Piano in Brandenburg?

[doversoul1]

In the case of harpsichord concertos, I see the point though I am not keen, but replacing the harpsichord with the piano in Brandenburg Concertos? I really can’t see the point. Does anyone know the thinking behind it?

Re: CDR 11/12 BACH: Orchestral Suite No.2; Brandenburg Concertos Nos.2, 4, 5London Conchord Ensemble / Florian Uhlig (piano)
Champs Hill Records CHRCD014 (2 CDs)

I enjoyed the Orchestral Suite by Concerto Köln.

[verismissimo]

Nor in the Orchestral Suites. Might have been ok in the 1950s!

[salymap]

I liked Malcolm Sargent but it looked really funny when he and[I think] The BBCSO played the Brandenburg 5 with him sitting very upright and well back from a concert grand. Even at 18 it worried me somewhat.

[BBMmk2]

I have Murray Perhaha's cycle with ASMF.The Keyboard Concerti work very well, and Brandenburg 5(IMO).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I thought it strange too. I'm all for the use of modern instruments in baroque music, as I find it hard to convince myself that the old ones sound as good, but in this instance, it is an entirely different instrument being used as a substitute, with the sound produced in a quite different way. It would be more appropriate to use the harp than the piano.

[MickyD]

Hi, doversoul - me too, I loved the Bach by Concerto Koln, but then I am a bit biased as I think they are fabulous in pretty much anything they do! Even so, I really don't think I can justify adding yet another set of the Orchestral Suites to my collection!

[ardcarp]

I am reminded of our prof who used to invite some students to tea and to play and sing through Bach cantatas. He would alsways preside at a Steinway grand, despite a perfectly good harpsichord's being within striking (or should I say plucking?) distance. One is reminded too of those seminal Nadia Boulanger recordings of Monteverdi accompanied by her on the piano.

I understand that very early pianos were around...just...in Bach's day; but they would not have sounded anything like the modern instrument.

[ostuni]

I agree with doversoul in finding it odd, but it's certainly not unique. Angela Hewitt's disc of Bach keyboard concertos with Tognetti's Australian orchestra does this too, although even more bizarrely, uses a harpsichord continuo also - so in Br 5, the harpsichord plays instead of the piano in the tuttis, and then the piano suddenly appears in the solos. Quite ridiculous, IMO: I can't imagine why it got such good reviews.

Piano in solo Bach is an entirely different matter: even though I'm a dyed-in-the-wool hipster, I thoroughly enjoy Schiff, Goode, Perahi & others in the Partitas, Goldbergs etc.

[ardcarp]

I can't imagine why it got such good reviews.

Maybe because of Hewitt's superb playing.

[Bryn]

Maybe because of Hewitt's superb playing.

Well, anything to keep her away from Beethoven, I suppose.