As with many of the
repertoire ‘standards’ in the present
CD market, there is now so great a range
of interpretative choices available
to the prospective buyer of Bach’s Brandenburg
Concertos that a review cannot fairly
purport to be a genuine comparison of
the relative merits of each version.
The catalogue currently contains recordings
conducted by, inter alia, Sir
Adrian Boult, Klemperer, Parrott, Sir
Henry Wood, Toscanini, Richter, Furtwängler,
Casals, Bernstein, Karajan, Marriner,
Hogwood, Goodman, Harnoncourt and Goebel
- who use orchestras covering the whole
range between a full-strength Berlin
Philharmonic and one-to-a-part authentic
instruments. The growth of the historically-informed
performance movement also means that,
in terms of basic approach, there is
not so much a world of difference between
some of the competing recordings as
an intergalactic divide. Better, then,
for the reviewer to offer an appraisal
of how a recording compares with others
of its type and let the buyer decide
for themselves whether the approach
described appeals.
Of its type, then,
this reissue of the first three Brandenburg
Concertos is a satisfactorily executed
example, though I confess that whether
the style employed is what shows Bach
to best effect is, for me, a moot point.
The fairest way in which to categorise
these performances would be to say that,
at best, they demonstrate the way in
which a chamber-like intimacy and refinement
can help to illuminate the many threads
of Bach’s polyphonic tapestry; at worst,
they sound so light and reticent that
the approach feels as though it ought
really to be applied to Lully or Charpentier.
Again, the soft brushy bowing technique
(rather than anything more vigorous)
indicates a performance in the style
of French baroque rather than German.
If you like your Bach
delivered in a careful, fastidious manner
this disc may be for you. If you prefer
a more overtly joyous and dynamic approach,
steer clear, as any element of jubilation
gets subsumed in favour of immediate
clarity. My major concern is the lack
of drive deriving from the bass lines
in each work. This robs the music of
much of the energy and sense of direction
(built, of course, on the tension and
release created by the harmonies which
the bass lines so crucially underpin)
that can be found in a really enlightening
performance. To hear just how much difference
a strong, characterful projection of
these lines can make, listen to the
amazing recording made by Reinhard Goebel
and Musica Antiqua Köln. Quite
apart from being lightning fast (which
I realise will not be to all tastes),
the strength of Bach’s construction
is brought out very clearly by the bass
lines’ clear delineation, not unlike
the kind of thing Toscanini used to
do in Beethoven (and much else besides).
The brass playing in
the Goebel version also shows up a trick
missed on the present recording, where
many of the trumpet flourishes are delivered
in a manner one might think of as too
polite. True, Paillard’s pursuit of
restraint and a genuine chamber performance
mean that the brass doesn't dominate
but exchanges phrases with the intertwining
oboe and violin lines as an equal partner,
yet the price of this is to lose much
of the sheer glee that punchy trumpet
work can express. Some of the more ceremonial
aspects of Bach’s brass writing are
lost in the attempt at intimacy, and
in places the trumpet is simply not
heard enough where it needs to be more
prominent. One other point concerning
the trumpets - the restraint called
for in high-lying passages does lead
to momentary lapses of control and,
accordingly, there are a few snatches
of sour tuning to be found as well as
some slightly messy playing on occasion
(in track 5, for example). This might
be more forgivable in a risk-taking
performance, but since the emphasis
here is so strongly on clarity and balance,
such lapses become more jarring. The
close recording means that some of the
breathing can become a mite intrusive,
too (an unpleasantly rough snatching
of breath in the flute about a minute
into the Concerto for Flute (track 11),
for example), and the sporadic lack
of precision in timing is a further
complaint.
For all its qualities
of lightness and no little grace, then,
I found this to be a rather heavy-going
and routine rendition. The approach
here only tells half the story, rather
like tootling about at 30mph in a nimble
sports car when you are actually keen
to see what it can do flat out. If gentility
and clarity are what you are after,
this reissue provides them at a bargain
price. If, however, you are looking
for a more energetic manifestation of
Bach, stick to Goebel or Harnoncourt.
Em Marshall
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) 