The Sunday Times

Bach Brandenburg Concertos - The Sunday Times (24 Nov 2009)

SDG707
***** [5 stars]

The Brandenburgs are a surprising gap in the discography of so dedicated a Bachian as John Eliot Gardiner. Even now, he hasn’t really filled it. His name graces the cover of his label’s lavishly presented discs, but he takes a back seat to the principal violinist and soloist, Kati Debretzeni, relegating his own role to that of adviser, second pair of ears and booklet annotator – his essays are always a pleasure to read, scholarly and passionate. At last year’s Spitalfields winter festival, he programmed the concertos in six concerts, as “interludes” between the Bach motets and the cantatas of the Christmas Oratorio. All were recorded live at the Cité de la Musique, Paris, in January, except No 5, at the Cadogan Hall in April. Gardiner sees Bach’s unique set of concerti grossi (grand concertos) as chamber works, with only Nos 1 – scored for three oboes, two horns, bassoon and strings – and 2 – with violin, recorder, oboe, recorder and clarion (high trumpet) solos – considering large-scale works. Even with this hands-off approach, however, Gardiner’s Bachian zeal hovers over the performances: these are refreshingly unmannered accounts, brilliantly played. Neil Brough’s clarion, in the exposed solos of the F major’s outer movement, amazingly matches the delicacy of the recorder, oboe and violin, never drowning them out. The Fourth – for violin and two recorders – and Fifth – with solo violin, flute and harpsichord – have rarely sounded more intimate, while the all-string concertos, the Third and the violinless Sixth, tingle with the spirit of baroque dance.

HC