Dunedin Consort.
This recording is the first instrumental release from the Dunedin Consort and includes all of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, which are widely regarded as among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era.
Under the direction of John Butt, the ensemble has established a reputation as an excellent performer, and it is particularly acclaimed for shining new light on some of the best – known pieces of the baroque era. (See photo at left side)
The performances of all six Brandenburg concertos are examples of beautiful ensemble playing. Even in the second, fourth and fifth concertos, with their more obvious solo roles, there’s no sense of instruments being highlighted like the soloists in a classical concerto.
The quartet of trumpet, recorder, oboe and violin in the second concerto is obviously distinct from the rest of the orchestra, but it, too, is perfectly balanced with the strings.
The Scottish Dunedin Consort has often been recognized for its fresh, transparent textures and beautifully proportioned and balanced sound, and, they have produced will hopefully be followed by more recordings of other orchestral works.
Here is the Dunedin consort in the Bach Brandenburg concerto #3 and some other selections:
And next, here they are with John Butt introducing the Sinfonia to Bach’s Cantata 174:
Finally here is the Dunedin Consort rehearsing the absolutely amazing Bach ‘Johannes Passion’ for its performance at the Lammermuir Festival on the 14th of September 2012:
Tags: Bach, Johannes Passion, Dunedin Consort, Brandenburg concertos, John Butt