{"product_id":"horenstein-bach-six-brandenburg-concertos-1954-pasc468","title":"HORENSTEIN Bach: Six Brandenburg Concertos (1954) - PASC468","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eBACH \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSix Brandenburg Concertos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770D90\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770EC0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D770FF0\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D771840\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D772E90\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eStudio recordings, 1954\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 1hr 40:00\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJascha Horenstein, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econductor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eWiener Soloists\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cdiv data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775340\" style=\"padding-left: 120px\"\u003e\u003cspan data_liveedit_tagid=\"000000000D775470\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReviews: MusicWeb International \u0026amp; Fanfare578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fHorenstein's well executed and sometimes exciting performances578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eHere’s a reissue of a 1954 monaural\nrecording from the Vox label. The accompanying booklet, if you can call\nit that—it’s printed on one side of a single sheet—has only of a list of\nperformers (apparently a pick-up group), a brief producer’s note, and a\nconcise \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nreview, not by me, from 1996. We occasionally stick multiple reviewers\non a new release, and I’ve seen blurbs in a booklet, but this is a first\nin my experience. What to do? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eWell, I’m in general agreement with the\nobservations of my colleague, Richard Burke. He pointed out that Vox’s\nclaim that it was the first “original-instruments” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBrandenburg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\nset is not quite accurate. The “Wiener Soloists” did use a violino\npiccolo, recorders, and violas da gamba, but modern instruments\notherwise. I agree that Jascha Horenstein’s tempos were, for the time,\n“startlingly up-to-date,” though I’m a little less convinced that the\n“slow movements never drag.” Burke’s assertion that “these are\nperformances of great distinction” may be a little overstated—I’d be\ninclined to drop the “great”—but these are nonetheless performances of\ninterest, and it’s good that they’ve been preserved. They are “certainly\nnot,” in Burke’s estimation, “a first or second choice” for a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBrandenburg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e set, but I agree with him that they are certainly worth hearing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe producer’s note states that this\nset was revived to honor the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt. And, indeed,\nHarnoncourt did participate in Concerto No. 6, playing the viola da\ngamba part presumably written for the limited abilities of Prince\nLeopold of Cöthen. More noteworthy was the remarkable versatility of the\nSwiss composer and conductor Paul Angerer, who played solo violin,\nviolino piccolo, harpsichord, and recorder in the sessions.\nMysteriously, two trumpet players are listed in the roster of players.\nWhat was that all about? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eSumming up: You can’t go wrong with these \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eBrandenburg\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003es, but you can do better. A must for Horenstein’s fans. Decent monaural sound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeorge Chien\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 40:1 (Sept\/Oct 2016) of Fanfare Magazine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eA typical performance of the\nBrandenburg Concertos given in 1954, the year of this recording, might\nhave used a sub-set of a modern instrument symphony orchestra, augmented\nby a harpsichord.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Horenstein, however, assembled a group of\ntwenty-two players and used a mix of modern and period instruments. \nAmong the latter are a violino piccolo, violas da gamba, recorders and a\nharpsichord.  The other winds and strings are modern instruments. \nNikolaus Harnoncourt and Paul Angerer (both to become conductors and,\nin Angerer's case, also a composer) are among the players.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e As a\ncomparison, I listened to a Philips recording made by Neville Marriner\nand the Academy of Saint Martin's in the Fields in 1980 (their second\nrecording of these works).  Marriner, like Horenstein, uses a\ncombination of modern and period instruments, many played by\ndistinguished guest artists including Jean Paul Rampal, Carl Pini, and\nHenryk Szeryng.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Most of Marriner's tempos are faster than\nHorenstein's, but not by huge margins, and there are a few movements\nwhere Horenstein's are swifter.  I infer from this that Horenstein's\nspeeds are fast for their time.  The playing in both sets is alert and\npolished.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Horenstein's sound is bright, full and clear, with\nthe horns excitingly forward in the First Concerto.  The strings, as the\naccompanying notes acknowledge, have an 'edge' and this adds a touch of\nastringency which devotees of 'historically informed' performances may\nenjoy, but which others may tire of, if too much is heard at one\nsitting.  It's better, perhaps, to hear each disc at a separate\nlistening session.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Marriner's Philips sound is more refined,\nmarginally warmer and has the benefit of stereo engineering.  His horns\nin the First Concerto are more recessed, but still satisfying.  An\noddity in his set is the addition of a middle movement in the Third\nConcerto.  Officially, the work has only two movements and, according to\nthe \u003cem\u003eOxford Dictionary of Music\u003c\/em\u003e, this has led to much\nspeculation by scholars concerning the 'missing' movement.  Marriner has\n'solved' this problem by inserting a brief Adagio identified by\nPhilips simply as 'BVW 1019a'.  