Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Brandenburg Concertos seem to be Bach's most popular works by far, and there are so many recordings of them out there--on period instruments and "modern," and at all price ranges. Of course, it's hard to pick out one or even two to call the "best"--but this reissue of a 1989 recording by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment has a good claim for the title of "Best Buy Brandenburgs." These performances don't have the splashy extroversion of Il Giardino Armonico or the caffeine-pumped, high-velocity thrill of Musica Antiqua Köln, but they're not overly reserved or dull, as some English ensembles are accused of being. The OAE's instrumental playing is very skillful indeed, with particularly nice work from the horns in the third movement of the First Concerto, and from trumpeter Mark Bennett in the Second; and the tempos are moderately quick (which means that they would have been considered rather fast before 1980 or so), but without being breathless. The slow movements sing sweetly--the viola playing of Monica Huggett and Pavlo Besnosiuk in the slow movement of the Sixth Concerto is especially lovely--and the quick outer movements have an infectiously bouncy pulse. If money is no object, you might want to consider Il Giardino Armonico or the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, but these here are surely the best Brandenburgs available at such a low price. --Matthew Westphal

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Music, Johann Sebastian Bach, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Paul Goodwin, Catherine Mackintosh, Rachel Beckett, Mark Bennett, Monica Huggett, Alison Bury, Marion Scott, Lisa Beznosiuk, Malcolm Proud, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Pavlo Beznosiuk, Richard Campbell, Sarah Cunningham, William Hunt, John Toll, Richard Tunnicliffe, Timothy Brown, Susan Dent, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Concerto, Concerto Grosso, Orchestral & Symphonic
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best recordings of Branderburg concertos
  • my copy was ok
  • Could be great.
  • Production Error
  • Try before you buy
 Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Johann Sebastian Bach , Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , Paul Goodwin , Catherine Mackintosh , Rachel Beckett , Mark Bennett , Monica Huggett , Alison Bury , Marion Scott , Lisa Beznosiuk , Malcolm Proud , Elizabeth Wallfisch , Pavlo Beznosiuk , Richard Campbell , Sarah Cunningham , William Hunt , John Toll , Richard Tunnicliffe , Timothy Brown , and Susan Dent
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by J.S. BachAll Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Concerto GrossiConcerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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Bach, Johann SebastianBach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Orchestra of the Age of EnlightenmentOrchestra of the Age of Enlightenment | ( O ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
InstrumentalInstrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Mozart: Great Piano Concertos
  2. Brahms: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2
  3. Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7 / Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
  4. Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 "Pathétique" in B minor Op. 74
  5. Haydn: Lord Nelson Mass / Willcocks, King's College Choir

ASIN: B00000J2PP
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

  1. Concerti No.1 in F Major: I. No Tempo Indication
  2. Concerti No.1 in F Major: II. Adagio
  3. Concerti No.1 in F Major: III. Allegro
  4. Concerti No.1 in F Major: IV. Menueto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II
  5. Concerto No.2 In F Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
  6. Concerto No.2 In F Major: II. Andante
  7. Concerto No.2 In F Major: III. Allegro assai
  8. Concerto No.3 In G Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
  9. Concerto No.3 In G Major: II. Adagio - Allegro

Tracks:

  1. Concerto No.4 In G Major: I. Allegro
  2. Concerto No.4 In G Major: II. Andante
  3. Concerto No.4 In G Major: III. Presto
  4. Concerto No.5 in D major: I. Allegro
  5. Concerto No.5 in D major: II. Affetuoso
  6. Concerto No.5 In D Major: III. Allegro
  7. Conceto No.6 In B-flat Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
  8. Conceto No.6 In B-flat Major: II. Adagio na non tanto
  9. Concerto No.6 In B-flat Major: III. Allegro

Amazon.com

The Brandenburg Concertos seem to be Bach's most popular works by far, and there are so many recordings of them out there--on period instruments and "modern," and at all price ranges. Of course, it's hard to pick out one or even two to call the "best"--but this reissue of a 1989 recording by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment has a good claim for the title of "Best Buy Brandenburgs." These performances don't have the splashy extroversion of Il Giardino Armonico or the caffeine-pumped, high-velocity thrill of Musica Antiqua Köln, but they're not overly reserved or dull, as some English ensembles are accused of being. The OAE's instrumental playing is very skillful indeed, with particularly nice work from the horns in the third movement of the First Concerto, and from trumpeter Mark Bennett in the Second; and the tempos are moderately quick (which means that they would have been considered rather fast before 1980 or so), but without being breathless. The slow movements sing sweetly--the viola playing of Monica Huggett and Pavlo Besnosiuk in the slow movement of the Sixth Concerto is especially lovely--and the quick outer movements have an infectiously bouncy pulse. If money is no object, you might want to consider Il Giardino Armonico or the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, but these here are surely the best Brandenburgs available at such a low price. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best recordings of Branderburg concertos.......2006-03-06

I own quite a few recordings of the Branderburg concertos (Suzuki, Saval, Boston Baroque...) this one is one of the best.

There is an evident feel of musical joy coming out of this recording. I can't find other ways to describe it.
The musicians are enthusiastic about the work they are playing, restrained most of the time but when it is called for they give their best.

Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars my copy was ok.......2006-02-09

This is an excellent version of the Brandenbergs. The tempos are good and the instruments are all clearly heard. I noticed that some sort of production problem led to some poor reviews with the 2 CDs having the same music for some people. I did NOT have that problem and think this set can be highly recommended.

