Bach Brandenburg Concerti
Performed by Reinhard Goebel conducting Musica Antiqua Köln
In the end, music is a matter of taste. And, on occasion, I have to tell you about a recoding that is not satisfying for me, because the approach is contrary to my taste:
While the Musica Antiqua Köln is clearly a collection of fine instrumental players, the tempi chosen for the famous Brandenburg Concerti is bordering on offensive. I heard the #3 with great attention. I find it hard to understand why the group or the leader decided on these fast tempi? For me, it detracts from the enjoyment. Any individual note is simply not presented to the ear long enough to be savored or enjoyed.
Perhaps these pieces have been performed by so many interpreters, that Mr. Goebel was exploring how he could be different. In doing so, my view is that he failed, because the tempi chosen make it impossible to really enjoy the music.
You can easily find excellent interpretations that allow you to savor Bach’s genius.
Here’s just one example of a performance with more reasonable tempi: