Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Manze, Rachel Podger, The Academy of Ancient Music - Bach: Solo & Double Violin Concertos /Manze * Podger * AAM * Manze

It's well known that most of Bach's harpsichord concertos began their lives as violin concertos. Since only three violin originals survive--the ones designated as BWV 1041-43--and since these are among his greatest instrumental works, musical scholars and performers have been reversing the process, turning the harpsichord concertos back into violin originals. BWV 1060 is one such case, a concerto for two harpsichords, which sounds much less clangy and bangy in this reconstructed version for two violins. Now Andrew Manze is simply the finest baroque violinist alive, and so this recording is self-recommending on that count alone. It's just about perfect. --David Hurwitz Amazon.com essential recording

One of the best Bach CDs available

Don't believe the bad reviews. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful versions of these Bach concertos ever recorded. March 2, 2007

I love it!

Wow, so much hatred from the highly edjoo-cated classicahl moozik snobs! IMHO, the purpose of art is to move the soul. That being the case, it doesn't matter if recording is good, any more than it matters whether your radio reception is good. I also don't believe that there is a "right" or "wrong" way to interpret a piece of music, any more than there is a "correct" amount of cheese to grate into your pasta. Go with what makes you happy, eh?

I think this CD is lots of fun, and is light and passionate. It puts me in a good mood. My SO was recently diagnosed with cancer, and I thusly turned off my car radio from war news and pulled out my favorite CDs to accompany my commute instead.

What made me smile again? Listening to this recording of Bach. Over and over. It sounds like how honey water tastes. Mmm lovely! October 31, 2006

Bach on speed

If you dislike the brutal articulation of Andrew Manze, the lack of sensitivity in his athletic speed, I recommend you to go for another, less sensational fiddler, also he original instruments and I bet much better historically informed: Sigiswald Kuijken.
His unmannered and stylish performances you'll find by searching Amazon: Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concertos, BWV 1041-1043 - Sigiswald Kuijen / La Petite Bande. June 20, 2006

right key

I need to correct some earlier reviews which state that, due to this recorded performance being played at a different pitch to the norm (a semitone lower or thereabouts), it is somehow played at the wrong tuning.

From my enthusiastic layman's knowledge of period instrument performance, I know that, in the 17th, 18th centuries, etc, pitch had not been standardised at what current pitching is accepted as. Indeed, accepted pitch varied geographically.

I hazard that Andrew Manze et al have spent some considerable thought about which historically accurate pitch to tune their instruments to for this recording and, as a result of their scholarly and artistic superiority to the rest of us (otherwise WE'D be playing rather than listening), are probably much closer to what Bach 'intended' (as if Bach would object to varying interpretations even in his own day???) than some of the less informed reviews suppose.

I for one adore Grumiaux (especially in his earlier ECO [not Swiss] performances - much more vital and less romantic) in this repertoire. But Manze is a superb addition all the same, could be one of the very finest performances I've heard of these works. I recommend this without reservation, but not instead of the classic performances in this repertoire.

I hazard that this will eventually be considered a 'classic' interpretation - the key it's played in suits me fine, and the playing is accurate, wonderfully pacey and incisive, and with that beauty of line only found in a small handful of recorded performances.

May 9, 2006

Wrong Key

I wouldn't say that this CD is the best... it's the worst! Don't buy it. The whole CD was played in the wrong key. Everything was played half-step lower. January 15, 2006

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