Oh man, I have a couple of go-to recordings of these. I'll give you a few recommendations. I'll preface it by saying that these are all HIP. Other than solo keyboard works, there are only a few exceptions for me - I prefer baroque performances to be HIP.

So, this is one I found a little while ago and absolutely love:

I love the tempos, and it just sounds very clean and fresh. Wonderful recording.

I have yet to be disappointed by Savall - and this is no exception. Incidentally, if you like Savall, I'd also recommend his recording of Bach's Musical Offering.

Although no longer my favorite, Harnoncourt's recording of these was my first exposure to these works, and still carries a warm place in my heart.

 

Oh man, I have a couple of go-to recordings of these. I'll give you a few recommendations. I'll preface it by saying that these are all HIP. Other than solo keyboard works, there are only a few exceptions for me - I prefer baroque performances to be HIP.

So, this is one I found a little while ago and absolutely love:
Rinaldo Allessandrini
I love the tempos, and it just sounds very clean and fresh. Wonderful recording.

What was it about the tempi? Would the "average" listener find them controversial? I like Bach to move at a good clip, but I've heard a lot of Brandenbergs (old and new) that I think are too fast. Actually, I'm wondering about tempo for all of them. I'm not necessarily stuck on a certain tempo I'm used to, but my experience with HIP is many of the conductors go way out of whack in reinterpreting tempo.

Savall
I have yet to be disappointed by Savall - and this is no exception. Incidentally, if you like Savall, I'd also recommend his recording of Bach's Musical Offering.

How about his Handel Water Music and Fireworks Music? They seem to be well-liked.

Harnoncourt
Although no longer my favorite, Harnoncourt's recording of these was my first exposure to these works, and still carries a warm place in my heart.

The Harnoncourt is old but they say it's very clear. How good is the sound quality?

 

DrMike's given some good suggestions. For a non-HIP recording, I'm fond of the set recorded by Raymond Leppard with the English Chamber Orchestra.

 

I also recommend this ... for me is the best. I have an old recording on cassette, but here is also the CD release, 2003 :

and

see also here and here.

 

I'll second (or third) DrMike's recommendation of the Jordi Savall recordings. Both the instruments and the 'practice' are 'period', and the sound engineering is fine too.

 

 

Another nice one that I have, and for the price, not one to pass up.

 

Has anyone heard the Pinnock or Abbado versions?

What about the old Benjamin Britten version?

 

Pinnock has a couple of recordings - an older one with the English Concert on Archiv, which I enjoy, and a newer one with the European Brandenburg Ensemble on Avie which I haven't heard, but have read good things about. Pinnock, to me, is a good, solid HIP conductor, and I have generally enjoyed his works - they just aren't always my favorites.

I don't know the Abbado version - but I do have some of his other recordings with his Orchestra Mozart. I was highly disappointed with their recordings of Mozart's symphonies, but love their recording with Giuliano Carmignola of Mozart's Violin Concertos and Symphonia conertante. I suspect it was Carmignola that added to the improvement, and I love Carmignola's works, so having him on board for the Brandenburgs might just do it. I might look into this one myself.

 

I'll throw in yet another vote for Savall as my favorite PI set. As for Pinnock, he is okay certainly not bad, a little too mechanical sounding to me.

 

Though neither is my preference, I'd take Pinnock's if I had only these choices. I found Savall's recorded sound to be cold, in-your-face close, thus disengaging, and tempi were generally too fast. Pinnock's sound, slightly warmer and better distanced, with more reasonable tempi.

 

Another top choice must surely be that of Masaaki Suzuki and the BCJ. The sound quality on a Hybrid SACD recorded by BIS is unsurpassed. Suzuki has become one of the leading Bach interpreters having recorded the whole of Bach's cantatas, and most of his choral music. I like the Italianate grace and sprightliness of Alessandrini's Brandenburgs. Suzuki brings something similar... yet not exactly the same. His performance of the Brandenburgs convey a light and clarity. They are lively... yet not rushed (a flaw of some HIP recordings). The Suzuki set has that added advantage of including the Orchestral Suites as well.

Seriously, you will do fine with any one of the recommended recordings... and any number of others as well. While I am a Bach devotee, I can't say that I have ever heard the definitive Brandenburg Concertos.

 

I have not heard Suzuki's recording of the Brandenburgs, but can't imagine they would be less than incredible. I love his recordings of the cantatas, the motets, the Mass in B Minor, the Orchestral Suites (I have them on a separate recording), and the St. John Passion. I keep meaning to add this one to the collection.

 

I'm having major problems with most of the period instruments. Some reviews give the Suzuki high marks as far as tempo and usage of the period instruments so I'll see if I can sample it somewhere.

 

What do you mean by "major problems?" Is it the sound you don't care for? Not everybody cares for period instruments.

 

[Duplicate post removed--apologies]

 

The Suzuki set was recorded in 2008 and released in 2009. Classics today rated it a 10 for performance and a 10 for sound quality. I have come across any number of other equally enthusiastic ratings. Ultimately, there are a good dozen+ high quality recordings of the Brandenburgs and which to choose is a matter of individual taste.

 

Of course, and you guys have listed a lot of them. It was VERY helpful.

I tried the Concerto Italiano version and a lot of people talked about it's "Italian" approach. You know what it reminded me of? Dixieland. It was a free-for-all, every man for himself. "YOU have fun with YOUR part." I can see the attraction, but it's the kind of thing I'd listen to 1 time in 50 for the sheer audacity of it.

