Following their highly successful release of 3 of the Bach Orchestral Suites (2016), the Zefiro Ensemble follows up with the Brandenburg Concertos, along with the second orchestra suite, completing the cycle.
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The first concerto’s almost chaotic opening is energetically charged through, giving the sense of a group of close collaborators having the time of their lives. In general, it’s a joyful, fun performances, but not lacking in seriousness. Listen to the tender pulse of the winds in the second movement when accompanying the violin solo (0:20). The second movement is not as serene as Concerto Italiano under Rinaldo Alessandrini (Naïve, 2005), but it’s not far off, maybe a bit riskier in its briskness. The trio episode in the Menuet is masterly decorated with small ornaments, highlighting the inventiveness of the music (and performers).
The second concerto shows the group in their most energetic and virtuosic. The soloists in this extremely challenging piece have full control of their period interments but still manage to project how difficult their parts are (this is where a lot of “perfect” performances fall down – Looking at you, Suzuki). It’s not a small, single player per-part, allocating 3 string players for first and second violin, and the balance between instruments, soloists and accompaniments sounds just right. Here again, there is an almost painful contrast between outer and inner movements, with a second movement as moving and intimate as any.
The Third Concerto is executed with an irresistible temper and fascinating dialogue of soloists with the assured continuo group. The “Adagio” break between movements is in the hand of the first violin here, who’s short, effective improvisation makes a perfect bridge that keeps the momentum going in the final movement.
The Fourth Concerto can be a bit tedious and repetitive when not handled right, but here it’s receiving a masterful performance – Listen to the playfulness of the two recorders, perfectly syncing their parts in the first movement, and how linearly they sing at the slow, second movement. The solo violin magnificently impresses in the solo segments (violinist Cecilia Bernardini). It’s hard to recall a better version of this concerto in recent years, if anywhere in the catalog.
There may be a musicological justification of playing the “Alla Breve” first Allegro of the Fifth Concerto on the fast side, but one can’t avoid feeling the performance here sounds hard pressed. There is some impressive playing from Harpsichordist Francesco Corti though, as in the rest of the album, and the second movement is lovingly treated. That being said, Richard Egarr on Harmonia Mundi (2009) gives a much more balanced account as a whole.
Moving to the heavily strings-centered Sixth Concerto, we have yet another highly energetic performance (but not excessively so this time), with the group making sense of the long stretches of harmonies that can sound so ordinary in other performances. Soloists and continuo once again form a perfect balance, making this less-popular concerto truly come to life.
Once again, the second suites’ French Overture first movement could have benefited from more a measured pace, and the Fugue that follows is less exciting when contrasted with that pressed an opening. Nothing to fault with the soloists, especially the animated phrasing of flutist Marcello Gatti. Hear, for instance, how wonderful he is engaged with the small group in the Sarabande. It’s a one-per-part performance, as it should be; better to create your own playlist combining it with the rest of the suites, as coming after the more thickly orchestrated 4 concertos, it can sound unjustifiably modest in comparison.
It’s a close and relatively loud recording, with mics closely picking up the instrumentalists but keeping a wide enough sense of surroundings not to sound dry.
This is a highly animated, energetic and engaging Brandenburg Concertos release, one of the best in recent memory, and which can stand alongside the best versions out there – namely Rinaldo Alessandrini conducting Concerto Italiano (Naïve) and Trever Pinnock’s second version (AVIE). Honorable mentions should be given to Richard Egarr with the Academy of Ancient Music (Harmonia Mundi) or to the more recent surveys by Concerto Köln (Berlin Classics) and John Butt, conducting the Dunedin Consort (Linn Records).
Bach – Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-6, Orchestral Suite No. 2
Zefiro
Alfredo Bernardini – Conductor
Outhere Music, CD A 452
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