The Brandenburg Concertos were the first Bach I heard as a kid. I've collected about 30 different recordings of them since I started buying CD's close to 30 years ago and I'm still trying to pick a true favorite...

After all these years I do now hear them in a somewhat specific way in my head that none of them quite match, so I suppose I will continue buying new recordings for years to come searching for the one that most rings true to what I want to hear, or until someone lends me an orchestra and a recording studio for a while...

 

The Brandenburg Concertos were the first Bach I heard as a kid. I've collected about 30 different recordings of them since I started buying CD's close to 30 years ago and I'm still trying to pick a true favorite...

After all these years I do now hear them in a somewhat specific way in my head that none of them quite match, so I suppose I will continue buying new recordings for years to come searching for the one that most rings true to what I want to hear, or until someone lends me an orchestra and a recording studio for a while...

Rather similar to my story, but in contrast to you I do not search for something which matches my idea of the Brandenburgs. Instead I enjoy the many different approaches, many of them inspiring and doing things I hadn't imagined myself.

 

What would the main characteristics of your approach be?

 

They aren't all that much different that most peoples, mainly certain textures, balances, phrasings, etc. but I also specifically have in mind a pulse that I feel creates a natural flow between the tempos of the movements and unifies the work in a certain way, much the way Glenn Gould did. There are several recordings I think are in the ball park but there are usually small details that I would just change slightly, the brass may be too harsh on the ears or too muffled, a passage may sound rushed, etc. Minor stuff in the grand scheme of things but things that to my ear I would like to hear just slightly different.

 

Yes, this is also most of the things I put stress on: Balance, the location of the different instrument in the sound picture, scoring, tempo, articulation and certain details e.g. execution of trills.

Given the hunting call themes of the corni, I think they ought to be a bit prominent, whereas the tromba should balance perfectly with the recorder, oboe and violin. Often it's too prominent. Usually in recordings I also find the harpsichord (particularly in no.5) and the viola da gambas in no.6 underbalanced. In concerto no.3 the violins should be to the left, the violas to the right and the celli midstage. This will clearly display the antiphony between violins and violas. And in concerto no. 1 the strings should be to the left, the reeds to the right and the corni midstage, displaying the antiphony between strings and reeds - to name a few examples.

 

My go to has always been Paillard's 70s recording with Rampal and Andre. Orchestra isn't too big for the piece but not as skeletal as most HIPs (although as far as HIP goes the Taffelmuisk recording is also great).

 

But seriously-any love for the Richter/Munich? I really love it! View attachment 142663 [/QUOTE] Oh yes, I absolutely adore these CD's! Been listening to them for 5 years now, and enjoy them just as much as I did the first time I put them on! Despite not following HIP, they are my favourite of all the recordings I've listened to. My family regularly find me humming or singing parts from these concertos around the house; I attribute this to these remastered Richter/Munich recordings.

 

This is no exaggeration, but the Brandenburg Concertos are one of my special interests, so I know at least 200 complete sets - most of them quite well. You would think that would make it easier for me to make recommendations, but on the contrary, it makes it almost impossible, because the majority of the recordings are absolutely excellent.

However my recommendation for PI (if it must be) is the set by

Linde Consort led by Hans Martin Linde

and for MI the

Combattimento Consort Amsterdam led by Jan Willem de Vriend,