The Whole Music Experience

Classical   Freiburger Barockorchester Von Der Goltz/Müllejans/Schreiber J.S. Bach Violin Concertos Harmonia Mundi I find it ironic that during the Romantic Era J.S. Bach’s works fell out of favor because the musicians and music audiences of that time thought that Bach’s work lacked virtuosity (as mentioned in the liner notes of Violin Concertos ).  I listen to the dazzling performances of Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins (BWV 1043), Violin Concerto (BWV 1042), Violin Concerto (BWV 1041) and Concerto for Three Violins (BWV 1064R) by Freiburger Barockorchester and I hear nothing but heroic virtuosity.  Certainly, any musician from contemporary times would agree at the complexity and difficulty of Bach’s musical architecture, but not only that, but the emotional palette that becomes necessary when performing any of Bach’s works. The recording opens on a fiery yet playful note, Vivace of the Concerto for Two Violins featuring Petra Müllejans (Art...

Kristian Bezuidenhout Freiburger Barockorchester Mozart Piano Concertos, K. 453 & 482 Harmonia Mundi Within the past 48 hours, I learned that Mozart had a pet starling who he taught to sing and that the music he taught the bird to sing was Mozart’s Piano concerto K. 253 .   The bird, like most of us humans could not grasp the complexities of Mozart’s compositions, much less sing it perfectly.   However, the famous Austrian composer’s student Fräulein Babette had no trouble learning the delightful concerto and performed it at a private concert in Vienna.   According to the liner notes, Mozart decided to forge a career as a freelance musician, composing for aristocratic families, performing in private homes, and teaching piano.   While this might sound arduous to a modern pianist/composer, this allowed Mozart freedom to explore his virtuosity and innovative ideas without an archbishop or emperor breathing over his shoulder. We learn some...

Bezuidenhout (piano), Von der Goltz (violin) Freiburger Barockorchester Mendelssohn Double Concerto for Piano and Violin And Piano Concerto in A minor Harmonia Mundi Dubbed the Mozart of the 19 th century by Robert Schumann, imagine that Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847) composed his Concerto for Piano and Strings in A minor when he was 13 and his Double Concerto for piano and violin the following year, prior to composing his famous overture for Midsummer Night’s Dream .   Much of the Bezuidenhout, Von der Goltz and Freiburger Barockorchester’s performance of these compositions sounds like Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Paganini rolled into one and sprinkled with Bach and Mozart.   This recording, a rare treat by any standards, easily ends up on my top 10 classical recordings for 2011.   The passion on the disc alone can heat my home. The recording opens with the Concerto for Piano and Strings features the balanced architecture of Bach...