Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 3

by

Johann Sebastian Bach

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This isn't the best recording of the Brandenburg Concerti available. The performance is plodding, overly technical, deficient in energy, lacking a real sense of the "ensemble" a good Bach performance needs, not as graceful and uplifting as the music demands. Background "clicks" can also be heard occasionally. The "bonus" piece, the Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo in D major at the end of the disc, comes on too forcefully with the downbeats -- a bit like the opening chords of The Who's "Tommy" -- and the harpsichord is too dominant throughout the piece. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 is given the best treatment, and the Berlin Chamber Orchestra is to be commended for including the full-length Adagio Cadenza as the second movement, which can be rarely found. But don't be swayed by this disc's low price. Invest in the best!