Investigation shows this to be part of\nthe first version of the Sonata for violin and keyboard No. 6 in G\nMajor.  It sounds quite effective in the concerto.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e It is in the\nSixth Concerto that the two conductors differ most in their approach\n(specifically in the last two movements).   The Second Movement is\nmarked Adagio ma non tanto ('Slow but not too much').  Horenstein\nignores the qualifier and directs a leisurely, 'heavenly' Adagio.  He\nfollows this without pause with a swift and energetic Final Movement\nAllegro.  This slightly unorthodox approach provides a contrast between\nthe two movements which is extremely exciting.  It is a master stroke by\na master conductor.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Marriner obeys the tempo marking of the\nSecond Movement and 'pushes' it slightly, without losing all repose. \nHis following Allegro is comparatively leisurely with the result that\nthere is less contrast between the movements and less excitement than\nHorenstein finds.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e I rounded off my Brandenburg Concerto\nlistening sessions with some extracts from a period instrument set\nperformed by the Dunedin Consort conducted by John Butt and released on\nLinn Records. The Consort has ten musicians, one to a part, with Butt\nconducting from the harpsichord. As reported in Kirk McElhearn’s review\nof this set, the pitch is a low 392 Hz and Butt is quoted as saying\nthat this ‘brings a warmth and glow to the sound’ which ‘tends to\nencourage a slightly slower but more subtle articulation for most\ninstruments’.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e I did find these qualities of warmth and subtlety\nin the extracts I heard and, whilst these are unmistakably\n‘historically informed’ performances, my ears weren’t taxed in a way\nthey might have been by a colder and more relentless approach. In the\nSixth Concerto, Butt doesn’t make the dramatic contrast Horenstein did\nbetween the last two movements, but in the Slow Movement he is more\nrelaxed than Marriner and faster than him in the Finale. The set has\nreceived enthusiastic reviews. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In sum, Horenstein's well\nexecuted and sometimes exciting performances can be regarded as advanced\nfor their time, a kind of 'half-way house' between the traditional\napproach to these works and modern renditions.  Making due allowance for\ntheir relatively unrefined string sound, they would make a worthwhile\nsupplement to much more recent recordings Bach lovers might have in\ntheir collections.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eRob W McKenzie\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusicWeb International\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC468.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHorenstein's pioneering Period Instrument recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"You can’t go wrong with these Brandenburgs ... A must for Horenstein’s fans\" - Fanfare\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe release of this pioneering 1954 recording of Bach's Brandenburg\nConcertos has been brought forward to commemorate the life and work of\nthe great conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929-2016). In his notes for\nthis release, Misha Horenstein observes the presence in the orchestra\nhere of both Harnoncourt and Austrian composer and conductor Paul\nAngerer, suggesting: \"It is not inconceivable that both these musicians,\nand some of the others, derived inspiration for the future direction of\ntheir careers from their work on this recording of the Brandenburgs.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new XR remastering brings a greater sense of life, space and\nclarity to the recordings, as well as correcting for the first time a\nnumber of pitch issues present on the original tapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBACH\u003c\/b\u003e Six Brandenburg Concertos, BWV.1046-51 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybigblue\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymidarial\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eRecorded in Vienna, 21-25 September 1954\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eOriginally published on VOX DL122\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWiener Soloists\u003cbr\u003eJascha Horenstein\u003c\/b\u003e, conductor \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWalter Schneiderhan\u003c\/b\u003e (solo violin)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimiter Tortscanoff\u003c\/b\u003e (violin)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Trimmel\u003c\/b\u003e (violin)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eErnest Opawa\u003c\/b\u003e (violin)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRudolf Lindner\u003c\/b\u003e (violin)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Angerer\u003c\/b\u003e (solo viola, violino piccolo, harpsichord, 2nd recorder)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKarl Troetzmueller\u003c\/b\u003e (viola, 1st recorder)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJosef de Sardi\u003c\/b\u003e (viola)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eViktor Goerlich\u003c\/b\u003e (cello)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNikolaus Harnoncourt\u003c\/b\u003e (viola da gamba)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHermann Hoebarth\u003c\/b\u003e (viola da gamba)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEmil Kremer\u003c\/b\u003e (contrabass)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCamille Wanausek\u003c\/b\u003e (flute)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFriedrich Wachter\u003c\/b\u003e (oboe)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRudolf Spurny\u003c\/b\u003e (oboe)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJosef Koblinger\u003c\/b\u003e (oboe)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeo Cermak\u003c\/b\u003e (bassoon)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFranz Koch\u003c\/b\u003e (horn)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKarl Buchmayr\u003c\/b\u003e (horn)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdolf Holler\u003c\/b\u003e (trumpet)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJosef Ortner\u003c\/b\u003e (trumpet)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJosef Nebois\u003c\/b\u003e (continuo)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC468.