- A
- A
- A
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos were my introduction to classical music; searching for more such cheerful delights, I next bought a tape of his first two harpsichord concertos. My pre-teen self was grieved by the stern D Minor Concerto, but the E Major made up for it. Bach in all his moods soon won over my emotions, and I’ve had a soft spot for these wonderful pieces ever since. Corti has now recorded all the solo concertos; this contains 3, 5, 6, and the concerto for harpsichord, flute, and violin. Il Pomo d’Oro sounds bigger than their ten people, helping Mr. Corti weave a rich sonic tapestry. As is standard these days, the strings live in a land of no vibrato; their intonation is spot-on, though. Tempos tend to be big-city fast, but the musicians do let us breathe now and then, like in the opening of the Sixth. There’s rubato and little hesitations in unexpected places; I’m not entirely convinced by all of them, but they do make me pay attention to the proceedings. The bigger complaint is the lack of piano or even mezzo-piano moments. Vivacity should not preclude subtlety. Still, their buoyant joy in music-making is undeniable.
By Stephen Estep
More articles from this editorRead Next From Music
Igor Levit: Fantasia
- Mar 26, 2024
Madlib: Shades of Blue (Madlib Invades Blue Note)
- Mar 22, 2024
Betty Davis: Crashin’ from Passion
- Mar 19, 2024
The Replacements: Tim: Let it Bleed Edition
- Mar 15, 2024