Customer Reviews

Brandenburg Concertos/Freiburger Barockorchester

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unlike Karl Richter's recent DGG DVD Brandenburg Concertos, which are a hybrid mixture of old and new, these Brandenburgs are the latest generation period-style performances. They were filmed at the Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Cothen, 23-26 March 2000. Bach served as Music Director (Kapellmeister) at the court of the Prince of Anhalt-Cothen from 1717-1723. He wrote the Brandenburgs between 1717-1721: dedicating them to the Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg. They were probably performed in this very Hall of Mirrors, giving this DVD a nice touch of historical continuity. The Palace is beautiful, the sound reverberant and well-focussed. This was an inspired choice for filming these concertos. No matter how often I listen to the Brandenburgs, there is always some new discovery to be made, some fresh insight into Bach's genius to be gained.

These are superb performances: fresh and fleet, filled with poetry yet hard-edged and crystalline in their purity of sound. The recording is so clear that even the innermost voices leap out at you if you focus your attention on them. The Freiburger Barockorchester wear their polyphony lightly, concentrating on Bach's amazing melodic gifts and his lyrical rather than his analytic side. Bach absorbed all of 18th Century Western European music, including Opera. The Freiburger Barockorchester, from all appearances a 3rd generation period instruments ensemble, are not afraid to approach some of the concertos with the arioso quality of opera while giving others a propulsiveness that is very close to "swing" in its rhythmic drive. All of the musicians are excellent. Friedemann Immer, who plays the fiendishly difficult high trumpet part in the 2nd Brandenburg, must be singled out for praise. These are wonderful performances of some of the finest instrumental music ever composed.

The picture format is NTSC filmed in true 16:9 anamorphic widescreen. The picture is crystal clear. Sound formats are PCM stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Both formats are clear and lifelike with the Dolby Digital 5.1 providing a wider and deeper soundfield with nice ambiance from the rear speakers. It makes it slightly easier to hear Bach's stunning polyphony. The Region Code is 0 worldwide. The disc format is DVD 9. There are the usual menus in the usual translated languages. Several very cute, very inventive short films are available as extras that are well worth seeing. Bonuses total 14 minutes. The concertos total 95 minutes.

Superb, fresh performances on period instruments of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos filmed in the Palace they were first performed. Strongly recommended.

Mike Birman

These recordings of the Brandenburg concertos are simply superb. This is a recording of the Freiburger Barockorchester playing original instruments in the Spiegelsaal of the Palace of Cothen, a place where Johann Sebastian Bach likely arranged the performance of these same pieces while he was living there (1717-1723). Bach went to Cothen from Weimar. Prince Leopold, head of the principality of Anhalt-Cothen, had arranged to have his mother, Princess Gisela Agnes (He was still underage!), obtain the services of eight virtuoso musicians from the Prussian court orchestra when it was disbanded by Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia. Bach inherited a virtuoso group of 16 players. In this recording of the first Brandenburg concerto, there are 18 performers. The sound is probably close to what Bach heard when he conducted his orchestra. Yes, this is likely where they were performed after Bach had composed them.

Cothen appears in this DVD as a beautiful place. It was clearly a place of great importance to Johann Sebatian Bach. The only child born to Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach in Cothen, Leopold Augustus, was born in 1718 and died before his first birthday. The couple had had twins die shortly after birth in 1713. In July,1720, while Johann Sebastian Bach accompanied Prince Leopold to Carlsbad for a second trip, Maria Barbara died and was buried before he and the prince returned.

Anna Magdalena Wilcke was an outstanding singer in Cothen and had gained the prestigious title of chamber musician in mid-June 1721. Johann Sebastian Bach made acquaintance with her family in August, 1721. Anna Magdalena, then 20 years old, and Johann Sebastian were married on December 3, 1721. A little more than a year later, the family moved the forty miles to Leipzig, where Johann Sebastian took up the position of Cantor of the Thomaskirche. Bach retained his position in Cothen and returned for New Year and birthday festivities.

In Cothen, Prince Leopold had married the 19 year old Frederica Henrietta, princess of Anhalt-Bernburg, on December 11, 1721. Bach felt that the prince was less interested in music after his marriage. Bach still returned to Cothen at least once a year. The New Years festivities of 1728 was his last. Prince Leopold died on November 19, 1728.

