Bach: The Two Violin Concertos / Double Concerto / Concerto for Violin and Oboe Vesko Eschkenazy

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043 for two violins, strings and continuo
• 1 I. Vivace 03:38
• 2 II. Largo ma non tanto 06:29
• 3 III. Allegro 04:28
• Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor, BWV 1041
• 4 I. Allegro 03:50
• 5 II. Andante 06:43
• 6 III. Allegro assai 03:31
• Violin Concerto No.2 in E major, BWV 1042
• 7 I. Allegro 07:53
• 8 II. Adagio 06:19
• 9 III. Allegro assai 02:48
• Concerto in C minor, BWV 1060 for oboe, violin, strings and continuo
• 10 I. Allegro 04:54
• 11 II. Adagio 05:40
• 12 III. Allegro 03:31
• Total Runtime 59:44

Info for Bach: The Two Violin Concertos / Double Concerto / Concerto for Violin and Oboe

According to Gramophone magazine the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra is the best orchestra in the world, so you won’t find greater quality performances than this release with the Concertgebouw and its principals as soloists. The oboe and violin soloists shine with unrivaled beauty, rendered even more gorgeous thanks to Pentatone’s high quality recording techniques.

„This starry release features two principals of what many consider the greatest orchestra in the world: The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Violinist Vesko Eschkenazy has been principal since 1999, while oboist Alexei Ogrintchouk obtained his seating in 2005 neither disappoint, and it is easy to see how each attained their exalted positions. The reading of the Double Concerto for Two Violins is completely within modern standards; while they do not abandon vibrato and fully-finessed contemporary violin standards, the tempos are up, and energy is high. The playing in general is suave and forceful, with little done to distract in terms of personal idiosyncrasies. Likewise the two violin concertos; Eschkenazy is quite conscious of the period in which he lives but also gives due consideration to a more relaxed and lyrical approach, never slacking the underlying rhythmic impetus but always projecting in a concerto-like fashion and striving for the purest tone possible. If I continue to laud Lara St. John for her invigorating performances of these works, and Anne-Sophie Mutter s much older and creamy recordings it is only because the music can take a variety of approaches, of which Eschkenazy's certainly is one, and a very fine one. Though the above pieces were composed during a later period after Bach had accepted his Leipzig position, and had finished his cantata cycle and the great St. John and St. Matthew passions, his Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin belongs to a time of great happiness, indeed the greatest happiness of his life during his tenure at Cöthen, after his remarriage to Anna Magdalena Wilcken, the court's first soprano, and at a time when Bach was greatly influenced by the new music of Vivaldi, the model for this concerto. The three movements display the same rigorous structure that the Italian was to impose on so many of his hundreds of concertos, one that allowed tremendous expression and a huge amount of lyricism. Eschkenazy and Ogrintchouk take this to heart in a reading of tremendous finesse and soaring lines, while the superb Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra employs its sumptuous tonal qualities to good effect. The surround sound is resonant and enveloping, as if in a fine concert hall. A welcome recommendation.“ (Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition)

“There is very little to criticise here, and these are all very fine performances. The sound is pretty crisp supporting an historically informed approach with brisk tempi, a discretely balanced harpsichord helping things along and admirable transparency of texture and articulation.” (MusicWeb International)

Vesko Eschkenazy, violin & director
Tjeerd Top, violin (BWV 1043)
Alexei Ogrintchouk, oboe
Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra
Marco Boni, conductor

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Booklet for Bach: The Two Violin Concertos / Double Concerto / Concerto for Violin and Oboe