I play jazz, and I love Bach. Total total genius. It took me most most of my life to master just a few pieces, and every time I play them I find some new line hidden in the myriad of mathematical purity.
And so am I (except fo rmetal), but also rhytm and blues, blues, pop, flamenco, MPB (popular brazilian music), and many other brazilian genres, among others. Have you already tried Haendel´s Fireworks Music and Water Music? I´m 60, and have discovered Bach (and Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Vivaldi, Copland, Gershwin, Dvorak, Grieg, Holst) much earlier, fortunately. Try also Mars the bringer of war, by Gustav Holst. That´s pure rock´n roll, and "inspired" John Williams to compose Star Wars theme. Zeppelin´s Kashmir is similar, in many ways, to classic music.
In my case it was the opposite and back. As a teenager I went for metal precisely because it had that energetic baroque and romantic spirit I liked so much in Vivaldi, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, with that touch of Verdi and Puccini. In my late twenties jazz caught my attention, and only then I looked back and found a renewed appreciation for Bach.
One of my favorite performances of this concerto is by Apollo's Fire. They play the first movement at a sightly more relaxed tempo which I feel allows the listener to hear the nuances of the solo musicians. Jeannette Sorrell plays the harpsichord cadenza with expression, using tempo variations and subtle pauses to really make the solo feel alive and vibrant, instead of just being an impressive technical showpiece.
Thank you for the interesting lecture. The 5th Concerto was always my favourite, from my childhood. It is so beautiful and full of energy. Trurly modern music. Bach is the greatest...
I find it amazing to think that in those days they, musicians, thought of themselves as craftsmen (working a craft) rather than the later 19C Romanticists who thought of themselves as artists with a desire to express their personal inner vision. That difference is stark and somehow puts a new light on analysis of Baroque music. And to think that their musical compositions were meant to be current, played once mainly only for that occasion and then on to the next occasion and new music. More like an improv session once its done its over. Not expected to be revered, played year after year and catalogued for posterity. Quite different.
Listening to the music you love, on the speakers you designed from the ground up, with that said music genre in mind, and it sounding amazing, while entertaining your viewers, SUPER!
Great observation ! Myself-I learned TONS from studying Bach's masterpieces, starting with organ and piano as a kid, and later in my teens listening to basically everything Bach. Virtually all Classically trained prog-rock musicians, all Jazz musicians, Film and media composers - for everyone Bach's music was, is and will always be essential ! Keith Jarret just recently described himself in an interview with Rick Beato : "I'm Bachian with everything I play...". That says it all. Brandenburg 5th is a masterpiece, and truly a marvelous keyboard workout to be studied on daily basis ! I love Cafe Zimmermann performance (their entire album is, simply put - incredibly well recorded).
In fact Bach's influence upon prog music of 1970s was very pronounced, but there is serious exaggeration in believing that masters of rock keyboards en masse were classically-trained, graduates of conservatories etc. Actually, few were, most of others just being sensitive, gifted and open-minded.
@@greg-warsaw4708True - lots of prog-rock (and not only) musicians were trained outside of any curriculum, oftentimes combining both: their own musical research, and direct instruction from seasoned musicians in their immediate community. In fact : one doesn’t need so called “formal training” to become a master, but there’s a catch in terminology… Either at actual music school with other kids or in your own private study room (Jacob Collier) the gist is the same: you learn step-by-step pretty much the same thing. So, in the way you apply “formal training “ to yourself by practicing and studying the exact same material as kids at music school do. Even when you’re at a formal music school (myself included) or study privately- 95 percent of time is just you in your practice room. But virtually all prog rock musicians had great understanding of music on all levels, were familiar with music history, music notation etc.
In mid-80s, being a 20 years old fan of rock, incl. prog, during my early ventures into Bach, I experienced a great moment. While listening to organ works (from a worn cassette) suddenly, mid-way through some fugue (might have well been a toccata or a prelude precedent to a fugue) I heard a fragment as if directly taken from some fine keyboard solo of Genesis or Camel - I heard music I was so closely related to. Surely I knew the influence must have gone the other way round but despite much effort I haven't traced back to put a finger on what Bach's work it was. I thought it could be a fugue in A major but my attempts to find this moment of epiphany have failed so far (BWV536 it is not).
One of the most underrated performances of all of the Brandenburg Concertos are those done by Wendy Carlos on the Moog Synthesizer. Her arrangement and performance of No.5 is one of my favorite performances of that concerto, even when put up against recordings with traditional instruments. The separation of the instruments and the voices, and her arrangement of the continuo part puts the music in such a fresh an revealing light, there is no other recording that I know of that can even come close to it in that regard. If you have never heard it, I heartily recommend it, particularly if you are already familiar with the concerto.
Wonderful episode! Watching how this music brings joy to you is very infectious. The world is a much better place with videos like this, thank you. Was not aware of Cafe Zimmermann until now. Quite impressive - pieces were beautifully played and recorded. Gone is the typical large scale, "wall of sound", plodding Brandenburgs.
Thank you! That’s wonderfully kind. I agree, it’s refreshing to hear an intimate version of no.5. I think the world can do with a bit of joy these days.
I'm afraid by saying _wall-of-sound_ you might refer to Trevor Pinnock's The English Concert. I'd love to get Cafe's but a quick search for their CD failed badly - Amazon offers one at equivalent of >500 USD (sic) and without shipping to my country.
I have been listening to Bach since I was a child (thanks, Dad!). I have listened to many versions since (I'm almost 68 now). Each adds a bit of insight into what Bach REALLY meant. In any case, a rose by any other name...
Thanks for your comment. Indeed, I find that even when I listen to versions that at first I don’t like. At the very least they help me challenge my existing prejudices and even sometimes help you to find more in the work
I learned in school that the Brandenburg Concertos were written, basically, as a "resume" for the Margrave of Brandenburg because Bach had heard that there was a job opening at his court. But when the margrave received the scores he took one look at it and noted that it was way too difficult for his orchestra. Consequently, it was never performed in Bach''s lifetime. Not only this, but JS Bach was never nearly as famous as his sons. It took Felix Mendelssohn nearly 100 years later to re-discover Bach. That's when JS hit the big time.
That's very true. Sadly, if it wasn't for Mendelssohn perhaps to this day J.S.Bach and his music would have fallen into complete obscurity ? Perhaps someone else would "discover" Bach if Mendelssohn didn't ? Perhaps Brahms ? Perhaps Ravel ? Mozart himself was performing Bach's works EVERY SUNDAY at Noon at Baron van Swieten's , arranging his fugues for a string quartet and marveling at Bach's magnificent oeuvre. Chopin carried with him "Das Wohltemperierte Klavier" everywhere he went. He performed and studied both volumes on daily basis throughout his entire life. He couldn't live a day without studying Bach... But these were "informed" individuals, music geniuses themselves ! Broader audiences had zero idea about J.S.Bach.
@@KrystofDreamJourneyIt's a scary thought. Partly because it makes me wonder if there are any geniuses in the ballpark of Bach that have been completely forgotten.
Very interesting session Harley. For me it's Café Zimmerman; warmer and closer to the instruments. But what I retain the most is that you were listening to music and NOT your stereo system. That's the sign that shows that the delivery method is attained and that afterwards all you need to do is enjoy your favorite music.
Café Zimmermann are great. In the same vein is Zefiro. The quality of the recordings and an ensemble clearly passionate about the material make for a very engaging listening. One of my favourite test tracks is their rendition of La Bella vita militar from Mozart´s Cosi fań tutte
All are well done. Zimmerman did the 2nd movement (25:40) the best and Italiano did the 1st and 3rd movements (29:14)the best in my opinion. And in the first movement, I like Concerto Cologne; Alte Musik ensemble and Italiano ensemble all tied as the contrapuntal interplay can be thoroughly enjoyed. The Abaddo is in a class by itself as my favorite by familiarity. Thanks for your efforts with this channel. 👍🏾
Cafe Zimmerman are magnificent. I love to do what you are doing here: comparing two or more performances by different ensembles of the same piece of music.
There is a radio program in México's FM 94.5 called La Otra Versión (The other versión). It has been on the air -on a weekly basis- for over 20 years and does that. Many versions of the same piece. It is wonderful.
Beautiful, I listened on my Bowers and Wilkins, Metric Halo converters and YES, I do agree with the phat, clear, concise performance of Café. Fantastic video thank you!
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH !!!! So brilliant and passionate - as still I am since more than forty years - about this magnificent masterpiece. You made a nice didactic job :) Meet the Brandebourg Concertos was one of the most important, surprising, inner, joyful and really amazing event of my whole life. I was in my 20s, studying classical guitar since my teens, grew up playing piano and listening all kind of music - from Beatles to Chopin, Rossini's operas and Ella Fitzgerald, the sparkling rich italian's songs repertoire (the napolitian tradition and the new '60s songs) and then of course rock, pop and jazz from Deep Purple to Weather Report. I had been at a concert, did by some teachers of my conservatory and among the works they played, I was immediatly touched by the firsts mesures of the Third concert. A couple of hours later, I joined some friends for a party, put the Bach's record on the turntable, and started to dance !!!!!! I totally agree with the heading of your video. I've listend the Brandebourg's for many many years almost daily, mostly starting with the Third. First came the historical recording by THE great master Gustav Leonhardt. MUSICA ANTIQUA KOLN - masterfully conducted by Reinhard Goebel - is still at the firsts places of my favourite's list. CAFE ZIMMERMANN's version is very close to their rendiiton. Then come CONCERTO ITALIANO, Trevor PINNOCK's records and IL GIARDINO ARMONICO conducted by Giovanni ANTONINI. Thank you again :) Greetings from Paris.
