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...

  Classical   Jerusalem Quartet Sharon Kam Brahms Clarinet Quintet String Quartet, No. 2 Harmonia Mundi     The clarinet is among the most versatile instruments showing up in classical, baroque, jazz, world, gypsy and klezmer music.  On Jerusalem Quartet’s recording of Brahms Clarinet Quintet featuring clarinetist Sharon Kam, the wind instrument takes on a chameleon role blending in with the strings so well, that at times I can barely detect its warm tones.  I’m reminded of the solitary clarinet of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto , not knowing why exactly since Brahms doesn’t send his clarinet on flights of fancy and the clarinet portrays adult sobriety as opposed to Mozart’s childlike glee.  Brahms, for whatever reason, refrains from shining the virtuoso spotlight on the instrument, and this is during an era when fiery musicianship on a soloing instrument was the norm. The musical conversation of the Clarinet Quintet holds my atten...