Search - Johann Sebastian Bach :: J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1 - 6 [European Import]

It has the oboe d'amore concerto!

06/27/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In addition to the Brandenburgs, which are ubiquitous, this CD contains a concerto for oboe d'amore, which although better known as a harpsichord concerto (BWV 1055), is 'official' enough of a reconstruction to appear in the Neue Bach Ausgabe. In my humble opinion, oboe d'amore is the most beautiful instrument in western music, and the CD is worth buying for that piece alone. Also contained on the CD is a version of the BWV 1060 double-harpsichord concerto arranged here for violin and oboe solo. The Brandenburgs are presented in the full-sounding, classical manner that was prevalent before the 'early music' crowd came into power, and for this reason, Richter's recording is refreshing even when compared with the best of the modern recordings. (The Brandenburgs here were recorded in 1968.) Richter is a genius of Bach interpretation - if you doubt it, hear his cantata recordings! He saves the big harpsichord solo in #5 for himself, and also plays in #6. Aurele Nicolet on flute (#5), is a genius Bach interpreter - check his recordings of the flute sonatas. Manfred Clement is a wonderful oboist (#1, #2, and the d'amore concerto, but not the 1060 concerto, credited to Edgar Shann and Otto Buechner). Hans-Martin Linde is a wonderful recorder player (#2, #4). And a special surprise is the addition of a short, improvised, wonderfully stylish middle movement to #3, credited to Hedwig Bilgram, harpsichord. Actually, the quality of the recordings are quite satisfactory, but even if an audiophile were to disagree, who cares when you have such wonderful playing!"

"Bravo!"

08/28/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I recently attended a "live" (no pun intended), but frustrating performance by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center of the Brandenburg Concertos whose rearrangement (Nos. 5,1,2,6,4,3) added little to the quality of the performance. Avery Fisher Hall is far too large for these works, so I after perusing the reviews, I decided to purchase the Richter recording. After listening, I can honestly say that no amount of clever rearranging or DDD engineering will ever compare to Richter's 1968, Archiv (ADD) recording. The musicians alone, including Richter himself, are virtuoso; the orchestration is brilliant, and the Vivaldi/Bach influence and enthusiasm is clearly present. Don't miss this jewel!"

Out of this world

Murray Pura | waterton-glacier international peace park, Alberta | 11/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Literally out of this world. It was Richter's take on Concerto Number 2 here that was placed on Voyager's Golden Record and hurled into outer space, hopefully to be found by extra-terrestrials, and seen (heard) as an example of the best the human race has to offer. Quite an honour. If you watched the X Files series you heard Richter-Bach's Number 2 on the first show of Season 2 - Little Green Men. If you can recall that episode you may also recall how jubilant and full of glory that Brandenburg was. Well, this whole record is like that, full of juice, full of joy, full of sound. No valveless trumpets blatting here, no thin strings. Rich and complete - nothing else like it out there anymore (though Marriner is good). It'll be out in space long after you and I are dead and gone - it will take Voyager about 40,000 years to reach the nearest star (and near means 1.7 light years in distance) - unless it's intercepted first, of course. In which case the first thing ET will hear is not a speech, not a greeting, not rock and roll - the first thing ET will hear is Richter's wonderful version of the Brandenburg Concert Number 2 by Bach. Pretty cool. There is indeed something ageless about that."