Albert Schweitzer wrote: "The Brandenburg concertos are the purest products of Bach's polyphonic style. We seem to see before us what the philosophy of all ages conceives as the fundamental mystery of all things--that self-unfolding of the idea in which it creates its own opposite in order to overcome it, until it finally returns to itself having traversed the whole of existence".
I thoroughly enjoyed your talk. To date my favourite has been the recording that Trevour Pinnock and the English Concert produced. It was a revelation at the time, and what I was most impressed with when I first heard it was the irrepressible joy he brought to the whole set. Cafe Zimmermann are magnificent and I have heard a few of their recordings, but I have not heard their complete set, but if it is good as Number 5, then this may very well become my favourite. All the recordings you demonstrated and listed, as well as many that your commentators have mentioned, are also very fine. Where a lot of recent recordings of baroque composers tend to lose me is in the breathtaking speeds that some of them employ, and often there is not enough attention played to let the phrases breathe. The selection you offer here shows many different approaches that are all valid and have their strengths and weaknesses. I look forward to looking through some of your other offerings. Thank you.
THANK YOU ! Every time I get a notification about your new upload it puts a smile on my face. I realize what goes into making these exceptional videos and I really appreciate it. You changed the way I listen to music. Keep up the great work !
I fell in love with all the Bach Bradenburg concertos the first time I heard this when I was 14..I have listened many times since then (at least once a year)
Thank you for the time and effort put into this wonderful video. I am sticking to my 1985 Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (ERATO) version, only because it feels really confortable. But you made me discover the Jacques Loussier Trio version, Listening to it as I write this. Thank you again.
Listening to your music collection of Bach and seeing you swinging your hand in time brought back a lovely memory of a dear friend we lost to cancer at age 30. He was a wonderful pianist and had a grand piano crammed into a room in his small house. He would light the candles on his piano, turn out the electric light and PLAY Bach, Beethoven ,Handel so beautifully it was dreamlike. He was the one who gave us a majority of music education with little facts thrown in and lots of humor…..he used to say,’’Bach is a real toetapper!’’ Still makes us laugh because he is so rhythmic. Thanks for your video, it was a pleasure to listen to your different versions and observations.
Thank you so much for sharing your lovely backstory. What a privilege you had to experience Bach and other composers in this way. That’s how it should be, deep, personal, intimate
@@PearlAcoustics Truly! We were most blessed by our dear friend. Shortly before he died he had us take him to the charming old Episcopal chapel where he played organ when healthy. He unlocked the empty chapel and told us to take a pew. He proceeded to play the organ with such tender pathos….until he tired and had to be taken back home. He was a once in a lifetime gift of a friend. He gave us musical memories and quotes that we still tell one another to this day , 40 years later.
Dear Harley, after a busy day at work, there is nothing better than listening to these wonderful pieces of eternal music. Thank you for the way you manage to deal with topics in such a pleasant and interesting way, hearty congratulations! And to answer your question, I prefer Concerto Italiano! greetings from la bella Italia! ciao, Lorenzo
Thanks you so much for your very kind message. It’s lovely to learn how much you appreciate my efforts. Maybe we’ll meet one day? But until then, enjoy the music! Best wishes, H
A treat to hear the analysis and 15:42 perspective on these recordings from an educated audiophile in the best sense. My grandad back in the 1960s had a custom stereo with Macintosh components, Bose speakers and Sony phonograph and with meticulous notes on index cards for every record.
Damn! I wish I'd not found your video, sir! The Cafe Zimmerman performance of BWV 1050 is superlative. Utterly clear and with such delicious fluidity. I shall now have to try and find a presumably hyper-inflated copy, as it seems to be no longer available. I also note they have BWV 1052 on the same disc, and that is the piece of music which converted me into a Bach follower.
@@PearlAcoustics I hope Alpha Classics will grant your wish. I have several recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, I read record reviews frequently, and I never came across this one. It is just breathtaking. You approach in this review is very helpful.
The Academie fur Alte Musik is not just faster, but the paired notes make more of a melody, by accenting the first note of each pair, so you really hear the ascending arpeggios. I notice most of what’s being compared are tempi and the halls they’re recorded in, but there’s also an interpretive difference at work, at least the Academie recording compared to the rest.
Magnificent. The harpsichord solo was (to my ear) starting to stray into the territory of Ligeti, Continuum, and Hungarian Rock. Certainly I’m sure Ligeti will have learned from this extraordinary writing. Another fascinating episode Harley. I’m very happy to reconnect, and my 93 year old Dad is happy too. He remembers you very well. Regards Keith.
Indeed, I think if one was to hear the solo, completely out of context, one could be forgiven for guessing it was 20th century. That’s what makes it so remarkable to me. Not so much that it was ahead of its time, but that humans seem to have the same need and method to express themselves across centuries. Each generation finding their own way of sliding into a form of cacophony. Thanks for the personal message too. Feel free to reach out, H
Fully agree on your evaluation of Cafe Zimmermann. It’s stunning (the quality of my headphones is the main limiting factor, I’m afraid). But still, I would have really appreciated exploration on how this relates to rock, jazz etc. the title suggests that you would share your views.
Hi, thanks for your comment. the title was meant more as a hypothetical question based upon the structure of the first movement. If you look at the form of the first movement, with repeated themes and development, ending with a very long solo, after which the full orchestra / band come back in, one more time with the main theme to finish the work, you will find this structure in so many jazz and rock structures, especially in live performances in the 1970’s and 80’s. Key examples include Dave Brubecks’ Take 5, Led Zeppelin’s Moby Dick, and many others. In fact most live jazz combos work this way when playing live. I hope that helps a bit?
Fascinating analysis of one of my favourites, Bach’s Brandenburg Nr. 5. Thank you 🙏 Fascinating to compare the various renditions. Isn’t it interesting what makes a particular interpretation work for you? It’s so highly individual. But no doubt Bach was the master composer. His works groove, they swing, they’re ‘in the pocket’, they’re completely satisfying. And to me this harpsichord solo is the stuff of legends-! No wonder that to this day, even young and upcoming pop, jazz and rock musicians say that they would love to sit down with Bach if they could….
Walter's (now Wendy's) synthesized version converted me from a passive Bach listener to a passionate enthusiast. Moments into movement #1, I lifted the needle on the vinyl, lit up (hey, it was early 70s), put on my headphones & restarted it. The astonishing clarity of the his/her electronic sound made every note a pyrotechnic experience replayed thousands of times since. I've never heard an acoustic performance to equal it. It kick-started a lifetime of exploration of the wonders of J.S. Bach.
I love my old Brandenberg Concertos by the Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra (mid-70's recording) on LP and CD which I think are now out of print. The great Igor Kipnis on the harpsi.
What a great video and what a great channel! I fell in love when I was a teenager with Bach's music when listening to the Brandenburg concertos in their electronic version by Walter, now Wendy Carlos (Bach: Switched on Brandenburgs). I agree with some comments in the sense that the tempo in some versions is very fast. My very favorite version of the Brandenburg concerts is by Karel Brazda with the Slavonian Philharmonic under the Denon Essentials label.
I have always had a strange mix of music that i love, i am especially fond of 50s and 60s golden oldies and strange obscure 70s and 80s goth punk and new wave music. but Bach was astounding in the quantity and quality of music he composed, and The Brandenburg Concertos No 5 and 2 particularly are among my favorite pieces ever.
Good morning, I really appreciated this comparison, especially the version of "Café Zimmermann by Pablo Valetti". At this point it would also be interesting to compare the recording of the "Freiburger Barockorchester" to the 2014 recording for Harmonia mundi, which according to the CD booklet was made at a very low pitch: A/A=392Hz. With your speakers it should sound great!
Hi there, Dear Harley it was a magnificent BACH! You enjoy BACH concertos in the exactly same way as I do and I loved it! Best Regards from Athens Greece
The 1st movt is one of my favorite pieces; what I hear, and listen out for, is that as the piece progresses, more and more of the music is handed over to the harpsichord, until finally its carrying the entire piece by itself. If you dont pay attention, its imperceptible, and you suddenly wake up and say, hang on, where's everyone else gone? But if you pay attention, you can watch people dropping out, kinda like the Farewell Symphony. So you finally hear the harpsichord doing the entire thing - but that's just the beginning. The Haprsichord then goes completely wacko, with great swooping movements, wonderful intricate clockwork, shifting harmonies... its kind of a shame when it hands back to the orchestra at the end. I feel the same way at the end of Beethoven's 9th, when the crazy soloists weilt their flugels into the heavens and soar unbounded, but then we are dragged back to reality by the orchestra doing its thing. Amazing pieces. Totally recommend Wendy Carlos version, because it plays with the stereo and has the cadenza flying over your head and back again.. Incredible. Another youtube video has a great version of the Cadenza... ua-cam.com/video/hH8dI962Iqg/v-deo.html I just wish he wouldnt pause at 2:20 (to be fair, there's a page change). But he does a very good job of balancing the clockwork and the soaring (which changes at that critical moment).
