Apollo's Fire & Jeannette Sorrell - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos, Harpsichord & Violin Concertos (2010)

Cleveland's phenomenal early music ensemble Apollo's Fire ought to be proud of its 2010 double-disc release of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046-1051, augmented with the Harpsichord Concertos, BWV 1052 and 1056, and the reconstructed Violin Concerto, BWV 1052, for this set is quite comparable to other excellent period versions on the market. Led by Jeannette Sorrell from the harpsichord, the group is vibrant and fully engaged in making lively music, so the performances are far from stodgy museum pieces. The group takes a few risks, such as the rowdy embellishment of the hunting horns in the Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, or the unexpected jolts of rubato in the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, and sometimes the playing gets so rambunctious that it becomes a little imprecise. But such are the hazards any time musicians attempt to bring excitement to venerable masterpieces. The timbres of the instruments aren't especially pristine, for the pungent oboes and airy recorders have distinctive tone colors that are almost rustic, and the string playing is not always shimmering, but sometimes downright coarse, as befits some of Bach's most boisterous movements. However, for musicality and the sheer pleasure of hearing them play their instruments, Apollo's Fire is a delight and a treasure, and even though the ensemble is best known in Cleveland and environs, this album should be admired by listeners everywhere. -- Blair Sanderson