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Review
When a new recording of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos lands on the doormat to review, it’s hard to know whether to be excited at the prospect of a new look at this famous and much-recorded work, or to scream for mercy. Can any new recording of them be fresh and rightly different enough in order to justify itself, especially given that the market is also flooded with premiere recordings ranging from early music to the newly written?
Perhaps yes on this occasion, for whilst every other Tom, Dick and Harry of the music world seems to have recorded the Brandenburgs, Gardiner has not, and without additional sells such as new scholarly insights on pitch or instrumentation, this disc stands up on its own quite simply as a smashing performance that has evidently been recorded for sheer delight in the music.
Despite Gardiner’s name appearing as prominently as usual alongside that of the English Baroque Soloists, the small instrumental forces required have actually rendered him redundant as a director on this occasion. Nevertheless, his musical stamp is all over the recording in his role as facilitator, encourager, and consultant as to how the concertos should be interpreted and balanced. Gardiner’s programme notes urge us to never forget that, “for all its ingenuity, elegance and craft, this is essentially dance music”. No doubt thanks to this approach, the concertos do carry additional sparkle to usual. You can always count on Gardiner to set a nippy pace, and there’s no change here: rhythm and forward momentum are the names of the game.
In terms of attack, the faster movements bounce happily along with notes held just long enough to sound lilting rather than choppy, whilst the expansive legato lines of the slower movements are enjoyed for all they’re worth. The ensemble playing is a model of cohesive teamwork, but the players also shine as individuals in the many virtuoso solo passages peppered throughout the set, bringing excitement to some ear-poppingly difficult writing without ever losing the line of musical thought. What more could anyone ask for? --Charlotte Gardner
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Review
These are the most electrifying Brandenburg Concertos to hit the market in a long while --The Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
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.
Arise, go forth, and buy. You won't be disappointed.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
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 tempo for the allegro 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 tempo,perhaps 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.Concerto 3 to 6 are all played very skillfully too.
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 rather 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 well recorded,if a little dry.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 try the English Concert/Trevor Pinnock or the New London Consort/Philip Pickett but if fast pacing and vitality are your thing then go for Gardiner.
N.B. New notes added 5th June 2010.- After 8 months i have returned to give this recording another listen.I'm still amazed at the playing of the brass players in particular and feel that it deserves 5 stars because of this but i also still feel that the tempi in the allegros of concerto's 1 and 2 in particular are uncomfortably brisk.
The results on initial hearing are staggering.Gardiner sets brisk tempo for the allegro 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 tempo,perhaps 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.Concerto 3 to 6 are all played very skillfully too.
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 rather 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 well recorded,if a little dry.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 try the English Concert/Trevor Pinnock or the New London Consort/Philip Pickett but if fast pacing and vitality are your thing then go for Gardiner.
N.B. New notes added 5th June 2010.- After 8 months i have returned to give this recording another listen.I'm still amazed at the playing of the brass players in particular and feel that it deserves 5 stars because of this but i also still feel that the tempi in the allegros of concerto's 1 and 2 in particular are uncomfortably brisk.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
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 musicians 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.
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
happy customer !
The approach taken by John Eliot Gardiner,and the musicianship of the English Baroque Soloists, have produced a memorable performance. I am very pleased with my purchase.
Published 15 months ago by A. Sadler
Stunning
I'd read a number of reviews about this disc, all but one were very favourable. I confess I'mm totally ignorant when it comes to 'classical' music but I am familar with these... Read more
Published 18 months ago by B Carter
Good, but ...
I have some sympathy with the reviewer who compared this version unfavourably with Britten's recording with the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO). Read more
Published 24 months ago by Bollard
"Arise, go forth, and buy. You won't be disappointed." Or Will you?
MMMMMMMphhhhhhhhhhhh
This baroque rendition does very little for me. I looked forward to listening this piece after a number of very good reviews. Read more
This baroque rendition does very little for me. I looked forward to listening this piece after a number of very good reviews. Read more
Published on 17 Nov 2009 by oldfartatplay
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