite in that it isn't dark or depressing, but it's kind of 'sneaky' sounding. It's hard for me to decide between this recording and English Baroque Soloists' (ie JE Gardiner). You can't go wrong with either of them.

Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord (Goebel/Hill)

I don't know these sonatas nearly as well as the unaccompanied sonatas & partitas but I really like this recording. The Carmignola/Marcon recording makes the music sound difficult & this one makes it sound easy. I also like the recording by Ehnes/Beausejour.

First, Reinhard Goebel had a immense influence on my way to listen to baroque music. In fact, His "schzophrenic" interpretation of the Concertos branbougeois of J.S.B made a earthquake in my head. Since then, I am trying to buy everything he has recorded (a lot of his works are discontinued-and I still don't know why). These concertos are on this box set. M. Ted Libbey, chronicler from Amazon, wrote that this interpretation of the concertos was "laughable ". Does he seriously think that Jaap Ter Linden, Wilbert Hazelzet, Robert Hill and Reinhard Goebel, all very great soloist, are laughable? Let's say we have severe divergences in the way of giving freshness and pure vitality in the interpretation of some "old classics".
This Box set is interesting in general but the main problem is the transition between the orchestral and the chamber mucic. After the climax of the tornado of the concertos (the "triple concerto" is excellent but I want to hear what the "Akademie fur Alte Music of Berlin" did with that recently), you have a (too)severe contrast with the chamber music. It'well done but the sound of the violon and the harpsichord is often irritant. I would have prefer the complete harpsichord concertos to make the transition. I paid about 85$ (canadian)for this box set and, to my own opinion, this price is too high for the quality of the sound recording of the chamber music.

So I would recommend you to listen with great attentivement to the chamber mucic before buying this Box set. Lest's say five stars for the concertos and the orchestral suites and three stars for the chamber music.