PS. There is so much great Bach out there that totally flies past the radar. The problem with so many of the recordings you mention, especially the English and the originalists, is that they pin the music into the baroque, particularly anything with recorders in it. But Bach's music is far beyond his time, and so it really benefits from new sonorities. Like Wendy Carlos, but also like Godin's version of "Wiederstehe" ua-cam.com/video/NwLLlT7MBkE/v-deo.html which really is just the perfect rendition of this piece. The zombie surfers are just the icing on the cake. I dont like a lot of modern music because of the constant drums, but they really make the pulse work in this piece. But also try Bach's duetto in E minor (#1). Particularly one played at a nice fast clip. ua-cam.com/video/c-5G3K_ekd0/v-deo.html But I could name 50 incredible pieces by Bach. Much of it waiting for a modern interpretation.
I bought the Orchestra Mozart versions with Claudio Abbado on DVD years ago,and it's still my favorite. It's on UA-cam now. Very lively versions with pretty young musicians!
Not quite right. It's a quote from Douglas Adams - 'I don't think a greater genius has walked the earth. Of the 3 great composers Mozart tells us what it's like to be human, Beethoven tells us what it's like to be Beethoven and Bach tells us what it's like to be the universe. '
You didn't mention that the Cologne recording was, for some reason, in C. Bizarre. I do agree with you about the Cafe Zimmerman: the overall balance, the dialogue between all the instruments in the 2nd movement (including the harpsichord) and the colours which seem to me to give each voice a personality of its own. I'll have to buy it. Gorgeous. That 1st movement theme is printed on my brain since, some 40 years ago, I was made to write it out in Braille from ear as part of my School Certificate (your GCSEs). Your presentation was interesting and instructive.
You're one of the few to notice the difference in pitch, it seems. The Abbado recording is the only one set at modern concert pitch a4= 440Hz. The other recordings favor a4 ~415Hz. The Concerto Cöln Ensemble has a4 at approx. 392Hz, which is well within the range usually associated with baroque performance practice. 'Frequency measurement' or rather producing a pitch of known frequency (Robert Hooke's wheel, later known as Savart wheel) was only invented in 1681. John Shore invented the tuning fork in 1711. Yet, until well into the late 19th century there was no standard pitch. Concert pitch varied greatly. Usually vocal pieces, due to anatomy, were pitched lower than instrumental music.
Glad to find this YT channel. Thank you for providing us such a good lecture about Bach's music. I am sure there will be more gems and diamonds of classic music pieces waiting to be digged out to share with us.😊
@@PearlAcoustics I cheered when you mentioned the Claudio Abbado and the Orchestra Mozart version as this is my most favourite recording. Edit: As I have a performance on video, I have to admit that the video version is the one I prefer!
Wonderful to hear your views about music that is among my all time favourite. I have multiple versions - and I love the diversity of experiences they collectively deliver - no dislikes at all. My mood dictates what I will listen at any given time. I have, however, a soft corner for Maestro Abbado's version - of which I have the original bluray. It is an audio-visual feast. Though, maestro looks frail and was perhaps not in the best of health during the recording. The bluray delivers fantastically both 2 channel and multi-channel audio - though the multi-channel is more for the ambient parts of the recording with the music being largely confined to L+R speakers.
@@PearlAcoustics I have come very late to your channel. Whatever little that I have watched thus far - it has indeed been a delight of learning to listen to your measured and erudite discourses on music, equipment, and your personal experiences of recording and designing speakers. Hope you continue to enlighten us. All the very best.
Over my years I've collected a number of different recordings of these concertos. The 'slowest' and most "stately" version I have is one of Yehudi Menuhin and the Bath Festival Orchestra. The first movement clocks in at 10:46!
Great listening session, thank you for presenting such a variety of executions/ recordings. I know and love the Concerto Italiano and Concerto Koeln versions. Cafe Zimmerman one sounds less striking to me but it might be down to the fact I’m not familiar with it. Very beautiful staccato in the second movement by the Akademie fuer alte musik Berlin. I will listen to all of them in the next days, then will come back here. Following up after repeated listening of all the versions, I really appreciate the take of Cafe Zimmermann . The clarity is exemplary with a special accent on the contrapuntal structure of the JS Bach composition, revealing and impressive. There is another trait, almost haydnesque softness as opposed to the archaic French style of the Akademie fuer alte musik take on the second movement.
Thanks for sharing. JS Bach is my favorite. This reminds me of when i was a little kid and my friend and i would compare original instrument orchestras renditiond with modern.
@@PearlAcoustics yes we had an odd way of rebelling against our parents who liked that decadent post revolutionary classical music, silly wing flapping conductors, trumpets with valves, and the Enlightenment in general. Now I like it all - even Gigi D'Agostino.
Amazing video; thank you!!! I would love to see you discuss Wendy Carlos' synthesizer versions of the Brandenburg Concertos. She recorded each one of them in an extremely complex manner which deserves deep analysis as it set the standard for electronic music for decades to come. Wendy Carlos is still alive at the time of this post (Jun-27-2024).
You’re very welcome, thanks for your kind appreciation. Indeed, there can be no question that for my (our) generation, Wendy Carlos’ switched on Bach had a major influencing factor. I did consider it but thought the contrast was too big for this comparison series. But thanks for bringing it into the discussion
@@PearlAcousticsI completely understand. Perhaps an exclusive video dedicated to Wendy Carlos? I subscribed to your channel and I’m very excited about it.
Really enjoyed this video, thanks Harley. I have Trevor Pinnock's English Concert version which I must have had for 20 years and it still sounds great to my ears. The Café Zimmerman does sound wonderful, but sadly doesn't seem to be available on CD.
First time I listened to Brandenburg concertos in 1997 I was amazed! But N. 5 remains my favourite. I said to my friends: would you like to know where modern music come from? Listen to this! I'm so glad we are at least two! The sad part is... nothing is useless than an answer without any question! Anyway, I still get chills listening the vastness of Bach music. Thank you! 😍🎶🎵🎶😍 And can you spend a minute to tell us something about your stereo? I would like to be there! 🤩
Hi thanks for your very kind appreciation. It’s very motivating. I have listed all the components I used in the video in the description. Depending where you live, we can arrange a visit… best wishes, H
A favorite of mine, and I prefer the Concerto Italiano because there is one instrument per part. With a good system and speakers you can clearly hear all of the parts all of the time. They play with real love for the music and the instruments are beautiful. There is even a video of their recording sessions and a discussion of why Bach appeals to Italian musicians even more than Italian composers!
Rinaldo ALESSANDRINI - founder and conductor of CONCERTO ITALIANO, - after his basic musical education, came to the Baroque period and repertoire as self-taught musician. I met him several times in Italy at his beginning - early 90s. Once was during a reherseal of MONTEVERDI's madrigals, some friends of me were among the singers. His version of IL COMBATTIMENTO DI TANCREDI E CLORINDA is the most powerful I ever listened and watched. You can hear the sword's smash.
Thanks for a lively, entertaining and informative presentation. I was also amused, in an admiring way, to see you had tube (or valve!) electronics. I've heard endless discussions of the relative merits of equipment types, as varied as those of performances; but in the end, not abstract argument but the subjective response to the sound is all that matters for judging - which is extremely personal. 'De gustibus electronicae non est disputandum!' Ah. Now I've investigated your channel, I understand! These are your designs. Kudos!
absolutely, it's an amazing guitar solo - harpsichord almost sounds as electric guitar, except no distortion. Also among the first keyboard concertos, where it finally takes the spotlight...
Great video. Thank you. I was born with Brandenburg 3 in my DNA. Blame switched on Bach and Bob Moog. Of course I bought all 6 in different versions, let's not forget Karl Richter's. Number three is ecstasy, the pinnacle, like Beethoven's second movement of the 9th, pure hyper brain activity. Brandenburg 5 is, like you suggest, Keith Jarrett and Miles
Sigo periódicamente sus videos y realmente son maravillosos. Me encantó las versiones que ha expuesto. Personalmente me crié con las versiones de Richter (debido a mis 78 años). He escuchados muchas, pero hoy en día, mi preferida es la de Masaaki Suzuki , vale la pena escucharla.
Thanks for the thoughtful videos! This is my favorite piece because of the harpsichord, and Hogwood/AAM is my favorite version. It's like skipping in the woods and getting lost in circles, but resolving a way out. I always wondered why versions sounded so different and thought that the Goldberg Variations might help me find what Bach was looking for in the first movement. Do you like Jean Rondeau on harpsichord? ...Other videos were also nice, so far: Radiohead, Marley, PF, Bach, Vivaldi !
You’re very welcome, I am so glad you enjoy them! (Coming up soon, Mozart piano concerto no 15.)… Thanks for for your contribution to the topic. I am not sure I know much of Jean Rondeau’s work, I will have to do some research! 🙏
Harley, you hit the nail on the head. The Brandenburgs are good Dixieland with superb syncopation. But the best, head and shoulders over the rest is by " The Virtuosi of England" The analogue tape version was extraordinarily high quality.
I thank you for such searching and sensible videos. I don't know what will be the future of recorded music in a streaming environment, especially in what concerns classical music. The editorial quality of covers and booklets is essential in my view. I've collected this series of Café Zimmermann's recordings of Bach music. At the time, the CDs of the Alpha label were wonderful objects, not only in musical quality but also in their texts and iconography. Every CD contained the reproduction and the discussion of a painting of the period in question, giving us an inspiring dialogue between arts. Physical media is still necessary when the music of the past needs to reach today's listeners.
