A Firm Recommendation in Bach

Dear Friends,

Last night I listened for the nth. time to Adolf Busch's estimable recordings of the Bach Orchestral Suites recorded in the thirties for EMI in Abbey Road.

It is always wonderful to come across a recording of favourite music that never fades in its glory. Certainly the case with the musicianship of Adolf Busch, but last night I listened as if I had never had the chance before. Apart from Rudolf Serkin playing the piano continuo [rather then using a harpsichord] and the strings using more vibrato on occasion than is the norm nowadays I was suddenly struck but how wonderful the playing really is! Fresh, and at least as lucid in its musical balance as any modern HIP style performance I know. The thing that suddenly hit was the way the Badinerie [last movement of the Second Suite in B Minor with Solo Flute] is both fleet and filled with glorious tone, let alone being supremely tasteful musically. I then had to listen to the Suite straight off again, simply marveling about how an on old friend of a recording still has secrets to yield!

There is an excellent transfer on Pearl [Pavilion Records] GEMM 9263 - Three CDs containing the Brandenburgs Concertos and the Orchestral Suites. Though I would not generally advise this as the first recomendation, I would say that anyone who enjoys and loves this music should have this recording to run beside a more modern account!

ATB from George