BaL 20.10.18 - Bach: Keyboard concertos - BWV.1052-58

[MickyD]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this fascinating thread with everyone's thoughts.

Must say that I was really surprised by the omission of the Archiv/Pinnock recording, when it held sway for some years in the catalogue.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... for Beethoven read Bach. Or wicy wercy...

To clarify: I have quite a few sets of the Beethoven Piano Concertos, but none at all of the Bach Harpsichord Concertos, so whilst I covet the Schoonderwoerd/Cristofori Beethoven set, I think that that will have to wait in the queue behind Staier and/or Egarr.

[Richard Barrett]

It's fair to assume

Why?

For example, the Weimar cantata BWV31 has 17 separate instrumental parts (only six of which are for string instruments - two violins, two violas, cello, violone), which implies that if there was a complement of 22 players in all there can't have been more than two players per string part. If two thirds of the musicians were string players that would imply a total complement of 33. Again there's no reason to think of Bach's instrumental ensemble as conforming to the later concept of an orchestra, and the documentary evidence that exists points rather in the opposite direction.

[Beresford]

I liked all three of the reviewers favourites - and some others that didn't get a look in, esp Concero Copenhagen.
Egarr was very subtle and nuanced in an English way. Van Asperen was a little dogmatic in a Dutch way, Freiburg Baroque were powerful and slightly less subtle in a German way. I couldn't tell if Cafe Zimmerman (Frisch) sounded French - I didn't hear enough, and I don't know if the band is French. All so enjoyable.

[Bryn]

I liked all three of the reviewers favourites - and some others that didn't get a look in, esp Concero Copenhagen.
Egarr was very subtle and nuanced in an English way. Van Asperen was a little dogmatic in a Dutch way, Freiburg Baroque were powerful and slightly less subtle in a German way. I couldn't tell if Cafe Zimmerman (Frisch) sounded French - I didn't hear enough, and I don't know if the band is French. All so enjoyable.

https://www.cafe-zimmermann.com/en/presentation/musicians

[ardcarp]

For example, the Weimar cantata BWV31 has 17 separate instrumental parts (only six of which are for string instruments - two violins, two violas, cello, violone), which implies that if there was a complement of 22 players in all there can't have been more than two players per string part. If two thirds of the musicians were string players that would imply a total complement of 33. Again there's no reason to think of Bach's instrumental ensemble as conforming to the later concept of an orchestra, and the documentary evidence that exists points rather in the opposite direction.

Folks might like to know that English Touring Opera is doing the Matthew Passion, one instrument per part, in Exeter Cathedral on Friday 23rd November. [Strange time of year, yes.] Luckily for the tenors, it's not quite OVPP.

[Beresford]

Folks might like to know that English Touring Opera is doing the Matthew Passion, one instrument per part, in Exeter Cathedral on Friday 23rd November. [Strange time of year, yes.] Luckily for the tenors, it's not quite OVPP.

And many other places:

http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/tour-dates/