Thank you for your kind appreciation. I totally agree with you. I too find it a massive shame that streaming services do not include the booklets and covers, front and back. As you so eloquently put it, a great text in a booklet, can stretch our imagination and knowledge to a much higher understanding. I know that Naxos’ streaming library (sadly only for academic usage) contains the booklets and also manuscripts etc. And it covers virtually all classical music CD’s ever recorded.
Very interesting video! Great fan of the Brandenburg Concertos in general and the 5th and 6th specifically. However what I miss in your vid is the fact that some recordings seems to be recorded in A 440 and others in A 415. It has in my opinion a huge impact on the general atmosphere of the piece. I personally prefer the recording in A 415 hz.
I remember studying this Brandenburg in university and thinking at the time how the keyboardist, Tony Banks, from the UK band Genesis lifted passages of the harpsichord credenza for a number of his contributions to Genesis songs.
I believe that Bach influenced so many musicians and composers over the centuries, and he himself was influenced by people such as Scarlatti and Vivaldi, to name but two
@@PearlAcoustics E.g. Bach's Concerto For Four Harpshichords based in Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins. By the way, my favorite Bach's recording: Virtuosi Di Roma - Renato Fasano. I thank you very much for this fantastic experience.
This subject (of old music influencing some of late 1960s/70s music) is yet to get proper analysis. And it is very interesting. Less so (just good for making a comprehensive list) are plain inclusions of excerpts of the former into the latter (e.g. Rick Wakeman from Brahms' 4th Symphony in E minor, 3rd Movement, on Fragile album or Keith Emerson from Bach's Prelude no.6 in D minor BWV851 or from Mussorgsky's Pictures on an Exhibition or Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker or Bach's Toccata in F Major BWV540; or Ray Manzarek from The Doors quoting Chopin's Polonaise in A flat major op. 53 in Hyacinth House - examples go on forever, Procol Harum, Deep Purple, many more). This, I think, is trivial compared to the subject of inspirations (not note-for-note renditions) and how they are revealed. I haven't seen a proper insight about it yet. And of course fantastic Tony Banks would appear in this area. But to create such an analysis, it would take somebody really competent in both fields. And here is the problem (gap if you like) as many classical music lovers ignore most popular music and most of the latter's fans aren't knowledgeable enough in the former). By the way, the above title is right - influences there were and they encompassed heavy metal rock (although statement from the title is not developed in the video). For one example, the cadenza played on solo harpsichord in the Brandenburg 5th, Allegro, is obviously to be heard as an inspiration of general structure, pattern, type of ascending passage (not details) in many crafty metal guitar solos. Another topic to be delved into by an expert gifted with good ear and open attitude to different genres.
Apart from Banks' very interesting influences from old music, I'd dare to say an intricate background tapestry of 12-string guitars on Genesis' _Entangled_ (post 4 minutes mark) - i.e. work of Mr. Hackett and Mr. Rutherford, where Banks co-wrote the song - seems like a clever equivalent of harpsichord _continuo_.
One of the most important aspect of these concertos that is completely missing from this discussion is the “concerto grosso” instrumentation. Any recording engineer would record and mix with this in mind. Lastly, all the Brandeburgs use klavier (or harpsichord). No. 5 is no exception. What is unusual is the extended cadenza, which is not duplicated in any of the other concertos.
Beautiful video! Worthy of Bach’s Standards 👍🏻👍🏻 As a non-musician I perceive the Allegro of the 5th Brandenburg Concerto as a Mathematical marvelous which analyzes the fluctuation of form in similar level of detail (yet, in a FAR more enjoyable way) as Leibniz Calculus does. Curiously Leibniz had born in Leipzig and Bach spent the last part of his life there, just a generation apart in between these Colossal Geniuses.
By a mathematical approach - in case you did not know them - you'll surelu enjoy "The Art of the fugue" and "Goldberg's variations". First you maybe find it a little boring, too far from the warm melodic breath of Brandebourg's or solo instrument concertos and suites. Day by day, the inner powerful singing will spread from keyboards or chamber ensembles.
@@taf44tt8io Thank you. I’m big of a fan of the Goldberg Vars. as Dr. Lecter 😁 About Art of the Fugue I enjoy more The Well Tempered Klavier. Discovered Bach @ 6 years old and has been there for me since.
I play jazz, and I love Bach. Total total genius. It took me most most of my life to master just a few pieces, and every time I play them I find some new line hidden in the myriad of mathematical purity.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm a great fan of jazz, prog rock and metal since i was a teenager. At my 50`s i've discovered Bach. Now i understand why.
Nice!
Same here. At 50 I finally took the time to learn why the music I like sounds the way it does
Google something called "Jazz Sebastian Bach" and you might be able to sample part of an old album by this name.
And so am I (except fo rmetal), but also rhytm and blues, blues, pop, flamenco, MPB (popular brazilian music), and many other brazilian genres, among others. Have you already tried Haendel´s Fireworks Music and Water Music? I´m 60, and have discovered Bach (and Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Vivaldi, Copland, Gershwin, Dvorak, Grieg, Holst) much earlier, fortunately. Try also Mars the bringer of war, by Gustav Holst. That´s pure rock´n roll, and "inspired" John Williams to compose Star Wars theme. Zeppelin´s Kashmir is similar, in many ways, to classic music.
In my case it was the opposite and back. As a teenager I went for metal precisely because it had that energetic baroque and romantic spirit I liked so much in Vivaldi, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, with that touch of Verdi and Puccini. In my late twenties jazz caught my attention, and only then I looked back and found a renewed appreciation for Bach.
One of my favorite performances of this concerto is by Apollo's Fire. They play the first movement at a sightly more relaxed tempo which I feel allows the listener to hear the nuances of the solo musicians. Jeannette Sorrell plays the harpsichord cadenza with expression, using tempo variations and subtle pauses to really make the solo feel alive and vibrant, instead of just being an impressive technical showpiece.
Thank you for the interesting lecture. The 5th Concerto was always my favourite, from my childhood. It is so beautiful and full of energy. Trurly modern music. Bach is the greatest...
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙏
No.6 is mine, the slow middle movement usually bringing me close to tears.
@@JohnSmith-of4vh the power of music, even when 300 years old.
Well said. JSB is the greatest of Them All.
No, not modern. Just timeless.
I find it amazing to think that in those days they, musicians, thought of themselves as craftsmen (working a craft) rather than the later 19C Romanticists who thought of themselves as artists with a desire to express their personal inner vision. That difference is stark and somehow puts a new light on analysis of Baroque music. And to think that their musical compositions were meant to be current, played once mainly only for that occasion and then on to the next occasion and new music. More like an improv session once its done its over. Not expected to be revered, played year after year and catalogued for posterity. Quite different.
Absolutely!
Discovering the Brandenburg Concertos was one of the great formative events of my life. I went completely insane over number 5.
Thanks for sharing
it was the same for me
@@Lexy_Meier 👍
@erichodge567, my first contact with Bach when I was about 8 YO.
Also changed my life forever.
Greetings from Brazil.
Definitely! Then I listened to Mass in B Minor and my universe expanded exponentially.
Listening to the music you love, on the speakers you designed from the ground up, with that said music genre in mind, and it sounding amazing, while entertaining your viewers, SUPER!
Thanks, that’s very kind.
Great observation ! Myself-I learned TONS from studying Bach's masterpieces, starting with organ and piano as a kid, and later in my teens listening to basically everything Bach. Virtually all Classically trained prog-rock musicians, all Jazz musicians, Film and media composers - for everyone Bach's music was, is and will always be essential ! Keith Jarret just recently described himself in an interview with Rick Beato : "I'm Bachian with everything I play...". That says it all. Brandenburg 5th is a masterpiece, and truly a marvelous keyboard workout to be studied on daily basis ! I love Cafe Zimmermann performance (their entire album is, simply put - incredibly well recorded).
Thanks. And thanks for contributing to the topic so eloquently
In fact Bach's influence upon prog music of 1970s was very pronounced, but there is serious exaggeration in believing that masters of rock keyboards en masse were classically-trained, graduates of conservatories etc. Actually, few were, most of others just being sensitive, gifted and open-minded.
@@greg-warsaw4708True - lots of prog-rock (and not only) musicians were trained outside of any curriculum, oftentimes combining both: their own musical research, and direct instruction from seasoned musicians in their immediate community. In fact : one doesn’t need so called “formal training” to become a master, but there’s a catch in terminology… Either at actual music school with other kids or in your own private study room (Jacob Collier) the gist is the same: you learn step-by-step pretty much the same thing. So, in the way you apply “formal training “ to yourself by practicing and studying the exact same material as kids at music school do. Even when you’re at a formal music school (myself included) or study privately- 95 percent of time is just you in your practice room. But virtually all prog rock musicians had great understanding of music on all levels, were familiar with music history, music notation etc.
In mid-80s, being a 20 years old fan of rock, incl. prog, during my early ventures into Bach, I experienced a great moment. While listening to organ works (from a worn cassette) suddenly, mid-way through some fugue (might have well been a toccata or a prelude precedent to a fugue) I heard a fragment as if directly taken from some fine keyboard solo of Genesis or Camel - I heard music I was so closely related to. Surely I knew the influence must have gone the other way round but despite much effort I haven't traced back to put a finger on what Bach's work it was. I thought it could be a fugue in A major but my attempts to find this moment of epiphany have failed so far (BWV536 it is not).
