Bach: Concertos

Performer: Viktoria Mullova, Ottavio Dantone Orchestra: Accademia Bizantina Conductor: None Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Viktoria Mullovas Bach recordings for Onyx have received worldwide praise. Londons Sunday Times said her Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, "exemplify the best of old and new stylistic approaches to Bachs masterpieces." For this album, she once again teams up with harpsichordist Ottavio Dantone in a program that pairs the two famous solo Violin Concertos with two concertos arranged for violin. The Violin Concerto BWV1053 was arranged from the second harpsichord concerto and the Concerto for Violin & Harpsichord BWV1060 was arranged from the concerto for violin and oboe (which had previously been arranged by Bach himself from his concerto for two harpsichords). Having worked together for many years, Mullova and Dantone sought a piece they could both play with orchestra, and this brilliant arrangement is the result. Performed here with the Accademia Bizantina, it is the perfect conclusion to a masterful Bach program. Five CAPTIVATING Stars This 2013 Onyx Classics recording reunites award-winning violin virtuoso Viktoria Mullova, one of todays supreme Bach interpreters, and acclaimed Baroque director/keyboardist Ottavio Dantone on excellent recordings of 4 concertos that are musically scintillating, intellectually interesting in the pairing, and in two instances, exceptional. Dantone directs his Accademia Bizantina on these pieces and plays harpsichord. Its been over 15 years since Mullova gave us her excellent interpretations of Bachs violin concertos in A Minor BWV 1041 and E Major BWV 1042 performed with her own Mullova Ensemble on Bach: Violin Concertos. Now we not only get the benefit of her years of additional Bach study and performances which she says have altered her perspective, but in recent times, Mullova has switched from metal strings to Baroque-tuned gut strings and the use of a Baroque bow to heighten her transcendental Bach experiences. In addition to the customary A Minor and E Major concertos, they perform Bachs Concerto for Two Harpsichords in C Minor BWV 1060 arranged for violin and harpsichord, and the Concerto for Harpsichord BWV 1053 originally in E major for harpsichord, here transcribed into a so-called "brighter" key of D major for violin. Ottavio Dantone states "this unprecedented version works very well, enriching the composition with a range of new nuances." And so it does. These performances are uniformly excellent throughout, with Mullova, Dantone, and the Accademia excelling especially at the slower, lovely Adagio, Andante, and the marvelous lyrical Siliciano middle movements, but the fiery uptempo movements are no less compelling: her blazing power passages in both Allegro movements of the E Major BWV 1053 harpsichord concerto, benefiting greatly from the D Major key change, are mesmerizing, as are both of the transcribed Allegro movements of the Concerto for Two Harpsichords in C Minor, where Dantones keyboard work shines in duo and continuo. In summary, on this recording Ms. Mullova, Sig. Dantone and the Accademia Bizantina play spirited, dynamic, nuanced, and ultimately enjoyable customary and transcribed Bach concertos which are vividly recorded. Viktoria Mullova is an artist absolutely at the top of her game and, with the prior CD recording in rare supply, going on the record with these Bach recordings for posterity from her 2013 viewpoint. My Highest Recommendation. Five INSPIRED Stars! (12 tracks; Time: 60:30. No information is given on Mullovas violin and set up, so its assumed shes still using her 1750 Guadagnini, not her "Jules Falk" Stradivarius, with gut strings and a Barbiero Baroque bow.) Works on This Recording 1. Concerto for Violin no 2 in E major, BWV 1042 by Johann Sebastian Bach ■ Performer: Viktoria Mullova (Violin), Ottavio Dantone (Harpsichord) ■ Conductor: Ottavio Dantone ■ Period: Baroque ■ Written: 1717-1723; Cöthen, Germany ■ Length: 15 Minutes 25 Secs. 2. Concerto for Harpsichord in E major, BWV 1053 by Johann Sebastian Bach ■ Performer: Viktoria Mullova (Violin) ■ Conductor: Ottavio Dantone ■ Period: Baroque ■ Written: circa 1738-1739; Leipzig, Germany ■ Length: 19 Minutes 39 Secs. ■ Notes: Arranged for violin and orchestra from the Harpsichord Concerto No.2 in E Major. 3. Concerto for Violin no 1 in A minor, BWV 1041 by Johann Sebastian Bach ■ Performer: Viktoria Mullova (Violin) ■ Conductor: Ottavio Dantone ■ Period: Baroque ■ Written: 1717-1723; Cöthen, Germany ■ Length: 12 Minutes 17 Secs. 4. Concerto for 2 Harpsichords in C minor, BWV 1060 by Johann Sebastian Bach ■ Performer: Ottavio Dantone (Harpsichord), Viktoria Mullova (Violin) ■ Conductor: Ottavio Dantone ■ Period: Baroque ■ Written: 1738-1739; Leipzig, Germany ■ Length: 12 Minutes 25 Secs. ■ Notes: Arranged for violin and harpsichord.