By the way, did anyone notice how, in the Savall version, the first violinist was dragging badly in the quieter portions of the 1st movement of the 5th? I don't know what it was. Maybe he was distracted for some reason. The thing is, that went on the recording dude!

Finally, I found out that the Abbado version exists on blu-ray. It's a fine version and the visuals will be nice. I have a 5 year old I'm trying to acclimate to all kinds of music and I think being able to watch the musicians play will help.

 

Thanks Bill. Yes, one of my criteria is very new with superior quality sound. I sampled 5 different HIP or partly-HIP versions and have to decline them all. My main complaints are tempos too fast...and those blame 1650's horns!

I have in the past gravitated to these versions:

Superior musicianship and solid sound, but still some are too fast. "Virtuosic."

These there's Philip Ledger's 2 CD set from 1987. The interpretations are better but both sound quality and musicianship lack a little.

Finally Wendy Carlos's notorious Switched-On Brandenburgs multi-tracked on the Moog. Proof for me that strict HIP is pointless... Everything about this set is great, just that it's not acoustic instruments.

I'm still hoping I can find something that has the sound quality and musicianship of the Shifrin and the interpretation of Ledger or Carlos. Haven't found it yet.

 

Just to throw it out there. Of the HIPS I listened to, the one by the orchestra of enlightenment struck me as the best. Why does everybody play the last movement of the third lightning fast?? It's like I'm not even allowed to hear it anymore.

Nobody mentioned the mid 1990's HIP version with Pearlman. The samples I heard were pretty nice.

 

If you're considering the Pinnock/English Concert HIP recordings, I own these and agree that they are excellent performances and in very good sound
Pinnock's Bach is now available in a very good VFM box-set if you are interested (below) - I own all these recordings as individuals and enjoy them all very much:

 

Here come the Dutch (+ 1 British)

Forget Harnoncourt and especially his wife on her screeching constantly-out-of-tune violin: the 1977 Sony recording with Brüggen, Kuijkens, Bylsma & Leonhardt set the landmark for period instruments interpretations. Such a marvelous concentration! The newer recordings with Jan Willem de Vriend (1996 Pony Canyon), Pieter-Jan Belder (2006 Brilliant Classics) and Orchestra of the age of enlightenment (1989 Virgin Veritas) are very enjoyable. Suzuki's recording I didn't hear, but he learned all what he could learn from Brüggen and Leonhardt.

 

I'll second the Alessandrini. Excellent balance and wonderful clarity. The tempo's might be too fast for you liking... the fast movements are pretty quick.

 

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner

 

I don't know if they have an HIP recording or not - but - you might want to check on Apollo's Fire - a baroque group from Cleveland that is highly thought of.

 

Since picking up the Suzuki set I also purchased a copy of Jordi Savall's Brandenburgs after being absolutely enthralled by his Handel water Music/Royal Fireworks. I believe that as of now it is my first "go to" disc for the Brandenburgs... followed closely by Alessandrini and Suzuki. Savall is more muscular... never forgetting that these concertos are rooted in dance. If I did ever think about purchasing yet another set of the Brandenburgs it just might be by Apollo's Fire... simply to have something by this amazing local orchestra. They are actually performing the Brandenburgs 3-6 here sometime next Spring.

 

Another recording I just recently started hearing again (although bad me didn't take care of these cd's very well) is a recording by The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment....wow, I mean...I pretty much grew up on these recordings and just from the couple I've heard yesterday these are still as fresh and wonderful as ever! I remember reading on the notes of the original double disc that they are a period performance group but beyond that I don't know much about them other than the fact that they record exquisitely and that the performances are great. My disc is a double disc with white cover and just some old school writing...I would believe that is out of print now so the one I found online (and cheap) is this one and I'm sure it's the same version:

 

I'm very happy with the Suzuki, but I'd be interested in hearing the Savall and Alessandrini versions. I've heard that Richard Egarr's recording is very good, and Diego Fasolis's I Barrochisti get great reviews too.

The best of the newer recordings are properly polyphonic (what to the OP apparently sounded like a free for all!) whilst older recordings (even Pinnock's with the English Concert) tend to try and suborn everything to a lead line and basically sound as much like Mozart as possible.

Amongst older recordings I'd be interested in getting hold of Reinhard Goebels' with MAK although that is exactly what the OP was wanting to avoid -full on turbo baroque (mind you, I think this thread's gone way past it's sell by date as far as answering the OP's question is concerned).

 

Egarr's is good, but some may feel that his tempos are bit slow. I like it, as well as this one:

 

I don't have this recording, but I do have this group's recording of the Orchestral Suites, and can heartily recommend them.

 

^^ Indeed. They play with tremendous energy, and the sound is amazing, especially in multi-channel SACD

 

Anybody for Goebel?

 

I enjoy Goebel's recording as well. I don't own it, but have checked it out from the library in the past. It didn't stand out, to me, but certainly a good recording.

 

Look for the version by the Freiburger Barockoschester. It is actually posted on YouTube (this is not the reason for me to choose it of course). I have a high respect for their style: they indeed use authentic instruments and have a very exciting version of the Baroque style, with a certain strength that I have not found anywhere else.

You may also look at the recordings by La Petite Bande. I consider their style very "purist".