Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Gerard Schwarz, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra :: Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-4

My Favorite Brandenburg recordings

12/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Schwarz conducts with a flair, and the LA Chamber Orchesra play this music so well that you end up asking yourself why this brilliant ensemble is not better known. Wow, can't believe this recording is selling at bargain price while so many lesser recordings are selling at full price. The sound is excellent. It came out in 1980 and sounds every bit as good as a DDD recording. The soloists are all fabulous, and the orchestra as a whole is appropriately chamber-sized and energetic. The modern trumpet sounds a lot better than baroque trumpets. The tracking is done the same way as all of my other Brandenburg recordings, with only one movement per track. Perfect if you want modern instruments."

It's worth it!

01/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Are you looking for a fine rendition of the Brandenburg Concertos on modern instruments? And are you wondering if there are any budget CDs that are worth getting? Then I recomend this one! While I was comparing different versions of these Brandenburg Concertos, I eventually decided on Schwarz and the LA Chamber Orchestra. One thing I find kind of strange is the way how the tracking is on the CD. Some tracks have more than one movement. For example, the 3rd Concerto is one whole track! So be sure you look at the track listing if you are going to listen to one of the concertos. That's a very minor drawback. Another minor drawback is that this could've been made as a 2CD set so you could have a complete set. So why didn't EMI/Seraphim bother doing it that way? But hey! The performance of these great works makes this version a must get for a cheap price. And it doesn't matter if the recording is ADD, it sounds great!"