Bach, Johann Sebastian / Keyboard Concertos (Murray Perahia, pianist)
Label: Sony Classical

Larry K.
Reviewed: 2011-08-30

MURRAY PERAHIA PLAYS BACH CONCERTOS
Label: Sony Classical 2011

The seven concertos for keyboard and orchestra date from early in Bach’s 27 years as Cantor at Leipzig’s St. Thomas’s Church. They are joyful and energetic, even the most dramatic and darkly colored, No. 1 in D minor, which is marked by richness, vitality and rhythmic buoyancy. I find it a journey into exaltation. The Adagio is reflective, in a chaconne style. No. 2. shows Bach embellishing and developing the right-hand part and changing the soloist’s relationship to the orchestra, in a manner new to the 18th cent. and anticipating Mozart. No. 3 exhibits Bach’s infectious vitality, though the Largetto is tragic. No. 4 has innocent charm and lilt. No. 5 has spacious melody and a lovely Largo. No. 6 is Bach’s arrangement of the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, exuberant, with delightful counterpoint in the Allegro assai. No. 7 is modeled on Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, with focused energy and attention-riveting momentum. The Triple Concerto in A minor [Conc. For Flute, Violin & Keyboard] has breadth and drama. The Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 was the first, in an orchestral work, to free the harpsichord from its role of filling in and embellishing the harmonies implied by the bass line. The first mvt solo cadenza “ranks with the most exciting three minutes of keyboard music ever written.” A jubilant gigue ends the work. The ever-popular Italian Concerto envisioned a two-manual harpsichord to realize the “orchestra,” but Perahia’s grand piano richly presents the two musical forces.

Disc 1 [total time 53:05]
1. [7:12] Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052. I. Allegro
2. [6:09] Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052. II. Adagio
3. [7:18] Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052. III. Allegro
4. [8:03] Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major BWV 1053. I.
5. [4:59] Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major BWV 1053. II Siciliano
6. [6:00] Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major BWV 1053. III. Allegro
7. [4:06] Keyboard Concerto No. 4 in A major BWV 1055. I. Allegro
8. [4:53] Keyboard Concerto No. 4 in A major BWV 1055. II. Larghetto
9. [4:25] Keyboard Concerto No. 4 in A major BWV 1055. III. Allegro

Disc 2 [total time 55:13]
1. [7:15] Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D major BWV 1054. I
2. [5:48] Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D major BWV 1054. II. Adagio e piano
3. [2:39] Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D major BWV 1054. III. Allegro
4. [3:26] Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056. I.
5. [2:55] Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056. II. Largo
6. [2:58] Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor BWV 1056. III. Presto
7. [7:49] Keyboard Concerto No. 6 in F major BWV 1057. I
8. [4:00] Keyboard Concerto No. 6 in F major BWV 1057. II. Andante
9. [5:04] Keyboard Concerto No. 6 in F major BWV 1057. III. Allegro assai
10. [3:42] Keyboard Concerto No. 7 in G minor BWV 1058. I
11. [5:59] Keyboard Concerto No. 7 in G minor BWV 1058. II. Andante
12. [3:38] Keyboard Concerto No. 7 in G minor BWV 1058. III. Allegro assai

Disc 3 [total time 55:18]
1. [8:42] Concerto for Flute, Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1044. I. Allegro
2. [6:16] Concerto for Flute, Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1044. II. Adagio
3. [6:23] Concerto for Flute, Violin & Harpsichord, BWV 1044. III. Alla breve
4. [10:34] Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major BWV 1050. I. Allegro
5. [5:22] Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major BWV 1050. II. Affettuoso
6. [5:17] Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major BWV 1050. III. Allegro
7. [4:06] Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971. I
8. [5:02] Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971. II. Andante
9. [3:36] Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971. III. Presto.