@@greg-warsaw4708Nice 😊 !!
One of the most underrated performances of all of the Brandenburg Concertos are those done by Wendy Carlos on the Moog Synthesizer. Her arrangement and performance of No.5 is one of my favorite performances of that concerto, even when put up against recordings with traditional instruments. The separation of the instruments and the voices, and her arrangement of the continuo part puts the music in such a fresh an revealing light, there is no other recording that I know of that can even come close to it in that regard. If you have never heard it, I heartily recommend it, particularly if you are already familiar with the concerto.
Absolutely! I remember this recording from my school days. I need to hear it again!
Thank you for taking the time to help share the beauty of this piece. Café Zimmerman's recording is excellent!
You’re very welcome thank you!🙏
Wonderful episode! Watching how this music brings joy to you is very infectious. The world is a much better place with videos like this, thank you.
Was not aware of Cafe Zimmermann until now. Quite impressive - pieces were beautifully played and recorded. Gone is the typical large scale, "wall of sound", plodding Brandenburgs.
Thank you! That’s wonderfully kind. I agree, it’s refreshing to hear an intimate version of no.5.
I think the world can do with a bit of joy these days.
I'm afraid by saying _wall-of-sound_ you might refer to Trevor Pinnock's The English Concert. I'd love to get Cafe's but a quick search for their CD failed badly - Amazon offers one at equivalent of >500 USD (sic) and without shipping to my country.
I have been listening to Bach since I was a child (thanks, Dad!). I have listened to many versions since (I'm almost 68 now). Each adds a bit of insight into what Bach REALLY meant. In any case, a rose by any other name...
Thanks for your comment. Indeed, I find that even when I listen to versions that at first I don’t like. At the very least they help me challenge my existing prejudices and even sometimes help you to find more in the work
I learned in school that the Brandenburg Concertos were written, basically, as a "resume" for the Margrave of Brandenburg because Bach had heard that there was a job opening at his court. But when the margrave received the scores he took one look at it and noted that it was way too difficult for his orchestra. Consequently, it was never performed in Bach''s lifetime. Not only this, but JS Bach was never nearly as famous as his sons. It took Felix Mendelssohn nearly 100 years later to re-discover Bach. That's when JS hit the big time.
That is indeed what I learnt also. Thanks for your contribution to the topic.
That's very true. Sadly, if it wasn't for Mendelssohn perhaps to this day J.S.Bach and his music would have fallen into complete obscurity ? Perhaps someone else would "discover" Bach if Mendelssohn didn't ? Perhaps Brahms ? Perhaps Ravel ? Mozart himself was performing Bach's works EVERY SUNDAY at Noon at Baron van Swieten's , arranging his fugues for a string quartet and marveling at Bach's magnificent oeuvre. Chopin carried with him "Das Wohltemperierte Klavier" everywhere he went. He performed and studied both volumes on daily basis throughout his entire life. He couldn't live a day without studying Bach...
But these were "informed" individuals, music geniuses themselves ! Broader audiences had zero idea about J.S.Bach.
Well, I hate to sound controversial, but, looking over his resume ... I'd hire the guy.
@@KrystofDreamJourneyIt's a scary thought. Partly because it makes me wonder if there are any geniuses in the ballpark of Bach that have been completely forgotten.
@@kbaumgarten2151 me too! 😉
Very interesting session Harley. For me it's Café Zimmerman; warmer and closer to the instruments. But what I retain the most is that you were listening to music and NOT your stereo system. That's the sign that shows that the delivery method is attained and that afterwards all you need to do is enjoy your favorite music.
Thank you. You’re very welcome. And thanks too for your interesting observations.
There never was a better, more syncopated, melodic, superb recording of the Brandenburg than that of the Virtuosi of England
@@tonyfrench1081 thanks for the tip Tony. 👍
R@@tonyfrench1081
@@tonyfrench1081 Despite my suspicion that you are Virtuosi of England's mother or grandmother, I will check out the recording.
Café Zimmermann are great. In the same vein is Zefiro. The quality of the recordings and an ensemble clearly passionate about the material make for a very engaging listening. One of my favourite test tracks is their rendition of La Bella vita militar from Mozart´s Cosi fań tutte
Interesting. Thanks for sharing
All are well done. Zimmerman did the 2nd movement (25:40) the best and Italiano did the 1st and 3rd movements (29:14)the best in my opinion. And in the first movement, I like Concerto Cologne; Alte Musik ensemble and Italiano ensemble all tied as the contrapuntal interplay can be thoroughly enjoyed. The Abaddo is in a class by itself as my favorite by familiarity. Thanks for your efforts with this channel. 👍🏾
Thank you for your expertly crafted analysis and for your words of support and appreciation.
Cafe Zimmerman are magnificent. I love to do what you are doing here: comparing two or more performances by different ensembles of the same piece of music.
Indeed. Glad you enjoy it too
There is a radio program in México's FM 94.5 called La Otra Versión (The other versión). It has been on the air -on a weekly basis- for over 20 years and does that. Many versions of the same piece. It is wonderful.
Great video btw
@@luispalacio2080 thanks! 🙏
Beautiful, I listened on my Bowers and Wilkins, Metric Halo converters and YES, I do agree with the phat, clear, concise performance of Café. Fantastic video thank you!
You’re very welcome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it
What an amazing channel this is
Thanks! 🙏
Always great to listen to a person who knows about (good) music and its insides, thank you for sharing!!
You’re very welcome. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH !!!! So brilliant and passionate - as still I am since more than forty years - about this magnificent masterpiece. You made a nice didactic job :)
Meet the Brandebourg Concertos was one of the most important, surprising, inner, joyful and really amazing event of my whole life.
I was in my 20s, studying classical guitar since my teens, grew up playing piano and listening all kind of music - from Beatles to Chopin, Rossini's operas and Ella Fitzgerald, the sparkling rich italian's songs repertoire (the napolitian tradition and the new '60s songs) and then of course rock, pop and jazz from Deep Purple to Weather Report.
I had been at a concert, did by some teachers of my conservatory and among the works they played, I was immediatly touched by the firsts mesures of the Third concert.
A couple of hours later, I joined some friends for a party, put the Bach's record on the turntable, and started to dance !!!!!!
I totally agree with the heading of your video.
I've listend the Brandebourg's for many many years almost daily, mostly starting with the Third. First came the historical recording by THE great master Gustav Leonhardt.
MUSICA ANTIQUA KOLN - masterfully conducted by Reinhard Goebel - is still at the firsts places of my favourite's list. CAFE ZIMMERMANN's version is very close to their rendiiton. Then come CONCERTO ITALIANO, Trevor PINNOCK's records and IL GIARDINO ARMONICO conducted by Giovanni ANTONINI.
Thank you again :)
Greetings from Paris.
You’re very welcome! Thank you for sharing your back story! Best wishes,
Harley
Akademie Fur Alte Musik is my favorite. I listen to that CD very often. Thanks for another excellent analysis.
Thanks for listening. My pleasure
First time listener. Absolutely delightful, instructive, entertaining. A privilege. Thank you. Best wishes 🥂
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Albert Schweitzer wrote: "The Brandenburg concertos are the purest products of Bach's polyphonic style. We seem to see before us what the philosophy of all ages conceives as the fundamental mystery of all things--that self-unfolding of the idea in which it creates its own opposite in order to overcome it, until it finally returns to itself having traversed the whole of existence".
Wow, that’s quite a statement! Thanks for sharing.
I thoroughly enjoyed your talk. To date my favourite has been the recording that Trevour Pinnock and the English Concert produced. It was a revelation at the time, and what I was most impressed with when I first heard it was the irrepressible joy he brought to the whole set. Cafe Zimmermann are magnificent and I have heard a few of their recordings, but I have not heard their complete set, but if it is good as Number 5, then this may very well become my favourite. All the recordings you demonstrated and listed, as well as many that your commentators have mentioned, are also very fine. Where a lot of recent recordings of baroque composers tend to lose me is in the breathtaking speeds that some of them employ, and often there is not enough attention played to let the phrases breathe. The selection you offer here shows many different approaches that are all valid and have their strengths and weaknesses. I look forward to looking through some of your other offerings. Thank you.
You’re very welcome indeed. My pleasure. Next up, Mozart piano concerto no. 15. 😉
Danke für die sehr aufschlussreiche Sicht auf einen Teil meiner Lieblingswerke von Bach. Danke aus Brandenburg.
Thank you! Lovely to hear from you. Hi from Tienen, Belgium. 🇧🇪
THANK YOU !
Every time I get a notification about your new upload it puts a smile on my face.
I realize what goes into making these exceptional videos and I really appreciate it. You changed the way I listen to music. Keep up the great work !
Thank you. I am so pleased to hear this. Enjoy
An absolute pleasure! Thank you! ❤
Thank you, so pleased you enjoyed it.
I fell in love with all the Bach Bradenburg concertos the first time I heard this when I was 14..I have listened many times since then (at least once a year)
Funny how music seems to change with us, as we get older… discovering new subtleties along the way.
Thank you so very much for this rewarding and satisfying look into the important comparisons you have shared here! Just fantastic!
So glad you enjoyed it! Your comment, and others like it, make all the effort worthwhile. 🙏
Thank you for the time and effort put into this wonderful video.
