Johann Sebastian BachChamber Music
Musica Antique Köln, Reinhard Goebel
Archiv 447 713-2
Having all of these works collected together is a real treasure. It is one of the most beautiful collections I've heard. 5 cd's of all of Bach's chamber music, exquisitely performed by the outstanding soloists of Musica Antiqua Koln. Reinhard Goebel's performance of the violin works is simply perfect. As I've said before, Bach's sonatas for violin and harpsichord have been in the shadows for too long, they deserve to be heard and this performance proves it. They are a delightful partnership between violin and harpsichord. The tempos are fairly brisk but the performance is so clearly articulated that the result is energetic and very rewarding.
The viola da gamba and flute performances are equally excellent. These are "authentic instruments" performances so the sound is a little thinner, a little crispier than traditional instrumentation. In this particular recording the result is lovely; the flute is particularly fragile. I have never heard these works played with such energy, precision and affection.
Even if you own other recordings of these works, I highly recommend adding this set to your collection.
It is a tragedy that this recording is so hard to find in the U.S.! It is available from the european sources listed in purchase sources below.
Jan Hanford, jsbach.org
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