# Best HIP Bach Violin Concertos?



## JSBach85

Hi,

It's been a long time I am not here because I have lots of things to do...

Well, I am interested in good HIP Bach Violin Concertos BWV 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, ... recordings. What are your favourites?


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## wkasimer

I'm not sure that it's the best, since I haven't heard them all, but I've always liked this one with Manze and Podger:


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## premont

Kuijken on DHM or Standage/Pinnock on Archiv.


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## Triplets

wkasimer said:


> I'm not sure that it's the best, since I haven't heard them all, but I've always liked this one with Manze and Podger:
> 
> View attachment 98740


That's the one that I have. I used to have a set featuring Simon Standage but gave it up when I acquired the present set


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## DarkAngel

Petra Mullejans/Freiburger Barockorchester is a recent release that will please any HIP fan, sound for HM is very fine also


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## Taplow

I have the Andrew Manze and Rachel Podger mentioned above, which is very good, and also this:










Simon Standage and Elizabeth Wilcock with the English Concert under Trevor Pinnock.

I recently also came across this one, which I've been listening to the past few days:










Monica Huggett and Alison Bury with the Amsterdam Baroque under Ton Koopman

Of the three, I think I prefer the Manze/Podger over all. Both violins have a nice tone and clarity, and are quite forward in the mix, which allows you to hear the interplay of the parts against the orchestra. It's also taken at a good pace. I find the Standage/Wilcock to be a bit scrappy and ponderous. The instruments played in the Pinnock are also a little too bright. They lack the warmth of the Manze/Podger.


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## Taplow

Exploring this theme a little more, I discovered the Hogwood recording with Jaap Schröder and Christopher Hirons. It is unusual in that Hogwood has chosen an organ continuo, rather than harpsichord, for the double concerto. I love the baroque organ, and this gives this work another dimension that is entirely fresh to my ears. Absolutely delightful.

On top of that, the playing from both orchestra and soloists is masterful, and the balance in the recording seems perfect. This went immediately onto my wishlist, and may become my new reference for these concertos.


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## premont

http://allofbach.com/en/bwv/bwv-1043/


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## JSBach85

DarkAngel said:


> Petra Mullejans/Freiburger Barockorchester is a recent release that will please any HIP fan, sound for HM is very fine also


Thank you for your recommendation. I am a big fan of Freiburger Barockorchester, I own their Telemann Tafelmusik, Bach Sons symphonies and Handel operas conducted by Jacobs. Since I don't want to miss this one, I also ordered it.


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## JSBach85

Taplow said:


> I have the Andrew Manze and Rachel Podger mentioned above, which is very good, and also this:
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> Simon Standage and Elizabeth Wilcock with the English Concert under Trevor Pinnock.
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> I recently also came across this one, which I've been listening to the past few days:
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> Monica Huggett and Alison Bury with the Amsterdam Baroque under Ton Koopman
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> Of the three, I think I prefer the Manze/Podger over all. Both violins have a nice tone and clarity, and are quite forward in the mix, which allows you to hear the interplay of the parts against the orchestra. It's also taken at a good pace. I find the Standage/Wilcock to be a bit scrappy and ponderous. The instruments played in the Pinnock are also a little too bright. They lack the warmth of the Manze/Podger.


The Koopman recording is the one I have, along with Wallfisch in Virgin. I haven't listened to Pinnock recording yet but I saw it at 0.77 GBP, used, in Amazon and I ordered it as well. I guess is not the best performance and certainly have been surpassed by newer recordings and Early Music specialized ensembles that emerged in 2000s such as Freiburger Barockorchester, but Pinnock hardly ever dissapoints and it is my opinion, however, that I usually enjoy Bach's Pinnock recordings more than his Vivaldi concertos recordings.


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## AfterHours

DarkAngel said:


> Petra Mullejans/Freiburger Barockorchester is a recent release that will please any HIP fan, sound for HM is very fine also


This ^^^ The best set I've ever heard and I've heard most, perhaps all, of the many acclaimed ones. So while this is a subjective claim, it's also not ignorant of the wide variety of great interpretations (both HIP and not-so-HIP!).


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## Josquin13

First, I must admit that I've got a soft spot for the Schröder-Hirons-Hogwood AAM recording. I've enjoyed that recording for decades now. The playing is very musical, lively, and satisfying, even though I wouldn't normally jump to recommend Schröder, at least, not beyond his recordings with Hogwood. 

Lately, I've been enjoying period violinist Stanley Ritchie in Bach's Sonatas & Partitas immensely, along with a recording Ritchie made with The Bach Ensemble & Joshua Rifkin of Bach's concerto from Weimar. In addition, I've got a "Dr. Johnson" recording of the Double Concerto with Ritchie & Schröder on my radar, performing with the group Helicon led by Albert Fuller, but haven't heard it yet. 

However, you should strongly consider--as a possible first choice--a west coast recording from violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock and the Arcangeli Baroque Strings. They're well worth sampling. 

Violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch & co. makes another excellent choice, and her comprehensive 2 for 1 Virgin set serves as an attractive bargain for those on a budget.

More recently, like others, I've been very impressed by the Petra Mülljeans/Freiburg Barockorchester recording on Harmonia Mundi. It's excellent--though the violin tone can be a tad grittier than the above recommendations. It may be that the recording was closely miked, or perhaps it's my sound system, but I'd suggest that you sample it first. 

I also like anything violinist Alina Ibragimova plays. She's a terrific musician. Ibragimova goes back and forth between period and modern violins. Unfortunately, I haven't heard her most recent Bach VC recording with Arcangelo, led by Jonathan Cohen, but presumably she plays a period violin on it, since Arcangelo is a period ensemble. (Ibragimova also made a fine recording of the BWV 1060 Concerto for Challenge Classics, but that's on a modern violin & oboe.)

Finally, I've liked violinist Fabio Biondi's Europe Galante recording of the Concerto for Violin & Oboe, BWV 1060, with oboist Alfredo Bernardini, on Virgin. They make a terrific combo. Bernardini also recently recorded this work with his daughter, violinist Cecilia Bernardini and the Dunedin Consort (for Linn), but I haven't heard that one yet. Though I hope to, as it's received some strong reviews.

There's Rachel Podger as well, but I've not heard her latest well reviewed recordings with Brecon Baroque.

Hope that helps (as an overview).


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## JSBach85

Thank you for your recommendations, finally, those are the recordings I own:

Elizabeth Wallfisch / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment









Koopman / The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra









Trevor Pinnock / The English Concert









John Butt / Dunedin Consort









Mullejans, Goltz / Freiburger Barockorchester









I got my Freiburger Barockorchester recording yesterday. My least favourite are Koopman and Pinnock. Those are great recordings but surpaseed by Dunedin Consort and Freiburger Barockorchester. I remember Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment as a good recording too but it's been a while I haven't listened to it, I will listen to this recording today. My favourite is Freiburger Barockorchester: lively, colorful, solid conducting, brilliant instruments sound, excellent sound quality, perfect tempi.

Freiburger Barockorchester has become among my favourite period instrument ensembles, not only for Bach, but also for Telemann, Locatelli, Bach sons, etc...


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