I am sticking to my 1985 Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (ERATO) version, only because it feels really confortable.
But you made me discover the Jacques Loussier Trio version, Listening to it as I write this.
Thank you again.
Glad you enjoyed it. I much respect Ton Koopman, I have his complete Handel organ concertos. Enjoy the JL trio.
The music is Beautiful
I so miss my youth,& orchestra,those were the days ❤
😉👍
Listening to your music collection of Bach and seeing you swinging your hand in time brought back a lovely memory of a dear friend we lost to cancer at age 30. He was a wonderful pianist and had a grand piano crammed into a room in his small house. He would light the candles on his piano, turn out the electric light and PLAY Bach, Beethoven ,Handel so beautifully it was dreamlike. He was the one who gave us a majority of music education with little facts thrown in and lots of humor…..he used to say,’’Bach is a real toetapper!’’ Still makes us laugh because he is so rhythmic. Thanks for your video, it was a pleasure to listen to your different versions and observations.
Thank you so much for sharing your lovely backstory. What a privilege you had to experience Bach and other composers in this way. That’s how it should be, deep, personal, intimate
@@PearlAcoustics Truly! We were most blessed by our dear friend. Shortly before he died he had us take him to the charming old Episcopal chapel where he played organ when healthy. He unlocked the empty chapel and told us to take a pew. He proceeded to play the organ with such tender pathos….until he tired and had to be taken back home. He was a once in a lifetime gift of a friend. He gave us musical memories and quotes that we still tell one another to this day , 40 years later.
@@Heightsomethinghuman marvellous, marvellous. A life worth venerating. Thanks for sharing
What an incredible music system you have!
Thanks! 🙏
Yeah.!
What music system? You mean the power plant he's sitting next to? 😊
@@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa 😀
@@PearlAcoustics Beautiful work by the way!! Lovely Harvey!
Thank you so much, made me smile and put a spring in my step 😊
That’s perfect, I think it’s more down to Bach and musicians than me 😉👍🙏
Dear Harley, after a busy day at work, there is nothing better than listening to these wonderful pieces of eternal music. Thank you for the way you manage to deal with topics in such a pleasant and interesting way, hearty congratulations!
And to answer your question, I prefer Concerto Italiano! greetings from la bella Italia! ciao, Lorenzo
Thanks you so much for your very kind message. It’s lovely to learn how much you appreciate my efforts. Maybe we’ll meet one day? But until then, enjoy the music! Best wishes, H
A treat to hear the analysis and 15:42 perspective on these recordings from an educated audiophile in the best sense. My grandad back in the 1960s had a custom stereo with Macintosh components, Bose speakers and Sony phonograph and with meticulous notes on index cards for every record.
Thank you. You’re very kind. And thanks for sharing your find memories of your grandad.
Damn! I wish I'd not found your video, sir! The Cafe Zimmerman performance of BWV 1050 is superlative. Utterly clear and with such delicious fluidity. I shall now have to try and find a presumably hyper-inflated copy, as it seems to be no longer available. I also note they have BWV 1052 on the same disc, and that is the piece of music which converted me into a Bach follower.
😀 yes it’s a big shame that it is out of stock… maybe they will re-print it. I will contact the CD label
@@PearlAcoustics I hope Alpha Classics will grant your wish. I have several recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, I read record reviews frequently, and I never came across this one. It is just breathtaking. You approach in this review is very helpful.
@@charlesflynn4850 thank you. I hope so too!
Spotify!
@@foresthillgardens7904 Sorry, I am a terribly old-fashioned dinosaur who prefers physical media.
The Academie fur Alte Musik is not just faster, but the paired notes make more of a melody, by accenting the first note of each pair, so you really hear the ascending arpeggios. I notice most of what’s being compared are tempi and the halls they’re recorded in, but there’s also an interpretive difference at work, at least the Academie recording compared to the rest.
Thank you very much for this additional information and fir sharing your conclusion
I picked up the Cafe Zimmerman Brandenburgs 4-5 years ago. They are wonderful! I recommend exploring the larger Zimmerman catalog.
Absolutely!
Magnificent. The harpsichord solo was (to my ear) starting to stray into the territory of Ligeti, Continuum, and Hungarian Rock. Certainly I’m sure Ligeti will have learned from this extraordinary writing. Another fascinating episode Harley. I’m very happy to reconnect, and my 93 year old Dad is happy too. He remembers you very well. Regards Keith.
Indeed, I think if one was to hear the solo, completely out of context, one could be forgiven for guessing it was 20th century. That’s what makes it so remarkable to me. Not so much that it was ahead of its time, but that humans seem to have the same need and method to express themselves across centuries. Each generation finding their own way of sliding into a form of cacophony. Thanks for the personal message too. Feel free to reach out, H
Fully agree on your evaluation of Cafe Zimmermann. It’s stunning (the quality of my headphones is the main limiting factor, I’m afraid). But still, I would have really appreciated exploration on how this relates to rock, jazz etc. the title suggests that you would share your views.
Hi, thanks for your comment. the title was meant more as a hypothetical question based upon the structure of the first movement. If you look at the form of the first movement, with repeated themes and development, ending with a very long solo, after which the full orchestra / band come back in, one more time with the main theme to finish the work, you will find this structure in so many jazz and rock structures, especially in live performances in the 1970’s and 80’s. Key examples include Dave Brubecks’ Take 5, Led Zeppelin’s Moby Dick, and many others. In fact most live jazz combos work this way when playing live. I hope that helps a bit?
Fascinating analysis of one of my favourites, Bach’s Brandenburg Nr. 5.
Thank you 🙏
Fascinating to compare the various renditions.
Isn’t it interesting what makes a particular interpretation work for you?
It’s so highly individual.
But no doubt Bach was the master composer.
His works groove, they swing, they’re ‘in the pocket’, they’re completely satisfying.
And to me this harpsichord solo is the stuff of legends-!
No wonder that to this day, even young and upcoming pop, jazz and rock musicians say that they would love to sit down with Bach if they could….
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks too for your interesting addition to the topic.
I have switched on Bach by Walter Carlos on vinyl. I've had it since 1968. I brought it to school in second grade for show and tell.
Walter's (now Wendy's) synthesized version converted me from a passive Bach listener to a passionate enthusiast. Moments into movement #1, I lifted the needle on the vinyl, lit up (hey, it was early 70s), put on my headphones & restarted it. The astonishing clarity of the his/her electronic sound made every note a pyrotechnic experience replayed thousands of times since. I've never heard an acoustic performance to equal it. It kick-started a lifetime of exploration of the wonders of J.S. Bach.
Perfect!
Absolutely so many got into Bach this way!
I love my old Brandenberg Concertos by the Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra (mid-70's recording) on LP and CD which I think are now out of print. The great Igor Kipnis on the harpsi.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks ! A very interesting listen. I love the Brandenburgs.
You’re very welcome
I vote for the warm sound one at the end, and I have listened to this over and over again, plus I live on Zimmerman st.
👍
What a great video and what a great channel! I fell in love when I was a teenager with Bach's music when listening to the Brandenburg concertos in their electronic version by Walter, now Wendy Carlos (Bach: Switched on Brandenburgs). I agree with some comments in the sense that the tempo in some versions is very fast. My very favorite version of the Brandenburg concerts is by Karel Brazda with the Slavonian Philharmonic under the Denon Essentials label.
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your back story and tip for your favourite version.
Wow, I'm so happy I came across this channel.
We too. Welcome!
I have always had a strange mix of music that i love, i am especially fond of 50s and 60s golden oldies and strange obscure 70s and 80s goth punk and new wave music. but Bach was astounding in the quantity and quality of music he composed, and The Brandenburg Concertos No 5 and 2 particularly are among my favorite pieces ever.
Thanks for sharing
Good morning, I really appreciated this comparison, especially the version of "Café Zimmermann by Pablo Valetti".
At this point it would also be interesting to compare the recording of the "Freiburger Barockorchester" to the 2014 recording for Harmonia mundi, which according to the CD booklet was made at a very low pitch: A/A=392Hz.
With your speakers it should sound great!
Thank you for your kind words. 392 is very low indeed. I will definitely look them up and put them on my coffee time listening list! 🙏
Hi there, Dear Harley it was a magnificent BACH! You enjoy BACH concertos in the exactly same way as I do and I loved it! Best Regards from Athens Greece
Thank you. You’re very kind indeed. Thanks for taking the time to comment
The cafe flute is nice. I only have a year of flute as a kid, but I love the flute.
The 1st movt is one of my favorite pieces; what I hear, and listen out for, is that as the piece progresses, more and more of the music is handed over to the harpsichord, until finally its carrying the entire piece by itself. If you dont pay attention, its imperceptible, and you suddenly wake up and say, hang on, where's everyone else gone? But if you pay attention, you can watch people dropping out, kinda like the Farewell Symphony. So you finally hear the harpsichord doing the entire thing - but that's just the beginning. The Haprsichord then goes completely wacko, with great swooping movements, wonderful intricate clockwork, shifting harmonies... its kind of a shame when it hands back to the orchestra at the end. I feel the same way at the end of Beethoven's 9th, when the crazy soloists weilt their flugels into the heavens and soar unbounded, but then we are dragged back to reality by the orchestra doing its thing. Amazing pieces. Totally recommend Wendy Carlos version, because it plays with the stereo and has the cadenza flying over your head and back again.. Incredible. Another youtube video has a great version of the Cadenza... ua-cam.com/video/hH8dI962Iqg/v-deo.html I just wish he wouldnt pause at 2:20 (to be fair, there's a page change). But he does a very good job of balancing the clockwork and the soaring (which changes at that critical moment).
