Bach: Sinfonias Vol. 3

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Music reviews of Bach: Sinfonias Vol. 3

Music Review: Plangent but falls short of the mark
Rating: 3 Stars

This collection promises a sampling of the beauty of J.C.: from the bold masticulation of the Allegro con spirito of Op.9, No.1, to the graceful torsades phrasing of No.3's Andante, to everything in between.

Unfortunately, Hanspeter Gmur, who I generally find to be very perceptive, has made a fundamental gaffe in interpreting the galant style: he has striven for (and achieved, I might add) a beauty of sound, but at the expense of the characteristic tempo gradiations that make the London Bach's style so piquant, so shimmeringly vogiaunt in a tasty way.

Oh, you cannot fault the sound. As always, the Camerata produce achingly beautiful sonorities. For example, I have never heard the Andante di molto of the A major concertante played with such deepfelt compassion.

But, alas! the ferocious give and take of the rondos, the teasing jocularity of the incipient recapitulation manque in the first movement of the Bb major, the astonishing jolt of the deceptive cadences in all of the Allegro mavements....one listens in vain for them here.

As always, the Festetich Castle provides a grand acoustic for the recording (although I would have preferred a touch less reverb).

All in all, considering the more than reasonable price, this is a good candidate for the budget seeker, but not for the definitive collector or for a gift for someone special.

Description of Bach: Sinfonias Vol. 3

Classical CDs

• Music > Styles