Los Concertos Brandebourgeois

On this CD:

1. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

2. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

3. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

5. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

6. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

7. Concerto for flute, violin, harpsichord & strings in A minor ("Triple"), BWV 1044
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Cologne Musica Antiqua

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Köln recorded the Brandenburgs in 1986-87 in a style that one can refer to only as punk Baroque. Their readings are characterized by slashing accents, missing articulations, a de-emphasis of melody, and an overemphasis of metrical pulse, with an attendant exaggeration of Bach's otherwise wonderfully enlivening syncopations. Occasionally, the most peculiarly anachronistic cadential ritards get thrown in as well. The result has all the charm of an antipersonnel mine. For an idea of what their "extreme" Bach sounds like, listen to the first movement of Concerto No. 6, which Goebel and his gang take so disastrously fast, it's laughable (they dispatch it in 4:25, compared with Boston Baroque's by no means poky 6:10). Makes you want to reach for your brass knuckles. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Con No.1 in F, BWV 1046: 1. (Allegro Moderato)
Con No.1 in F, BWV 1046: 2. Adagio
Con No.1 in F, BWV 1046: 3. Allegro
Con No.1 in F, BWV 1046: 4. Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II
Con No.2 in F, BWV 1047: 1. (Allegro Moderato)
Con No.2 in F, BWV 1047: 2. Andante
Con No.2 in F, BWV 1047: 3. Allegro Assai
Con No.3 in G, BWV 1048: 1. (Allegro Moderato)
Con No.3 in G, BWV 1048: 2. Allegro
Con No.4 in G, BWV 1049: 1. Allegro
Con No.4 in G, BWV 1049: 2. Andante
Con No.4 in G, BWV 1049: 3. Presto

Tracks:

Con No.5 in D, BWV 1050: 1. Allegro
Con No.5 in D, BWV 1050: 2. Affetuoso
Con No.5 in D, BWV 1050: 3. Allegro
Con No.6 in B flat, BWV 1051: 1. Without Tempo Indication
Con No.6 in B flat, BWV 1051: 2. Adagio Ma Non Tanto
Con No.6 in B flat, BWV 1051: 3. Allegro
Con in a, BWV 1044 'Triple Con': 1. Allegro
Con in a, BWV 1044 'Triple Con': 2. Adagio, Ma Non Tanto, E Dolce
Con in a, BWV 1044 'Triple Con': 3. Alla Breve

Amazon.com

Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Köln recorded the Brandenburgs in 1986-87 in a style that one can refer to only as punk Baroque. Their readings are characterized by slashing accents, missing articulations, a de-emphasis of melody, and an overemphasis of metrical pulse, with an attendant exaggeration of Bach's otherwise wonderfully enlivening syncopations. Occasionally, the most peculiarly anachronistic cadential ritards get thrown in as well. The result has all the charm of an antipersonnel mine. For an idea of what their "extreme" Bach sounds like, listen to the first movement of Concerto No. 6, which Goebel and his gang take so disastrously fast, it's laughable (they dispatch it in 4:25, compared with Boston Baroque's by no means poky 6:10). Makes you want to reach for your brass knuckles. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

my favorite.......2006-06-18

I don't see the need in collecting many performances of the Brandenburg Concertos, because simply put every single (authentic) recording I heard was great and the differences not that big to look at it as an (interesting) interpretation - something I do have with Bach's Mass in B or even more obvious in Mahler symphonies, there I do find the need to collect diiferent recordings/interpretations

If you see budget priced recordings by Tafel Musik (Sony Vivarte), Hugget (Virgin), Koopman (Erato), Il Giardino Armonico (Teldec) Suzuki (Bis) Pinnock (Archiv) and Parrott (Virgin) don't hesitate to buy a copy if you don't own one already...an extremely small chance you're not gonna like the performance.

Did I really hear all those recordings?
Yes, but to be honest only a few for a longer, evaluative period...so my opnion hasn't any weight at all and must not be taken that seriously.
I was only curious (maybe obsessed a while ago) why there are still new recordings made and if they added anything new to an already large library of Brandenburg Concertos and if some recordings were really that different.

