This 9 CD set contains the complete solo concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach: the Brandenburg Concertos, violin concertos, keyboard concertos for one, two, three, and four harpsichords and the triple concerto. As an attractive “bonus” two CD’s are included which contains concerto reconstructions, for oboe, oboe d’amore, oboe and violin and 3 violins. In some cases Bach wrote an arrangement for another solo instrument of an existing concerto of his (or by other composers, such as Vivaldi and Marcello). The original concertos are often lost, and these are reconstructed by present day musicologists and musicians.
The performances here are all historically informed in style, if not all played on instruments either from or closely modeled on those used in Bach’s time. ‘Modern’-instrument performances include the concertos which survive in versions for solo violin – though Bach probably wrote them originally with the harpsichord in mind – in which Thomas Zehetmair is both soloist and director of the Amsterdam Bach Soloists with his characteristically bold and incisive sound and interpretative insight. The oboe concerto recordings are Lithuanian in origin, with Andrius Puskingis again soloist/ director with the St Christopher Chamber Orchestra, in sprightly and mellifluous readings.
Excellent performances on period instruments, by Musica Amphion/Pieter-Jan Belder, Thomas Zehetmair, Christine Schornsheim and oboist Andrius Puskunigis.
