Bach: ‘Brandenburg’ Concertos – La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken

These stylish performances of masterpieces of the baroque are a must for anyone interested in the repertoire of the period in general, and Bach in particular. The recording received superb critical acclaim on its first release:

‘Though the baroque violinist Sigiswald Kuijken played a significant role in a landmark recording for Seon of Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos during the mid 1970s, this new release is, in fact, the first to have been made by his own group, La Petite Bande. Indeed, until now, it has been almost the only period-instrument ensemble of comparable merit not to have recorded these works… this set has been worth waiting for since many of the concertante players have reached a peak of technical refinement, while also demonstrating a fluency of idiom resulting from the assimilation of ideas about phrasing, articulation and rhetoric which have changed so much over the past 25 years or so.

‘Kuijken himself plays the solo violin in Concertos Nos 1, 2, 4, and 5, and his considerable virtuosity is matched by a notably impressive line-up of instrumentalists… There is nothing gimmicky here and, as I have mentioned, the level of solo / concertante playing is often outstandingly high. Sigiswald Kuijken is a musician who has frequently charmed my sensibilities by the numerous little insights he brings to Bach’s music, and by his respect for detail. An instance of the former lies in the gently swung rhythm of the ‘Menuetto’ of the First Concerto, a small but engaging touch… Otherwise there is little to surprise anyone familiar with these concertos but much that will delight those among us who love them.’

Gramophone, June 1995