Customer Reviews

Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4-6; Orchestral Suite No.4

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love Bach, and I particularly love the Brandeburg Concertos, and I've never heard a recording of them as good as this one. The sound quality is also first rate. Even if you already own a recording of the Brandenburg Concertos you owe it to yourself to buy this one.

J. Sebastian Bach was a very virile, full-blooded man who worked all his life, had two wives, and sired about 20 children. Casals' realizations of Bach's music illustrate Bach's virility and vivacity. Casals conducts the Bach Concerti & Suites as he [Casals] plays the Bach Sonatas: with vim, vigor, and vitality; with rhythm, color, and accent; with dash, esprit, and intellect. In short, these are the very best realizations of the Brandenburgs available--or will ever again be available.

By the way, in these sessions and at rehearsals, Casals conducted sitting down with his cello on which he illustrated the tempi, accents and inflections he wanted for the orchestra, and used his cello bow as a baton. This is as real as it gets!

The soloists are wonderful. The recorded sound is bright and clear. The price is incredibly cheap. What are you waiting for?

This is part of the Brandenburg Concertos series conducted by Pablo Casals and played by the Marlboro Festival Orchestra. It is probably one of the best performances of this suite. The quality of the recording is fine though I expect that if it had been recorded today, it would have been truly outstanding.

I give Pablo Casals' recordings of Bach's BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS the highest marks - 5 stars - for great playing, sensible tempos, soul and passion. Nothing is overdone, and this is a real antidote to the sanitized, prissy performances of these works so popular today, largely by the period instrument crowd.

For my thoughts on Casals' Bach, see my review for ORCHESTRAL SUITES 2 and 3 by Casals/Marlboro Festival Orchestra. The same applies here: highest recommendation.

These recordings were all made at the Marlboro festive in the 1950s. The emphasis at the festival is very much on considered rehearsal and on thinking and talking about the music being played. Only after the performers felt this process to have achieved as much as it was going to is a work performed or recorded. This very much comes through in the recordings here. Every phrase is beautifully played and articulated and the overall impression is of deeply cerebral performances. Serkin's account of the keyboard part in the 5th concerto has incredible poise and lyricism.

Many versions of the Brandenburgs abound,and yet this one has never to my knowledge received the acclaim it deserves. A wonderful mix of power and grace, it doubtless deserves a listen.

I don't know how much more of an enjoyable recording could be made of these classics. Finally on CD after over 35 years. Compare it to the other highly regarded versions of the Brandenburgs, and you'll be asking yourself, "Where have these been ?" Check them out.

Forget about Harnoncourt, Herreveghe, Norrington etc. The Casals recordings are more authentic than any of the recent versions. You don't know your Bach if you haven't listened to these perfomances, conducted by the maybe greatest musicien of the 20th century, Pau Casals.

The speed of delivery was fine, the product was just fine, and I am satisfied indeed.