Johan Sebastian Bach - Brandenburg Concertos (BWV 1046-1051) - Florilegium - Channel Classics CCS SA 35914 (2014) Johan Sebastian Bach | Brandenburg Concertos (BWV 1046-1051) | Florilegium | 2xSACD-rip via Cambridge Audio to iso (5.24 GB) | DR13 | Mch & 2ch Hybrid | PDF | Classical Rich, vibrant sonorities, sensible tempos, exacting ensemble playing, sublime solo performances, and an overall sense of these six works as the uniquely entertaining pieces that Bach intended enters this recent production from Florilegium and Channel Classics into the ranks of reference recordings of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. From the very beginning–Florilegium presents the concertos in reverse numerical order–we’re drawn in and carried along in the smoothly undulating, flowing stream of sound, by the warm resonance of the low, violin-less string timbres, and from there to No. 5’s ingeniously scored tour de force, where the harpsichord famously hogs most of the spotlight from its flute and violin solo partners, and, on Disc 1, concluding with the warm, woody resonance of the pair of recorders and their violin accomplice in No. 4. On Disc 2 we can revel in the gritty, gutsy string sound and sharp articulation in No. 3 (concluding with another of those “look how fast I can play” Allegros), a scintillating trumpet in No. 2, and a rousing party of oboes, horns, bassoon, and piccolo violin in No. 1. Florilegium, whose discography includes lots of Telemann, Bach, and Vivaldi, knows baroque style and the manner and technique of period instruments. One note to prospective listeners: the sonic perspective here is close and balances tend to favor the solo instruments, except for the harpsichord in No. 5, in my book a bit too recessed, given its prominent role; whether this is an issue is a matter of personal taste, but you can’t deny the feeling that you’re right in the middle of these performances that faithfully capture the natural sound of an 18th-century instrumental ensemble and give a freshly polished, well-considered take on these beloved masterpieces. Highly recommended. Artistic quality 10 Sound quality 10 classicstoday.com The stature of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos allows them to tolerate innumerable interpretative approaches. Florilegium takes a modern stance – one-to-a-part ‘period’ instruments at ‘Baroque’ pitch. Technically they’re superb: there’s immaculate intonation in pairs of unison strings; flawless stratospheric horns (No. 1) and trumpet (No. 2); lightning-fast violin and harpsichord demisemiquavers (Nos 4 and 5). They’re characterful too: natural horns (No. 1) retain their outdoor personality; violas languish in reflective suspensions (No. 6); violin and recorders sigh chromatically (No. 4); stable tempos propel through fast movements. Recording balance is generally good, though not all the problems – matching trumpet with recorder and violin (No. 2), drawing solo harpsichord out of the surrounding strings (No. 5) – are fully solved. One-to-a-part ripieno instruments impart a charming clarity to textures, and I’ve seldom heard three cellos so elegantly transparent in their angular leaping unison of No. 3’s first movement. But Florilegium’s lean forces reduce the natural dramatic contrasts between solo and tutti. Bach’s manuscript contains dynamics numerous enough to imply subsequent patterns of loud/quiet, and modern editors fill in the gaps. Florilegium could make more of them. The drama falters too in the constant expressive pauses in the harpsichord cadenza (No. 5). Still, this gentle Brandenburgs is played with charming intimacy. Performance **** Recording **** classical-music.com DISC 1 Bach Brandenburg no. 6 17:02 1. Allegro Bach 06:10 2. Adagio ma non troppo Bach 04:53 3. Allegro Bach 05:58 Bach Brandenburg no. 5 21:04 4. Allegro Bach 09:56 5. Afferttuoso Bach 05:43 6. Allegro Bach 05:24 Bach Brandenburg no. 4 14:55 7. Allegro Bach 06:41 8. Andante Bach 03:36 9. Presto Bach 04:37 Playing time: 53:10 DISC 2 Bach Brandenburg no. 3 10:29 10. Allegro, Adagio Bach 05:53 11. Adagio Bach 04:35 Bach Brandenburg no. 2 11:11 12. Allegro Bach 04:46 13. Andante Bach 03:35 14. Allegro assai Bach 02:49 Bach Brandenburg no. 1 19:03 15. Allegro Bach 04:06 16. Adagio Bach 03:29 17. Allegro Bach 04:17 18. Menuet - trios Bach 07:10 Playing time: 40:52 Total playing time: 93:02 Technical specifications: Recording Software: Pyramix Recording Type: Bitrate DSD64 Recording Location: Crystal Palace London England Recording Engineer: Jared Sacks Producer: Jared Sacks, Ashley Solomon Mixing Board: Rens Heijnis custom made Microphones: Bruel & Kjaer, Schoeps Mastering Equipment: B&W 803 diamond series Mastering Engineer: Jared Sacks Digital Converters: Grimm AD Cables: van den Hul Musicians: Violin Bojan Cicic: Ruggieri, Cremona, c.1680 (kindly loaned by Jumpstart Junior Foundation), Piccolo violin by Kai Thomas Roth, 2008 (lent for this recording by Catherine Manson) Persephone Gibbs: Amati, Cremona, c.1680 Colin Scobie: Jan Pawlikowski, 2006, after Stradivarius Viola Jane Rogers: Jan Pawlikowski, 2006, after Amati (lent for this recording by Jordan Bowron) Bojan Cicic: (Brandenburg No. 6) Patrick Robin, 2012 Elizabeth Gex: David Bagué i Soler, 2001, after Storioni Malgorzata Ziemkiewicz: Jan Pawlikowski, 2007, after Amati Viola da gamba Reiko Ichise: David Rubio, 1986, after Barbey Imogen Seth Smith: Jane Julier, 1996, after Bertrand Cello Jennifer Morsches: Anonymous, Italian Tyrol, c.1720 Imogen Seth Smith: Anonymous, early 18th century Henrik Persson: Hermann Bächle, 1985 Bass Carina Cosgrave: Anonymous, c.1870, conversion by Bryan Maynard Flute Ashley Solomon: Martin Wenner, 2005, after Palanca Recorder Ashley Solomon: Ralf Ehlert, 2006, after Stanesby Elspeth Robertson: Martin Wenner, 2013, after Stanesby Oboe Alexandra Bellamy: Toshi Hasegawa, 2000, after Denner Hannah McLaughlin: Paul Hailperin, 1999, after Paulhahn Joel Raymond: Joel Raymond, 2010, after Stanesby Bassoon Zoe Shevlin: Matthew Dart, 1995, after Denner Horn Gavin Edwards: Tony Halstead & John Webb, 1989, after Leichsteinschneider David Bentley: Tony Halstead & John Webb, 1989, after Leichsteinschneider Trumpet Richard Fomison: Matthew Parker, 1990, after Ehe Harpsichord Terence Charlston: Two-manual harpsichord by Colin Booth, 2010, after Fleischer. Prepared by Edmund Pickering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oArO7QJgfE checksums: cc7a2f0b75fe9a0cd53b5177b12eb4fd *Florilegium - Brandenburg Concertos cd1.iso 963d157e6db3f75592b669415e5a6349 *Florilegium - Brandenburg Concertos cd2.iso