Bach's Orchestral Suites - Recommendations Please

[John Shelton]

... ah, yes - but you will want those other works. "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow - but soon - and for the rest of your life... "

Those recordings shouldn't be missed, IMO.

The reconstruction of early versions of the Suites played by Ensemble Sonnerie one to a part are fresh and interesting http://www.amazon.co.uk/J-Bach-Orche.../dp/B0021YMYHA

I have the Freiburgers and enjoy it very much: really fresh, imaginative, playing. Bassoon clicks have not affected my enjoyment ....

I used to like Savall's set, but when I last listened to it a few years ago found it rather cloying. I wish someone would reissue Brüggen's Orchestra of the C18 version - my copy went missing in the early 2000s. It's well worth hearing if you can (the recording that is. If it's my copy you're hearing could I have it back please? )

[Dave2002]

Klemperer's mono Philharmonia efforts have their own period charm, and I was very fond of Sandor Vegh's live Salzburg Camerata Academica performances (on Orfeo) when last I heard them... strong on character and individuality!

I hope K's versions with the Philharmonia are better than these - http://open.spotify.com/track/5UeZUh2uZt1Xtv8p78Qx9Z with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Who is the flute player in no. 2 by the Philharmonia? Gareth Morris, perhaps?

Ensemble Sonnerie

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Rilling provides for me the best of both world.

[Dave2002]

2nd suite in a minor

I found this while checking out Ensemble Sonnerie further - http://beta.wosu.org/classical101/th...ing-to-behold/

It seems possible that Bach's 2nd Suite was not written for a solo flute, and started life in a different key - though I find that slightly hard to believe. Ensemble Sonnerie have recorded it with an oboe in A minor, and apparently it sounds good. I'll have to hear this.

Is the argument that string players find A minor easier than B minor a sound one? B minor is pretty much a doddle on a modern flute, but would it have presented a significant challenge in Bach's time?

Lastly, do we know for sure that Bach always wrote music to be performed? This seems obvious, but another composer (Beethoven) is reported to have said that he wasn't writing for the meagre instruments in use in his time. Some composers may write music for instruments they imagine - though pehaps not many do this. Beethoven might have been truly exceptional in this, as well as in other regards.

[BBMmk2]

I need a HIPP recording of these Orchestral Suites of JSB and its certainly been very enlightening as to the available sets that are available, at present. Thank you.

[Keraulophone]

Ludwig Guttler was the overexcitable 1st trumpeter on Max Pommer's New Bach Collegium Musicum Leipzig recording. (They also brought out a lively disc called The Bach Trumpet.) Guttler directed a more recent version (1997) with the Virtuosi Saxoniae on Berlin Classics, though I have not heard it. He may not be subtle, but can produce the tingle factor.

[ostuni]

B minor/A minor (2nd Suite) In the Ami versions, the solo line is either given to the violin or the oboe. It's not a matter of ease of performance: it's just that there is evidence (can't remember the details) of instrumental parts in the lower key. For what it's worth, Bmi is a pretty comfortable key on the baroque flute - Bach's biggest flute sonata, and the Benedictus obbligato from the B minor Mass are both in that key, and have a similar feel under the fingers.

Repeats I think most performances, HIP and not, take most of the repeats: the only difference is in the second repeat in the Ouverture (often omitted in performance: it's quite a marathon...), which is included by Suzuki/BCJ (10.42), Dombrecht/Fondamento (10.35) and Café Zimmermann (9.33), but not by Kuijken/PB (6.37), Fasolis/Barocchisti (6.06) or Pinnock/EC (6.05). (Talking here about the OP's 3rd Suite)

I'm another fan of Café Zimmermann, though they're also 'at the aggressive end', as mathias b nicely puts it. Haven't heard any of Freiburger yet, apart from the brief extract on last week's CDR (which made me think that ornamentation which works ok in a concert could get pretty annoying on repeated listening...).

[MickyD]

I, too, have always been fond of the Musica Antiqua Koln set, though I think it was Nicholas Anderson who once described it as a "hair shirt" performance. I know what he means, but I love it! And great news that NA is to review the Bach Double Violin Concerto on Building a Library next week...I haven't heard him on the radio for ages. One of the really interesting and wise reviewers, in my opinion.

[Barbirollians]

I find to my surprise I only have the Menuhin performances on a CFP cassette from the mid 1980s . Whilst I seem to have a hatful of Brandenburgs.

[cloughie]

I've long been an admirer of the ASMF Marriner which when it came out was a breath of fresh air compared to the stodgy versions available at the time.

[Nick Armstrong]

Café Zimmermann

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Alpha/ALPHA811

Just came by this thread, and would have to chuck in a vote for the above!

[BBMmk2]

Thanks for bringing that up caliban. Might be the version for a HIPP recording.

[Dave2002]

Off topic re suites, but for the Brandenburgs this seems like a good buy - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Branden...9&sr=8-1-spell

I'm sure I must have paid a lot more for it years ago. I still can't find any evidence of Il Giardino Armonico having recorded any other than the 3rd Suite.

[Thropplenoggin]

Off topic re suites, but for the Brandenburgs this seems like a good buy - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Branden...9&sr=8-1-spell

I'm sure I must have paid a lot more for it years ago. I still can't find any evidence of Il Giardino Armonico having recorded any other than the 3rd Suite.

Thanks Dave2002. This is the only Brandeburg I own. The BaL recommendation and a real gem. It's a shame they never got round to doing all the orchestral suites.

I'm in the market for a new edition of the BCs. I'm torn between Alessandrini/Concerto Italiano and Pinnock I with The English Concert. The former is always quite pricey, whilst the latter is now available on budget DG line - Virtuoso. Having ordered another in this range, the production values of the inlay are so shoddy: a dumbed-down resume of a piece on thin cheap paper. Even the designs and photography feel cheap: http://www.mdt.co.uk/catalogsearch/r...burg&t=general

Still, they're available for cacahuètes in France.

[MickyD]

I rather like the fairly newish Brandenburgs from the AAM/Richard Egarr on Harmonia Mundi.