Advantages: Beautiful relaxing music. Rich instrumentation. Played with passion. Disadvantages: Not all instruments are from the period.
...If I was ever asked to select my "desert island discs", top of my list would be Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. (I wonder if there's a category in the ciao café?. . . ) The six Brandenburg concertos, each with their distinct quality and sound requiring a different combination of instruments, are not only a delight to listen to but exemplify the intellectual musical genius of their composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. All six are composed in major keys creating and maintaining a cheerful, vivacious collection. The modulations of key demanded by the baroque conventions are skilfully completed and Bach's predilection for numbers and ornate touches are evident. I could say more but this isn't a musical analysis . . .
I am not alone in my high estimation, The Brandenburg concertos are now probably the best loved and most frequently performed works...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
very helpful 13.04.2006
Bach in the USA Review ofBach: Concertos for 2 Harpsichordsby
Rogerbyname
Advantages: Light, clear, could be played over and again Disadvantages: Perhaps lacks a bit of magic or sparkle
...of the mundane into the enjoyable.
For those of you who like details, well here goes:
This is 1 CD containing 3Concertos for Two Harpsichords and Strings, BWV1060-62 by J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750)
Date Recorded: 1999
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
Orchestra / Ensemble: Oregon Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra
Main Performers: Jeffrey Kahane & Robert Levin...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Wonderful transcriptions of JS Bach's majestic music; sensitive, tender, vivacious, effortless and fluid playing. Disadvantages: Nil.
...Balsom has already had her US debut, performing just this January 2006 with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Milwaukee? Not New York City and Carnegie Hall? How did they get to be so lucky in Wisconsin! Methinks Ms Balsom needs a better agent/promoter, no?!).
FINAL VERDICT: I give this disc an unqualified, insanely enthusiastic recommendation with all thumbs and great toes up, for all lovers of Bach and/or the trumpet. Total, absolute must-have recording.
[For more complete background info on Alison Balsom, please scroll down the page to the BBC Radio 3 article.]
CD DETAILS:
BACH: WORKS FOR TRUMPET
Alison Balsom
EMI Classics
5 58047 2 (CD) / 5 58047 5
Concerto in D Major (after Vivaldi) BWV 972:
1 Allegro
2 Adagio
3 Allegro Assai
4 Sarabande (from Cello Suite No.2 BWV 1008)
5 Gigue (from Cello Suite No.2 BWV 1008)
6 Aria...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
very helpful 13.04.2006
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