Nikolaus Harnoncourt remains a beacon for performing Bach’s works. Most of his recordings are true milestones of the discography.
This is the second recording of the Brandenburg Concertos he made for Teldec / Das Alte Werk, the first being the pioneering 1967 version. This last one was recorded in 1981, an early product of Teldec’s excellent Direct Metal Mastering, revisiting these masterpieces with freshness and improved technique.
“Great advances were made between the 1960s and the 1980s in rediscovering and developing techniques required to bring period horns, trumpets, oboes and flutes to life in a convincing way. (…) The level of execution is consistently high and the recorded sound all that one could wish for.” Gramophone