Album

Considering the vast array of recordings available of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos—ranging from modernized performances by large ensembles to historical re-creations on original instruments in smaller numbers—some listeners may seek a good compromise that simply does justice to the music without fussing about authenticity. Benjamin Britten's interpretations of the Brandenburgs occupy a middle ground between extremes, and these tasteful performances should satisfy all but the most partisan advocates of one performance practice over the other. Informed by the musicological discoveries of the 1960s in terms of rhythmic nuances and appropriate ornamentation, Britten's performances are rich with Baroque inflections without sounding unnaturally contrived. The scaled-down English Chamber Orchestra is lean, but the ensemble plays with all the warmth and resonance its modern instruments afford and avoids the pitfalls of experimenting with untried and temperamental Baroque instruments, all too common and painful in early music efforts of the time. As an added inducement, this London double decker also contains fine performances by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields of the Concerto for violin, oboe, and strings in D minor and the Concerto for flute and strings in G minor, both reconstructions based on two of Bach's harpsichord concertos.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.1 in F, BWV1046 Work Recorded 1968 21:30 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Ifor James Horn, Emanuel Hurwitz Violin, Peter Graeme Oboe, Anthony Randall Horn
1	1.[Allegro moderato]	4:22			$0.99
2	2.Adagio	4:05			$0.99
3	3.Allegro	4:40			$0.99
4	4a.Menuetto. 4b,Trio 1. 4c.Menuetto	3:52			$0.99
5	4d.Polacca. 4e.Menuetto. 4f.Trio 2. 4g.Menuetto	4:31			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.2 in F, BWV1047 Work Recorded 1968 12:13 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Emanuel Hurwitz Violin, Peter Graeme Oboe, David Mason Trumpet, Richard Adeney Flute
6	1.(Allegro moderato)	5:24			$0.99
7	2.Andante	3:52			$0.99
8	3.Allegro assai	2:57			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G, BWV1048 Work Recorded 1968 11:51 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
9	1.Allegro moderato	6:47			$0.99
10	3.Allegro assai	5:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G, BWV1049 Work Recorded 1968 16:46 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Emanuel Hurwitz Violin, Philip Ledger Harpsichord, Norman Knight Flute, Richard Adeney Flute
11	1.Allegro	7:25			$1.49
12	2.Andante	4:08			$0.99
13	3.Presto	5:13			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D, BWV1050 Work Recorded 1968 21:36 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Emanuel Hurwitz Violin, Philip Ledger Harpsichord, Richard Adeney Flute
1	1.Allegro	10:36			$1.99
2	2.Andante	5:36			$0.99
3	3.Allegro	5:24			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.6 in Bb, BWV1051 Work Recorded 1968 18:09 English Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
4	1.Allegro	6:59			$0.99
5	2.Adagio ma non tanto	4:55			$0.99
6	3.Allegro	6:15			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Concerto in C- for 2 Harpsichords, BWV1060 Work Recorded 1973-1974 14:08 Tess Miller Oboe, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Nicholas Kraemer Continuo, Carmel Kaine Violin, Christopher Hogwood Continuo
7	1.Allegro	5:11			$0.99
8	2.Adagio	5:13			$0.99
9	3.Allegro	3:44			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Keyboard Concerto in F-, BWV1056 Work Recorded 1973-1974 10:11 William Bennett Flute, Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra, Nicholas Kraemer Continuo, Christopher Hogwood Continuo
10	1.[Allegro]	3:15			$0.99
11	2.Largo (various arrangements)	3:11			$0.99
12	3.Presto	3:45			$0.99