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Andrew Arthur’s first volume of Bach harpsichord concertos with The Hanover Band got a mixed review from Mark Seow (9/22), who wished for ‘more rhetorical drama to make sense of Bach’s phrases’. I had higher hopes as I listened to the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, neatly articulated by the soloist and a one-to-a-part ensemble, presented at a steady pace and with a textural clarity that allows the double notes in the string ritornellos to speak, and graced by typically liquid flute-playing from Rachel Brown. Arthur’s first-movement cadenza, too, is agile but crisp and poised, maintaining a level of composure and control that makes the performance a pleasing antidote to the adrenalised charge of some recordings.
As we moved into the more conventional concertos, however, I was beginning to find the no-nonsense approach a little unsatisfying. The string prompts that accompany the long solo in the slow movement of the E major surely need more shape and lightness to keep things going, and the first two movements of the F minor are sluggish, especially the delicious second, which really ought to have the balanced momentum of a gymnast on the beam. The need for more nuance in the strings continues to nag as we enter the first movement of the F major (the one based on the Fourth Brandenburg), but thankfully the brilliant fugal finale has all the tumbling joy it should.
There are moments when the harpsichord is covered by the strings, but this is almost inevitable in these pieces, and praise must be given for a satisfyingly realistic forward balance for Arthur’s fine harpsichord-playing. These are decent and honest performances, but in the end more direction is needed to challenge the liveliness of Fabio Bonizzoni with La Risonanza (Challenge Classics, 9/18, 8/19) or Francesco Corti with Il Pomo d’Oro (Pentatone, 7/20, 4/21), to name just two recent recordings. |
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