Customer Reviews

Johann Sebastian Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos No. 5-6, BWV 1050-1051 & Triple Concerto BMV 1044

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

 

 

This review is of the multi-channel SACD layer listened to in 5.1 surround sound.

The Performances
The performance of Bach's Brandenburg concertos with I Barocchisti directed by Diego Fasolis is by far the best performance I've ever heard on original instruments and I've heard all of the following:

English Chamber - Raymond Leppard
The English Concert - Trevor Pinnock
Musica Antiqua Koln - Reinhard Goebel
La Petite Bande - Sigiswald Kuijken
Concentus Musicus - Nikolaus Harnoncourt (both the early analog recording and the newer digital recording)
Leonhardt Consort - Gustav Leonhardt
The Academy of Ancient Music - Christopher Hogwood
Le Concert Des Nations - Jordi Savall

Good as these groups are, none of them quite capture Bach's Brandenburgs with as much passion as I Barocchisti infuses into these performances. I Barocchisti's dramatic arches, inflections and phrasing are new and extraordinarily right on, making the Brandenburgs even more exciting and joyful. The melodic lines are extremely well etched. The Triple Concerto is no less a joy than the Brandenburgs. I don't want to give you any more detail so you can discover the many joys yourself. One gets a sense of PURE JOY in these performances, the essence of Bach!

The Recording
The original instruments sound so gorgeous in this 5.1 SACD (an original 5.1 channel 24-bit 96kHz recording converted to DSD for the SACD format) it was truly like having them in my room with me. The details of the performance and the earthy textures of the original instruments (especially the viola da gambas in No. 6) made for an experience I'll never forget. The engineers have captured the reverberation and ambience of the medium size recording venue, the Auditorium RSI, Lugano Switzerland, beautifully!

I am surprised this recording has not garnered more attention--it is simply fantastic. Though I wouldn't necessarily recommend this as a first recording (go for Pinnock/English Concert or Pearlman/Boston Baroque), those of you that have multiple versions of the Brandenburgs should definitely give this one a try. The tempos are lively, the balance is superb, and there is an aspect of cohesiveness in each concerto that is rarely found in other recordings. I Barocchisti plays with the same creativity and musicianship one would associate with any leading Italian period instrument ensemble. Especially for those that enjoy the recent recording by Alessandrini/Concerto Italiano, or Antonini/Il Giardino Armonico, this set is a must!

This completes Fasolis' set of these evergreen concertos in state of the art sound. The interpretive virtues of concertos 1-4 on the companion volume impressed me for the quality of the playing, interesting interpretive choices, and great sound. They carry over to this disc. Fasolis' playing of the harpsichord part in No. 5 is very fine indeed. The silvery sound of the gambas in No. 6 is well captured by the engineers.

The Triple Concerto is an interesting bonus. It has the same concertino combination as Brandenburg No. 5. The outer movements are a transcription for soloists and orchestra of BWV 894, composed for solo keyboard. The central movement is a transription of the slow movement of the D Minor Trio Sonata for organ. J. S. Bach was probably not the transcriber, however. More likely, it is the work of sons W. F. or C. P. E. Bach. Use of pizzacato in the orchestral strings, for example, being more typical of the later generation. Regardless, it is a worthwhile companion to the main events.

As is the case for the first volume, this set doesn't displace longtime favorites Pinnock, Leonhardt, and the Berlin Akademie for period performances. For SACD, I prefer this set to Somary on Vanguard, which appears to be out of print.

Badly translated notes are a blemish, sounding like a computer translation of the German. Here's a quote from the notes on No. 5: "The last movement is an Allegro fugue, whose reverie-like, gigue reminding theme is commonly carried by both, the solo instruments as well as the orchestra." Syntax aside, reverie is not what I would associate with a gigue. Given the volumes of material available on the music, poor notes should not deter purchase of this set.

What a pleasure to have such excellent performances receive the SACD treatment. Regarding the SACD layer: the recording quality is absolutely astonishing on this DSD recording, with instruments naturally spaced in the sound field and all of Bach's contrapuntal mastery in plain view and in greater detail than I have ever heard on disc. This disc, coupled with the Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-4 SACD, completes the cycle for I Barocchisti/Fasolis. The ensemble plays these well-worn works with a certain zest - the strings in particular - and the results are nothing short of fantastic. This approach serves to underscore the complex counterpoint present throughout these works, though never to the point of insulting the listener with overemphasis. Tempi are fast but never foolishly so; in fact for the most part I find Fasolis' tempo choices to be well-nigh ideal. Fasolis also proves himself to be a more than able harpsichord player, as heard during the virtuoso display at the end of Concerto No. 5's opening movement. The solo violin work is also exceptional.
There is a certain air about the recording - a sense of space, if you will - that really makes one feel as though they are attending a live performance. Considering that this is the intent of multichannel recordings, in particular classical multichannel recordings, to say that the Arts Label succeeded with this release would be a gross understatement. Even if you don't have an SACD player, you won't be disappointed. The stereo CD layer also sounds very good and one may have trouble finding a better sounding alternative.
Overall I am extremely pleased with this disc. It will not displace my treasured English Concert/Pinnock performances, or those of Concentus Musicus Wien/Harnoncourt as my all-time favorites, but it has certainly earned itself significant playing time based on the virtues of the performances and irreproachable sound quality. I now wait anxiously for the same ensembles' Bach: Suites Nos. 1-4 and Bach: Harpsichord Concertos to arrive.