3 out of 5 stars Could be great........2006-01-02

I got a gift certificate for Borders and I decided to get this as I have been wanting it despite reports of the same music being on both discs. I brought it out to the van and immediately played both CDs and they both were the exact same music. I return the disc at Borders before we left the parking lot. What little we played sounded so right. Brilliant energy and refinement. Excellent sound quality. If I knew I could get one that was manufactured correctly I would purchase it in a heart beat.

Very Dissapointing.

2 out of 5 stars Production Error.......2005-12-08

I would like to confirm the problem reported by Mr. Whittet. I purchased the disks in November 2005 and found the same mistake that he did. Disk 1 has the same music as Disk 2.

In other ways this is a spectacular recording. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment gives a graceful and articulate reading of the concertos, and the recorded sound is clear, warm, and spacious. But, despite the bargain price, it's not worth it just to get two copies of concertos 4-6.

3 out of 5 stars Try before you buy.......2005-11-23

Watch out for a manufacturing error with this 2CD set. I found that the exact same music (Concertos 4-6) was recorded on each CD in the set (they are labelled CD1 and CD2 but both contain the music for CD2). I returned it, obtained a replacement, and the replacement has the exact same problem, so it is not an isolated event. I believe these performances would be excellent if I could only get to hear them all.
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Period instrument feminism?
 J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by J.S. BachAll Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
ConcertinosConcertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Concerto GrossiConcerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
OboeOboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
( O )( O ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music | O'Connor, Mark | O'Conor, John | O'Riley, Christopher | Ohlsson, Garrick | Oistrakh, David | Orchestre Rivolutionnaire et Romantique | Oregon Symphony Orchestra | Orlando Consort | Orpheus Chamber Orchestra | Otter, Anne Sophie von
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Bach: Cantatas & Masses

ASIN: B0000AKP8N
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

  1. Concerto No. 1 In F
  2. Concerto No. 1 In F - Adagio
  3. Concerto No. 1 In F - Allegro
  4. Concerto No. 1 In F - Menuetto Trio I -- Polacca Trio II
  5. Concerto No. 2 In F
  6. Concerto No. 2 In F - Andante
  7. Concerto No. 2 In F - Allegro Assai
  8. Concerto No. 3 in G
  9. Concerto No. 3 in G - Adagio - Allegro

Tracks:

  1. Concerto No. 4 In G - Allegro
  2. Concerto No. 4 In G - Andante
  3. Concerto No. 4 In G - Presto
  4. Concerto No. 5 In D - Allegro
  5. Concerto No. 5 In D - Affettuoso
  6. Concerto No. 5 In D - Allegro
  7. Concerto No. 6 In B flat
  8. Concerto No. 6 In B flat - Adagio Ma Non Tanto
  9. Concerto No. 6 In B flat - Allegro

Tracks:

  1. Violin Concerto In a - [Allegro]
  2. Violin Concerto In a - Andante
  3. Violin Concerto In a - Allegro Assai
  4. Violin Concerto In E - Allegro
  5. Violin Concerto In E - Adagio
  6. Violin Concerto In E - Allegro Assai
  7. Concerto For Two Violins In d - Vivace
  8. Concerto For Two Violins - Largo Ma Non Tanto
  9. Concerto For Two Violins In d - Allegro
  10. Concerto For 3 Violins In D - Allegro
  11. Concerto For 3 Violins In D - Adagio
  12. Concerto For 3 Violins In D - Allegro

Tracks:

  1. Violin Concerto In g
  2. Violin Concerto In g - Largo
  3. Violin Concerto in g - Presto
  4. Concerto For Violin And Oboe In c - Allegro
  5. Concerto For Violin And Oboe In c - Adagio
  6. Concerto For Violin And Oboe In c - Allegro
  7. Violin Concerto In d
  8. Violin Concerto In d - Adagio
  9. Violin Concerto In d - Allegro
  10. Concerto For Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in a - Allegro
  11. Concerto For Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in a - Adagio, Ma Non Troppo, E Dolce
  12. Concerto For Flute, Violin and Harpsichord in a - Allabreve

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Period instrument feminism?.......2005-08-12

All the concertos contained on these four CDs are directed by women: Monica Huggett, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Alison Bury, Catherine Mackintosh. Having found the time to sit down and listen to the whole set really carefully, what I heard pleased me, on the whole, very much indeed, with only the fourth Brandenburg Concerto seeming a little "weak-kneed". The Brandenburg Concertos here cannot, perhaps, quite compete with Trevor Pinnock's legendary recording for Deutsche Grammophon Archiv, but the female directors have all obviously taken a good deal of trouble over the individual concerti and I was able to hear a good deal of detail, some of which I had not noticed on other recordings (and I own six or seven "Brandenburgs"). The playing is really excellent, the soloists are all quite remarkable for their competence and skill. Just listen to Catherine Mackintosh on the violino piccolo in the first Brandenburg Concerto, for example, or to the oboe, trumpet and harpsichord solos in some of the other concertos - this is all wonderful stuff!

The additional two CDs in the box contain Bach's Violin Concertos, the Triple Concerto BWV 144 and four reconstructed violin concertos (one with an additional oboe solo part), all played and directed from the violin by female Australian period-instrument specialist Elizabeth Wallfisch. I must say that here, too, I enjoyed the performances very much, although in the end I felt that BWV 1044 was rather weaker than on competing recordings by La Stravaganza Hamburg/Siegbert Rampe (Virgin Veritas) or by Le Concert francais/Pierre Hantai (Naive-Astrée). Of course, the reconstructed concertos are speculative, but it is quite fascinating to hear them in these versions instead of the much better-known harpsichord versions.

The documentation corresponds to the price and is kept to an absolute minimum.

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