Johann Sebastian Bach's greatest outpouring of instrumental music was in Cothen. The Brandenburg concertos stand among the best and most well-known. They are performed impeccably by the Freiburger Barockorchester.

It is delightful to see as well as hear the separation of voices in Bach's counterpoint. Although Freiburg is not exactly "in the neighborhood", they perform Bach as if they are members of the home-town musicians in Cothen. It is difficult to imagine a performance superior to this one. The recording as well as the camera work is done with great skill and understanding.

Euroarts scores more high marks with this release of youthfully joyful performances of Bach's six evergreen concertos for the Margrave of Brandenburg played by the young virtuosos of the Freiburger Barockorchester. The verve and panache of this ensemble remind us that these pieces are intended to entertain as well as to uplift, and the obvious camaraderie and delight of the musicians is a reminder that this music was written to be played by friends who love to play together. The fact that this is all great music of the highest order reminds us that Bach was a consummate professional who loved to make music in a friendly environment and that he just happened to be one of the greatest composers. The Freiburgers clearly know all this, and they present performances which can stand with the best currently available on CD and DVD, such as those of Pinnock on DG. Their playing is light and rhythmically incisive as well as warm and touching. The art of period instruments has entered a level of perfection of playing that musicians are today fully able to concentrate on the music itself,and not just on the playing of the instruments. The Freiburgers are clearly at the top of period ensembles today and clearly at the top of interperters of Bach's timeless scores. Each of these concertos is scored for a different group of instruments, and the visual element of a DVD makes it clear that this is obviously an important aspect of these works. Each piece displays a different sound, which creates variety in the whole group of six works. Euroarts has presented this release in both superb picture quality as well as in superior sound. This disc belongs in the collection of all music lovers, especially those who want their children to see and hear how this glorious music should be done.

This is a great DVD on Bach's 6 Brandenburg Concerti; all the musicians of the Freiburger Baroque Orchestra were not only engaged but also immersed intensely in the music when they were playing. Unlike other chamber orchestras, this orchestra used the old instruments of the Baroque Period, the French horns for Concerto No. 1 and the trumpet for No. 2. Above all, there were 3 viola da gamba (each of which has 6 tuning knobs for the 6 frets; the players hold their bows like those playing double bass). Bach let the oboe, bassoon, and French horn players shine in Concerto No.1; oboe, recorder, and trumpet players in No.2; the 2 recorder players in No.4, the harpsichordist and the flutist in No.5. But, wait, unlike Concerto No.3, Concerto No. 6 did not need any violinist; the violas took the major role for a change. Indeed, Bach was such an "equal-opportunity" composer; he even let the harpsichordist played solo for several minutes in No.5; let him get out of the routine of doing only accompaniment. The members of Freiburger Baroque Orchestra had good eye contacts with the leading violinist and performed in a very coordinated fashion (I disagree w/ someone's comment about not having a conductor; there is no need for such). Furthermore, the members of this orchestra exuded their virtuosity. If one loves JS Bach's work, he or she should get this DVD. If one loves classical music but does not care much about Bach's work, this DVD may very well change his or her mind. Finally, I appreciate and thank Bach for his beautiful composition, Freiburger Baroque Orchestra for their unparalleled performance, and Amazon for their prompt delivery of this DVD several days before the estimated day of delivery (Like the harpsichordist w/ his glasses and beard- in Concerti No. 1,2,3,4,6 I am beaming every time when I watch and listen to his orchestra perform)!

Brandenburg Concertos/Freiburger BarockorchesterWhen the first concerto began I was apprehensive: all the musicians' pale faces looked so serious. No hint of even a faint smile. But gradually they loosened up, and by the sixth concerto they were dancing to the music!
The period instruments are fascinating: the strings were easily recognizable, but the brass and woodwinds looked like something from a Bruegel painting. It is great to hear the concertos as they were performed in the early 18th century.
The photography is fine. In the latter part of the the concert the cameraman began to take advantage of the mirrored wall. The exterior views of Coethen Palace are much too brief: I would have liked an extensive view of the grounds between concertos.
Don't miss the bonus clips. The Euroarts guys really do have a sense of humor!