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC468.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAdditional Notes578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eNotes on the recording\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: georgia, palatino;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003eby \u003cem\u003eMisha Horenstein\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eNineteen\nfifty-four was a something of a moribund year for Horenstein in the\nconcert hall. A tour of Latin America in February and March, followed by\na few appearances in France between June and December constituted his\nentire workload for that year. Also unproductive were his attempts to\nsecure full-time conducting positions in Berlin with the RIAS Orchestra\nand at the \u003cem\u003eStädtische Oper\u003c\/em\u003e, which fell on deaf ears. \"I don’t\nhave anyone in Berlin anymore who will take pains on one’s behalf\", he\ncomplained, \"and continually deal with the people who matter and suggest\na name again and again.\" Closed doors also applied to his career, or\nlack of one, in the United States and in Britain, while the death of his\nclose friend Karol Rathaus in November (followed nine days later by\nFurtwängler) shook him profoundly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe situation was better in the recording studio. In June 1954 Horenstein was awarded the \u003cem\u003eGrand Prix du Disque\u003c\/em\u003e for his EMI recordings of Strauss's \u003cem\u003eMetamorphosen\u003c\/em\u003e and Stravinsky's \u003cem\u003eSymphony of Psalms \u003c\/em\u003e(PASC \u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003e418\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003e428\u003c\/span\u003e),\nand in September he embarked on a further series of recordings for Vox\nRecords in Paris, Bamberg and Vienna, all within the space of two\nmonths. Nestled between these was the present edition of Bach's \u003cem\u003eBrandenburg Concertos\u003c\/em\u003e, recorded in Vienna during the third week of September 1954.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eMuch better known for his performances of 19\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e and 20\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\ncentury music, this recording represented an unusual change of\ndirection for Horenstein. Its distinguishing feature is the use of\nperiod and modern instruments, one of the first recorded attempts to\nreproduce the original sound of Bach's orchestra in Cöthen and a\nprecursor of what later became known as the 'Historically Informed\nPerformance' movement that flourished in the late 1960s and beyond.\nHorenstein's thinking was way ahead of its time but it is unclear who or\nwhat influenced him to take up this experiment. It might have been\nHindemith, whom he met in 1949, or T.W. Adorno, an old friend from the\nWeimar era, whose debates on the subject of authentic performances of\nbaroque music during and after Bach's bicentenary year could have\ninspired him to adopt the idea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eHorenstein\nspent much time and effort searching for the right combination of\nperiod instruments, not as easy to find then as now, and auditioning the\nmusicians to play them. In the end he settled for a twenty-two piece\norchestra that featured a harpsichord, a violino piccolo, two recorders,\ntwo viole da gamba, two natural horns and a clarino trumpet in addition\nto modern instruments. This formation represented a revolutionary new\napproach to these masterpieces, which until then were usually performed\nin a romantic style, mostly by large orchestras with modern instruments,\noften with the keyboard part taken by a piano. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe\nplayers were drawn mainly from members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra\nthat included, most notably, the young Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Paul\nAngerer, both of whom later became important figures in the development\nof authentic performances of baroque and classical era music. It is not\ninconceivable that both these musicians, and some of the others, derived\ninspiration for the future direction of their careers from their work\non this recording of the Brandenburgs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eThe\nrecordings were originally released in early 1955 on two\nextra-long-playing LPs in a deluxe, white ersatz-leather-bound edition\n(Vox DL 122). The package included a ninety-page booklet with detailed\nanalytical notes, the complete score as well as a facsimile of Bach's\nflowery dedication as it appeared in the original manuscript, and was\nsold at a price lower than the three-disc competing versions. But\ndespite their cost advantage, the luxury format and the acknowledged\nrenown of the musicians who took part, contemporary reviews were\nunusually negative. \"The Vox ensemble under Horenstein\", complained a\nclearly irritated Andrew Porter in The Gramophone, \"merely plod along\nthrough yet another set of Brandenburgs\". Republished a number of times\nsince their first appearance, subsequent critical evaluation has been\nfar more charitable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: small;\"\u003eAs\none of the first examples of its kind there can be little doubt that\nthis recording contributed to the birth of the authentic performance\nmovement, even though it was primarily the composition of the orchestra\nand some surprisingly nimble choices of tempo (for that time), and less\nthe technical and stylistic aspects of Horenstein's interpretations,\nthat faithfully reproduced the Baroque sound. However, his subsequent\nuse of smaller ensembles and his preference for lighter textures in\nperformances of classical and early romantic music, as evidenced by his\nsecond reading of Beethoven's \u003cem\u003eEroica \u003c\/em\u003eand other recordings for Vox, appear to have been stimulated by his work on the Brandenburgs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064782516314,"sku":"kcw1789304915337","price":27.85,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064782549082,"sku":"cnr1789304915338","price":16.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":44064782581850,"sku":"oxo1789304915339","price":15.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/3807\/0874\/files\/horenstein-bach-six-brandenburg-concertos-1954---pasc468_1.jpg?v=1789304922","url":"https:\/\/vestorawear.shop\/products\/horenstein-bach-six-brandenburg-concertos-1954-pasc468","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}