J.S. BACH: Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041; Violin Concerto in E Major BWV 1042; Concerto in G minor after BWV 1056; Violin Concerto in A Major after BWV 1055 – Rachel Podger, violin & director of Brecon Baroque /Bojan Cicic, violin/ Johannes Pramsohl

by | Oct 16, 2010 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

J.S. BACH: Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041; Violin Concerto in E Major BWV 1042; Concerto in G minor after BWV 1056; Violin Concerto in A Major after BWV 1055 – Rachel Podger, violin & director of Brecon Baroque /Bojan Cicic, violin/ Johannes Pramsohler, violin/ Jane Rogers, viola/ Alison McGillivray, cello/ Jan Spencer, violone/ Christopher Bucknall, harpsichord – Channel Classics multichannel SACD CCS SA 30910, 51:18 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****:

With most of Bach’s harpsichord concerti being arrangements of various violin concerti, there are only three violin originals that survived: BWVs 1041, 42 & 43.  Only the first two are presented here, because the 1043 is the popular D minor concerto for two violins. (My favorite of that one is Heifetz and Friedman’s version on the Living Stereo SACD 88697-04605-2.) 

One of the other SACDs of both BWV 1041 & 1042 is a Harmonia mundi 2003 release which also contains BWV 1043 as well as a second double-violin concerto which was arranged back from one of Bach’s double-harpsichord concerti, BWV 1060.  An interesting sidelight here is that on this SACD with Andrew Manze and the Academy of Ancient Music the second violinist is also Rachel Podger.  I reviewed that SACD back then rather positively, but now, in comparison to this new effort by Rachel Podger as well as other entries, I must say the pacing that Manze brings to most movements of these concertos is simply too fast.  His articulation is also a bit harsh, and even though the sonics are better than on the original CD, the violins are still a bit harsh in comparison with Podger’s new effort. The miking also now sounds a bit too close.

Manze’s Academy of Ancient Music is about double the size of Podger’s ensemble, but there is no sense of anything missing in the Channel Classics SACD. The violin tone – both of Podger and the rest of her Brecon Baroque – is rich and silky-smooth, and the spatial placement of the performers is quite well reproduced in the surround option. The four concertos are quite different from one another – no danger of confusing them as with many of the Vivaldi or Corelli concertos. The A minor is compact but dense and fully worked out, with much more going on than the typical Venetian concerto.  The tempi seem just right, not langourously pointing up every little Bachian element but also not rushing forward at such a breathless pace that the music fails to flow rationally. Recommended!

— John Sunier

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