PS. There is so much great Bach out there that totally flies past the radar. The problem with so many of the recordings you mention, especially the English and the originalists, is that they pin the music into the baroque, particularly anything with recorders in it. But Bach's music is far beyond his time, and so it really benefits from new sonorities. Like Wendy Carlos, but also like Godin's version of "Wiederstehe" ua-cam.com/video/NwLLlT7MBkE/v-deo.html which really is just the perfect rendition of this piece. The zombie surfers are just the icing on the cake. I dont like a lot of modern music because of the constant drums, but they really make the pulse work in this piece. But also try Bach's duetto in E minor (#1). Particularly one played at a nice fast clip. ua-cam.com/video/c-5G3K_ekd0/v-deo.html But I could name 50 incredible pieces by Bach. Much of it waiting for a modern interpretation.
Thank you for your very interesting comment
I bought the Orchestra Mozart versions with Claudio Abbado on DVD years ago,and it's still my favorite. It's on UA-cam now. Very lively versions with pretty young musicians!
Wonderful!
It like the saying: Mozart music show you Mozart. Beethoven's shows you how to be human. Bach's music shows you the universe.
Not heard this one! Thanks.
JanRademan, a little unfair about Mozart but still a great quote, almost perfectly sums up the truth.
Greetings from Brazil.
@@JanRademan , nah, Mozart's music shows you transcendence.
Not quite right. It's a quote from Douglas Adams - 'I don't think a greater genius has walked the earth. Of the 3 great composers Mozart tells us what it's like to be human, Beethoven tells us what it's like to be Beethoven and Bach tells us what it's like to be the universe. '
I like Mozart. I love Beethoven. I need Bach.
You didn't mention that the Cologne recording was, for some reason, in C. Bizarre. I do agree with you about the Cafe Zimmerman: the overall balance, the dialogue between all the instruments in the 2nd movement (including the harpsichord) and the colours which seem to me to give each voice a personality of its own. I'll have to buy it. Gorgeous. That 1st movement theme is printed on my brain since, some 40 years ago, I was made to write it out in Braille from ear as part of my School Certificate (your GCSEs). Your presentation was interesting and instructive.
You're one of the few to notice the difference in pitch, it seems. The Abbado recording is the only one set at modern concert pitch a4= 440Hz. The other recordings favor a4 ~415Hz. The Concerto Cöln Ensemble has a4 at approx. 392Hz, which is well within the range usually associated with baroque performance practice. 'Frequency measurement' or rather producing a pitch of known frequency (Robert Hooke's wheel, later known as Savart wheel) was only invented in 1681. John Shore invented the tuning fork in 1711. Yet, until well into the late 19th century there was no standard pitch. Concert pitch varied greatly. Usually vocal pieces, due to anatomy, were pitched lower than instrumental music.
Glad to find this YT channel. Thank you for providing us such a good lecture about Bach's music. I am sure there will be more gems and diamonds of classic music pieces waiting to be digged out to share with us.😊
Thank you! Absolutely. Although I do like to mix my choices either other genres. Any pieces you would like to see covered?
@@PearlAcoustics I cheered when you mentioned the Claudio Abbado and the Orchestra Mozart version as this is my most favourite recording.
Edit: As I have a performance on video, I have to admit that the video version is the one I prefer!
@@josefschiltz2192 👍
Excellent, thank you. More of the same please.
You’re welcome!
Wonderful to hear your views about music that is among my all time favourite. I have multiple versions - and I love the diversity of experiences they collectively deliver - no dislikes at all. My mood dictates what I will listen at any given time. I have, however, a soft corner for Maestro Abbado's version - of which I have the original bluray. It is an audio-visual feast. Though, maestro looks frail and was perhaps not in the best of health during the recording. The bluray delivers fantastically both 2 channel and multi-channel audio - though the multi-channel is more for the ambient parts of the recording with the music being largely confined to L+R speakers.
Thanks for your very kind remarks. And thanks too for the additional information on the Abbado recording. 🙏
@@PearlAcoustics I have come very late to your channel. Whatever little that I have watched thus far - it has indeed been a delight of learning to listen to your measured and erudite discourses on music, equipment, and your personal experiences of recording and designing speakers. Hope you continue to enlighten us. All the very best.
@@rcpdox11 that’s very kind of you. I am so please you enjoy the channel. I’ll keep going as long as the drive pushes me to do so 😉 👍
Thank you Harley for a again very inspiring video. Café Zimmermann also recorded a wonderful version of Bachs Goldberg Variations. Highly recommended.
Thanks! You’re very kind. I will definitely check out their Goldberg variations. Thanks for the tip
I totally agree with you. Beautiful rendition.
Over my years I've collected a number of different recordings of these concertos. The 'slowest' and most "stately" version I have is one of Yehudi Menuhin and the Bath Festival Orchestra. The first movement clocks in at 10:46!
😀
Yehudi often performed with George Malcolm on harpsichord, his Handel violin sonatas are wonderful,
Great listening session, thank you for presenting such a variety of executions/ recordings. I know and love the Concerto Italiano and Concerto Koeln versions. Cafe Zimmerman one sounds less striking to me but it might be down to the fact I’m not familiar with it. Very beautiful staccato in the second movement by the Akademie fuer alte musik Berlin. I will listen to all of them in the next days, then will come back here. Following up after repeated listening of all the versions, I really appreciate the take of Cafe Zimmermann . The clarity is exemplary with a special accent on the contrapuntal structure of the JS Bach composition, revealing and impressive. There is another trait, almost haydnesque softness as opposed to the archaic French style of the Akademie fuer alte musik take on the second movement.
Thank you for your kind words. And thanks too for your very interesting contribution to the topic. Enjoy.
Thanks for sharing. JS Bach is my favorite. This reminds me of when i was a little kid and my friend and i would compare original instrument orchestras renditiond with modern.
You’re very welcome! I remember disliking traditional instrument orchestras at first. But that’s all changed now.
@@PearlAcoustics yes we had an odd way of rebelling against our parents who liked that decadent post revolutionary classical music, silly wing flapping conductors, trumpets with valves, and the Enlightenment in general. Now I like it all - even Gigi D'Agostino.
@@hippocraticoaf8798 😂👍
This is top quality. Great lecture, sir.
Thank you. You’re very kind
Well, that opened up my ears.
😀
Amazing video; thank you!!! I would love to see you discuss Wendy Carlos' synthesizer versions of the Brandenburg Concertos. She recorded each one of them in an extremely complex manner which deserves deep analysis as it set the standard for electronic music for decades to come. Wendy Carlos is still alive at the time of this post (Jun-27-2024).
You’re very welcome, thanks for your kind appreciation. Indeed, there can be no question that for my (our) generation, Wendy Carlos’ switched on Bach had a major influencing factor. I did consider it but thought the contrast was too big for this comparison series. But thanks for bringing it into the discussion
@@PearlAcousticsI completely understand. Perhaps an exclusive video dedicated to Wendy Carlos?
I subscribed to your channel and I’m very excited about it.
my favourite version is still the Wendy Carlos interpretation on her 2nd "Switched on Bach"(1969), without acknowledging some other releases
😉
Thumbs way up on that...
Excellent review and commentary, I have listening homework now to do.
Have fun! Thanks! 🙏
The entire BWV 1043 is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard...
Exquisite presentation, thank you very much !
I would recommend also the version by Jordi Savall with Le Concert des Nations in Alia Vox, on SACD.
Thanks! Very kind. Thanks too for the tip, I will certainly give it a listen!
Really enjoyed this video, thanks Harley. I have Trevor Pinnock's English Concert version which I must have had for 20 years and it still sounds great to my ears. The Café Zimmerman does sound wonderful, but sadly doesn't seem to be available on CD.
Thanks Alan! Please let me reassure you, the cafe Zimmerman is available on CD, I have a box set. From Alpha. (I have the Trevor Pinnock too) 😉 Enjoy!
The Cafe Zimmermann Brandenburgs appear to be available now only as digital downloads. The CDs must have sold out.
Great channel
Thank you
Right on. Good presentation.
Much appreciated!
First time I listened to Brandenburg concertos in 1997 I was amazed! But N. 5 remains my favourite. I said to my friends: would you like to know where modern music come from? Listen to this! I'm so glad we are at least two! The sad part is... nothing is useless than an answer without any question! Anyway, I still get chills listening the vastness of Bach music. Thank you! 😍🎶🎵🎶😍
And can you spend a minute to tell us something about your stereo? I would like to be there! 🤩
Hi thanks for your very kind appreciation. It’s very motivating. I have listed all the components I used in the video in the description. Depending where you live, we can arrange a visit… best wishes, H
A favorite of mine, and I prefer the Concerto Italiano because there is one instrument per part. With a good system and speakers you can clearly hear all of the parts all of the time. They play with real love for the music and the instruments are beautiful. There is even a video of their recording sessions and a discussion of why Bach appeals to Italian musicians even more than Italian composers!
