Bach Brandenburg Concertos
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Johann Sebastian Bach
Label: Astrée
Magazine Review Date: 2/1992
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 97
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: E8737
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (6) Brandenburg Concertos |
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
(La) Capella Reial Instrumental Ensemble (Le) Concert des Nations Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer Jordi Savall, Conductor |
Author: Nicholas Anderson
When I wrote about Jordi Savall's recording of Bach's Orchestral Suites I noted that although the performances were not without their rough edges I nevertheless found myself deriving plenty of enjoyment from them. This applies equally to his new recording of the six Brandenburg Concertos in which, as before Savall's chamber ensemble Le Concert des Nations joins with the forces of La Capella Reial de Catalunya. Savall himself is best known as a stylish, often passionate viola da gamba player; these are qualities he brings to his direction, too with performances that are effectively phrased, rhythmically lively and which savour the uniquely varied colours of Bach's tonal palette. Where I am less happy, though, is in Savall's overall command of his forces which sound at times not wholly under control. Ensemble, as I implied in my opening sentence, is not always all that it should be and tuning is variable but, as he does in the Suites Savall brings this music to life in an infectious way with readings that are full of character and pulsating with life.
In the opening movement of the Concerto No. I in F major Savall adopts what seems to me an ideal tempo and throughout the work a pleasing balance between wind and strings. Fabio Biondi, a violinist whom I have admired in other contexts, above all for hisesprit, is not entirely at home with Bach's violino piccolo; nor is the pitching of notes in other departments, especially that of the string continuo, always spot on. But this Concerto comes over well in Savall's almost larger than life approach. Friedemann Immer, yet again, is the trumpet soloist in the Concerto No. 2, also in F major. He is on stronger form than I have previously heard him yet he still chooses completely to ignore Bach's ornamentation, clearly marked in the autograph fair copy, in the first and third bars of the finale. It may seem trivial but musically speaking it is not, especially when the other members of the concertino observe such ornaments where they occur. I also found a rhythmic instability in the lyrical slow movement, stemming from the slightly too emphatic cello continuo line. Concerto No. 3 in G major is treated in a lively manner with an internally well-balanced ensemble. The cadential chords which separate the two allegros provide, in this instance, a cue for a brief passage of harpsichord improvisation deriving from material in the opening movement.
The concertino group in the Concerto No. 4 in G major consists of a violin and two treble recorders. Fabio Biondi is much more secure here than he was in the First Concerto giving a detailed and gracefully shaped performance. I liked the lightly articulated playing of the recorders, too, as I did Savall's ever so slight rhythmicinegales in the Andante middle movement. In the Concerto No. 5 in D major, flute, violin and harpsichord comprise the concertino and in this version it is in the hands of three technically able and musically sensitive musicians: Marc Hantai (flute), Fabio Biondi and Pierre Hantai (harpsichord). My chief criticism here lies not in any aspect of interpretation but in the slightly unequal balance afforded the flute and the violin in the outer movements the latter is prominent at some cost to the other and I felt this, though to a lesser extent, in the Fourth Concerto, too. Otherwise this is a satisfying performance with beautifully poised playing by the trio in the Affettuoso. Savall favours a surprisingly leisurely tempo for the opening movement of the Concerto No. 6 in B flat. I prefer it to Reinhard Goebel's break-neck pace on Archiv Produktion—he cuts two and a half minutes off the time taken by Savall! But, as I have said on many previous occasions, only Nikolaus Harnoncourt has, to my ears, hit on an ideal tempo in the earlier of his two Brandenburg recordings (Teldec 3/67—nla). Savall's performance furthermore suffers from variable tuning and, in the Adagio ma non tanto a hint of rhythmic instability.
For freshness of approach and vitality this new set takes its place among the present leaders in the period-instrument field, yet I cannot recommend it without a qualification since I was aware on too many occasions of poor tuning and rough ensemble. In a word, the set lacks finesse. Yet the strongest features here make me warmly disposed towards it and I shall want to hear Concertos Nos. 1, 4 and 5, in particular, on many subsequent occasions. There is no lack of character in these interpretations and I applaud them, above all else perhaps for that. Clear recorded sound and documentation in five languages.'
In the opening movement of the Concerto No. I in F major Savall adopts what seems to me an ideal tempo and throughout the work a pleasing balance between wind and strings. Fabio Biondi, a violinist whom I have admired in other contexts, above all for his
The concertino group in the Concerto No. 4 in G major consists of a violin and two treble recorders. Fabio Biondi is much more secure here than he was in the First Concerto giving a detailed and gracefully shaped performance. I liked the lightly articulated playing of the recorders, too, as I did Savall's ever so slight rhythmic
For freshness of approach and vitality this new set takes its place among the present leaders in the period-instrument field, yet I cannot recommend it without a qualification since I was aware on too many occasions of poor tuning and rough ensemble. In a word, the set lacks finesse. Yet the strongest features here make me warmly disposed towards it and I shall want to hear Concertos Nos. 1, 4 and 5, in particular, on many subsequent occasions. There is no lack of character in these interpretations and I applaud them, above all else perhaps for that. Clear recorded sound and documentation in five languages.'
Bach Brandenburg Concertos
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