I agree with all of the above- a beautifully photographed, recorded and presented Brandenburg. This is the closest you will ever get to actually being there at a concert. Excellent in every way.

I have the Brandemburg concertos in CD and I must confess I had not paid much attention on them. Now, watching the video I could really appreciate them. It is an amazing experience watch the music being performed: the full body of the musicians acting in response to Bach.
This DVD is a good opportunity to learn how to love Bach music

....this is SO gorgeous!

I have reveled in the Brandenburgs for decades, but never had I heard -- much less SEEN -- such a performance! Absolutely marvelous!

I am still battling with my new Yamaha DVD-C950 -- it's more persnickety than any of my ex-wives -- but I put on this disc and I was transformed! It is just total delight -- as well as making me much more aware of the potential of DVD Audio.

Good:
- Production (video, etc.)
- Curious "extra" pieces (in addition to the usual trailers; for example Sarabanda from Bach's gamba suite played by someone Hille Perl on a gamba not cello as usual these days; this is quite nice).
- Period instruments (I like the sound).

Not so good:

- No conductor. If you're one of those guys wondering what a conductor does to justify his salary, watch this video to understand. These guys repeatedly come apart and only gather up again at the final cadence where the leader of the band (on violin himself) uses exaggerated body language to get at least the final V-I two chords together. This is _especially_ grating in baroque music, where, due to polyphony, metric crispness is paramount; if it's not there, you end up with a mighty lump of mush with squawking oboes on top of it. It's not only the Freiburgers: I've found that conductor-less performances are rarely good in general.

- Something's wrong with recording: on several occasions soloing instruments do not stand out -- for example, in the very first concerto, the one with this "piccolo" violin soloing, you can barely hear this violin; sometimes it disappears altogether. Or perhaps it's, once more, the lack of conductor to maintain balance; I'm not sure.

- Finally, I didn't like the tempos: they're too uniform. A tempo should feel right in relation to surrounding tempos. Here a good example is, again, in the first concerto, going into the menuet. A good performance will give you a sense of a total "change of scenery" as it were, a deep sigh, a sense of something different. The way they play it here, it doesn't feel like much of a change; it's more like they play a different theme/tune upon the same or closely related metrical foundation. Sounds mechanical.

Bottom line: This is not a bad record by any means, but it's not outstanding either; do watch it, but then check out a (very old) version of the Brandenburg concertos conducted by Richter. The Richter band is much larger and they don't play period instruments, but everything else is much better, so take a look how it should be done. Richter was very, very good -- and there's more videos you could watch to witness that, for example St John's Passion: there's a version with Richter conducting, and another one, a Japanese performance, I forget the title, but it's only one so you'll find it. Both are good, but see if you notice how superior the Richter version is due to Richter's conducting, notice how un-mechanical it is. As far as the Brandenburgs, there's yet another version on video that is worth watching, contrasting, and comparing, and that is the one under Abbado (from 2007? something like that).

Iow, this video isn't bad, so by all means get it -- just make sure it's not the only one you've seen (and it probably shouldn't be the first). Three and a half stars. And of course, if you don't care for video, then you have a gigantic selection to pick from: Brandenburgs are quite popular. Just to pick a few: Alessandrini (2005?) is good, English Chamber Orchestra under Britten is good (non-period though); Pinnock (period everything) is good (always). There's a curious record where the concertos were hacked-up by Thurston Dart -- with parts moved around, dropped and replaced (e.g. he added a middle part to the third concerto), and with changed instrumentation; not too convincing if you ask me, but curious nevertheless.

05/26/2011: in response to Xi Zhu, who commented: "[...] what do you think about Penguin Guide and Gramophone Guide? The former rates this recording with 4 stars(*), while there are so many drawbacks." Xi Zhu, I don't know, I haven't read these guides. Maybe I should, and I've been planning to get them, but I haven't so far -- so this is my most direct personal impressions, unaffected by anyone's opinion. Btw, my 3.5 stars isn't so far from their four... And also: tastes differ (other than, of course, things like coming apart and monotonous tempos -- which are objective). Try yourself (rent first) and see what you think. And post your thoughts too!