There are 3 recordings that stood out of the rest for me and which I didn't mention yet:

Savall's recording (Auvidis)
Akademie fu Alte Musik Berlin (Harmonia Mundi full price and a budget release on Harmonia Mundi's "musique d'abord" which I have)
And this one, Musica Antiqua Koln with Goebel.

Savall's recording has a unique atmosphere, rather "rustic"
The Akademie fur alte Musik has a sumptious, warm timbred sound, not found in other recordings and finally my personal favorite Goebel has the fastest tempi and most tight ensemble playing.

I love Goebel's Brandenburg Concerto's, obviously because it were the first Brandenburg Concertos I heard, my first encounter with Bach's concertos.
But also because the playing is extremely fine: in those really fast tempi the ensemle still finds enough time and room to articulate accurately and finish every note and line at ease, there's no sense of hurry, it sounds completely natural.
Goebel's violin playing is excellent too.

I obviously do not agree with the editorial review by Ted Libbey: "The result has all the charm of an antipersonnel mine. For an idea of what their "extreme" Bach sounds like, listen to the first movement of Concerto No. 6, which Goebel and his gang take so disastrously fast, it's laughable"

These are livey performances and they sound fresh and spontaneous, but aren't actually that spontaneous at all: the playing is highly concentrated and tight - the Akadmie fur alte Musik and Il Giardino Armoncia for instance are more spontaneous in this respect.

Life on the edge.......2006-02-08

I collect recordings of the Brandenburg concerti and these rank among my favorites. This recording in particular has been criticized by some as outrageous because of the caffeinated tempi of the 3rd and 6th concerti. Are the performances authentic? Probably not, but are they an outrage? Definitely not! If nothing else these recordings are fun. My only wish is that the flute was a little more distinct in the first movement of the 5th concerto. Definitely a worthy addition to the collection of any Brandenburg Concerto collector.

Definitely a mixed bag, but worth listening to.......2005-12-20

I think the best way I can summarize this recording is that Musica Antiqua Koln take chances. Of course this poses problems, since when their approach doesn't work it fails pretty disastrously. What I have in mind especially are the first movement of the sixth concerto, and the outer movements (especially the last) of the third, that are taken far faster than logic allows, the results being downright unmusical. The advantage is that, whatever faults you may rightly accuse them of, MAK are never boring. My own personal tastes in this music are for a much more peaceful, humane approach, but try as I might I can't deny that often the music making here has incredible joy and sense of purpose. In the end, if you listen to this recording in it's entirety with an open mind, I think you'll discover a way of approaching these works totally different from anything you'll find elsewhere, and really, isn't that something to be treasured? Vive le difference!

Don't make this your only recording of the Brandenburgs!.......2004-05-23

This is a fantastic recording. But while Musica Antiqua Koln's technical skill outmodes that of nearly any other ensemble I've heard, Goebel's exaggerated tempi occasionally force these beautiful pieces to border on the non-musical. Yes, it's impressive to hear Brandenburgs 3 and 6 performed at lightning speeds, but simply playing "fast" doesn't necessarily mean "exciting" or even "listenable." Occasionally it's like speed-reading poetry. Having more than 10 sets of Brandenburgs in my collection, I'd certainly place this set in the upper half, but there are many other interpretations that allow the intricacies of these pieces to shine, rather than the virtuosity of the group performing them.

A refined recording with a powerfull interpretation.......2002-11-27

Before I start doing this review I must ask for your comprehension because I don't speak a very good english, but I'll do my best. This recording is one of the best recordings of any kind I know. The quality of the sound is impressive, but most important is the interpretation. This is the fastest interpretation of Brandenburg Concertos, wich gives power to this recording. Other decisive factor to turn this recording so special is the refinement of the instruments sound and the quality of each member of the orchestra. For that I recomend you to hear the second and third concerts.

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Ravel: Piano Concertos

Live: 07-11-03 Mansfield, MA