Oh that’s very interesting to know. Thanks
Rinaldo ALESSANDRINI - founder and conductor of CONCERTO ITALIANO, - after his basic musical education, came to the Baroque period and repertoire as self-taught musician.
I met him several times in Italy at his beginning - early 90s. Once was during a reherseal of MONTEVERDI's madrigals, some friends of me were among the singers.
His version of IL COMBATTIMENTO DI TANCREDI E CLORINDA is the most powerful I ever listened and watched. You can hear the sword's smash.
Thanks for a lively, entertaining and informative presentation. I was also amused, in an admiring way, to see you had tube (or valve!) electronics. I've heard endless discussions of the relative merits of equipment types, as varied as those of performances; but in the end, not abstract argument but the subjective response to the sound is all that matters for judging - which is extremely personal. 'De gustibus electronicae non est disputandum!' Ah. Now I've investigated your channel, I understand! These are your designs. Kudos!
Glad you enjoyed it, 😉👍
absolutely, it's an amazing guitar solo - harpsichord almost sounds as electric guitar, except no distortion. Also among the first keyboard concertos, where it finally takes the spotlight...
😉
Agree with your choices. I’m particularly partial to the flutes and then how they interact with the violins.
Thanks!
Great video. Thank you. I was born with Brandenburg 3 in my DNA. Blame switched on Bach and Bob Moog. Of course I bought all 6 in different versions, let's not forget Karl Richter's. Number three is ecstasy, the pinnacle, like Beethoven's second movement of the 9th, pure hyper brain activity. Brandenburg 5 is, like you suggest, Keith Jarrett and Miles
Thanks for sharing your appreciation. That’s the great thing about Bach, there’s kind of no right or wrong, there just is… Karl Richter👍
Sigo periódicamente sus videos y realmente son maravillosos. Me encantó las versiones que ha expuesto. Personalmente me crié con las versiones de Richter (debido a mis 78 años). He escuchados muchas, pero hoy en día, mi preferida es la de Masaaki Suzuki , vale la pena escucharla.
Thank you very much for your kind appreciation. Thanks too for your recommendations, I will give them a listen. Best wishes from Belgium.
Thanks for the thoughtful videos! This is my favorite piece because of the harpsichord, and Hogwood/AAM is my favorite version. It's like skipping in the woods and getting lost in circles, but resolving a way out. I always wondered why versions sounded so different and thought that the Goldberg Variations might help me find what Bach was looking for in the first movement. Do you like Jean Rondeau on harpsichord? ...Other videos were also nice, so far: Radiohead, Marley, PF, Bach, Vivaldi !
You’re very welcome, I am so glad you enjoy them! (Coming up soon, Mozart piano concerto no 15.)… Thanks for for your contribution to the topic. I am not sure I know much of Jean Rondeau’s work, I will have to do some research! 🙏
My favourite recording of the Brandenburg Concertos is by the Münchener Bach Orchester conducted by Karl Richter. It is available as Super Audio CD.
Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for pointing us to Jacques Loussier - loving it!
You’re welcome!
Harley, you hit the nail on the head. The Brandenburgs are good Dixieland with superb syncopation. But the best, head and shoulders over the rest is by " The Virtuosi of England" The analogue tape version was extraordinarily high quality.
Thanks! Will need to track your suggestion down
Another amazing video. Thank you 🙏🏻
My pleasure!
A Brandenburg concertos recording you might
enjoy-
Paillard Chamber Orchestra. with Jean - Pierre Rampal on flute . one of my Brandenburg favs .
Ok! Thanks for the tip. 👍🙏
Watch and listen to the Netherlands Bach Society performance of Brandenburg 5 recorded at the Rijksmuseum. Stunning.
Thanks for the tip!
My favorite ensemble is still Pinchas Zuckerman and the English Chamber Orchestra for Bach. Oh, on the RCA Red Label.
Ok. I need to dig it out! 🙏
@@PearlAcoustics Thanks. Let me know what you think.
Pure class 😊
Thanks! Very kind
The Cafe Zimmerman version sounds like they recorded close up from the harpsichord. I like how it shines as a solo instrument.
Indeed
I thank you for such searching and sensible videos. I don't know what will be the future of recorded music in a streaming environment, especially in what concerns classical music.
The editorial quality of covers and booklets is essential in my view. I've collected this series of Café Zimmermann's recordings of Bach music. At the time, the CDs of the Alpha label were wonderful objects, not only in musical quality but also in their texts and iconography. Every CD contained the reproduction and the discussion of a painting of the period in question, giving us an inspiring dialogue between arts. Physical media is still necessary when the music of the past needs to reach today's listeners.
Thank you for your kind appreciation. I totally agree with you. I too find it a massive shame that streaming services do not include the booklets and covers, front and back. As you so eloquently put it, a great text in a booklet, can stretch our imagination and knowledge to a much higher understanding. I know that Naxos’ streaming library (sadly only for academic usage) contains the booklets and also manuscripts etc. And it covers virtually all classical music CD’s ever recorded.
I Love The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Sato with the Amsterdam Bach Project
Thanks for the recommendations!
👌 Thank you, Harley.
You’re very welcome
Café Zimmermann for me. I'm going to have to check them out!
👍
Very interesting video! Great fan of the Brandenburg Concertos in general and the 5th and 6th specifically. However what I miss in your vid is the fact that some recordings seems to be recorded in A 440 and others in A 415. It has in my opinion a huge impact on the general atmosphere of the piece. I personally prefer the recording in A 415 hz.
Thank you for your kind words. In deed tunings do make a massive difference. I did chose 432 though. Which recording would you have recommended?
I remember studying this Brandenburg in university and thinking at the time how the keyboardist, Tony Banks, from the UK band Genesis lifted passages of the harpsichord credenza for a number of his contributions to Genesis songs.
I believe that Bach influenced so many musicians and composers over the centuries, and he himself was influenced by people such as Scarlatti and Vivaldi, to name but two
@@PearlAcoustics E.g. Bach's Concerto For Four Harpshichords based in Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins. By the way, my favorite Bach's recording: Virtuosi Di Roma - Renato Fasano.
I thank you very much for this fantastic experience.
@@alrivers8458 you’re very welcome. Thanks. 🙏
This subject (of old music influencing some of late 1960s/70s music) is yet to get proper analysis. And it is very interesting. Less so (just good for making a comprehensive list) are plain inclusions of excerpts of the former into the latter (e.g. Rick Wakeman from Brahms' 4th Symphony in E minor, 3rd Movement, on Fragile album or Keith Emerson from Bach's Prelude no.6 in D minor BWV851 or from Mussorgsky's Pictures on an Exhibition or Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker or Bach's Toccata in F Major BWV540; or Ray Manzarek from The Doors quoting Chopin's Polonaise in A flat major op. 53 in Hyacinth House - examples go on forever, Procol Harum, Deep Purple, many more). This, I think, is trivial compared to the subject of inspirations (not note-for-note renditions) and how they are revealed. I haven't seen a proper insight about it yet. And of course fantastic Tony Banks would appear in this area. But to create such an analysis, it would take somebody really competent in both fields. And here is the problem (gap if you like) as many classical music lovers ignore most popular music and most of the latter's fans aren't knowledgeable enough in the former).
By the way, the above title is right - influences there were and they encompassed heavy metal rock (although statement from the title is not developed in the video). For one example, the cadenza played on solo harpsichord in the Brandenburg 5th, Allegro, is obviously to be heard as an inspiration of general structure, pattern, type of ascending passage (not details) in many crafty metal guitar solos. Another topic to be delved into by an expert gifted with good ear and open attitude to different genres.
Apart from Banks' very interesting influences from old music, I'd dare to say an intricate background tapestry of 12-string guitars on Genesis' _Entangled_ (post 4 minutes mark) - i.e. work of Mr. Hackett and Mr. Rutherford, where Banks co-wrote the song - seems like a clever equivalent of harpsichord _continuo_.
Love the fast tempo.
Glad you enjoyed them
One of the most important aspect of these concertos that is completely missing from this discussion is the “concerto grosso” instrumentation. Any recording engineer would record and mix with this in mind. Lastly, all the Brandeburgs use klavier (or harpsichord). No. 5 is no exception. What is unusual is the extended cadenza, which is not duplicated in any of the other concertos.
Thanks for your contribution to the topic.
Beautiful video! Worthy of Bach’s Standards 👍🏻👍🏻
As a non-musician I perceive the Allegro of the 5th Brandenburg Concerto as a Mathematical marvelous which analyzes the fluctuation of form in similar level of detail (yet, in a FAR more enjoyable way) as Leibniz Calculus does. Curiously Leibniz had born in Leipzig and Bach spent the last part of his life there, just a generation apart in between these Colossal Geniuses.
Thank you. Extremely kind
By a mathematical approach - in case you did not know them - you'll surelu enjoy "The Art of the fugue" and "Goldberg's variations".
First you maybe find it a little boring, too far from the warm melodic breath of Brandebourg's or solo instrument concertos and suites. Day by day, the inner powerful singing will spread from keyboards or chamber ensembles.
@@taf44tt8io absolutely! I was listening to Keith Jarrett’s recording of the Goldberg variations, just this morning. Wonderful.
@@taf44tt8io Thank you. I’m big of a fan of the Goldberg Vars. as Dr. Lecter 😁 About Art of the Fugue I enjoy more The Well Tempered Klavier. Discovered Bach @ 6 years old and has been there for me since.