Bach Sons (7 CD box set, FLAC)

Composer: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Johann Christian Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach
Performer: Balazs Mate, Machiko Takashi, Alfredo Bernandini, Pierluigi Fabretti, Sandor Endrodi, Tibor Maruzsa, Imre Mohl
Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Emmanuel Bach, Concertgebow Chamber Orchestra, Concerto Armonico, London Festival Orchestra, Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicium
Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen, Roland Kieft, Peter Sluts, Ross Pople, Burkhard Glaetzner
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 7 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+m3u)
Label: Brilliant Classics
Size: 2.08 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. Symphony for 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 654, Wq. 179: Prestissimo
02. Symphony for 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 654, Wq. 179: Larghetto
03. Symphony for 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 654, Wq. 179: Presto
04. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 656, Wq. 181: Allegro
05. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 656, Wq. 181: Andante
06. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 656, Wq. 181: Allegro assai
07. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 horns, strings & continuo, H. 649, Wq. 174: Allegro assai
08. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 horns, strings & continuo, H. 649, Wq. 174: Andante
09. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 horns, strings & continuo, H. 649, Wq. 174: Allegro
10. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 650, Wq. 175: Allegro assai
11. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 650, Wq. 175: Andante
12. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, strings & continuo in F major, H. 650, Wq. 175: Tempo di Menuetto
13. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E minor, H. 653, Wq. 178: Allegro assai
14. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E minor, H. 653, Wq. 178: Andante moderato
15. Symphony for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in E minor, H. 653, Wq. 178: Allegro

Disc: 2
01. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 1’) in A minor, H. 432, Wq. 170: Allegro assai
02. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 1’) in A minor, H. 432, Wq. 170: Andante
03. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 1’) in A minor, H. 432, Wq. 170: Allegro assai
04. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 3’) in A major, H. 439, Wq. 172: Allegro
05. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 3’) in A major, H. 439, Wq. 172: Largo con sordini, mesto
06. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 3’) in A major, H. 439, Wq. 172: Allegro assai
07. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 2’) in B flat major, H. 436, Wq. 171: Allegretto
08. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 2’) in B flat major, H. 436, Wq. 171: Adagio
09. Concerto for cello, strings & continuo (‘No. 2’) in B flat major, H. 436, Wq. 171: Allegro assai

Disc: 3
01. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in B flat major, H. 466, Wq. 164: Allegretto
02. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in B flat major, H. 466, Wq. 164: Largo e mesto
03. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in B flat major, H. 466, Wq. 164: Allegro moderato
04. Concerto for flute, strings & continuo in D minor, H. 426, Wq. 22: Allegro
05. Concerto for flute, strings & continuo in D minor, H. 426, Wq. 22: Un poco andante
06. Concerto for flute, strings & continuo in D minor, H. 426, Wq. 22: Allegro di molto
07. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 468, Wq. 165: Allegro
08. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 468, Wq. 165: Adagio ma non troppo
09. Concerto for oboe, strings & continuo in E flat major, H. 468, Wq. 165: Allegro ma non troppo

Disc: 4
01. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 7’ in G major, Op. 6/1, CW C7ab (T. 264/1) (2 versions): Allegro con brio
02. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 7’ in G major, Op. 6/1, CW C7ab (T. 264/1) (2 versions): Andante
03. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 7’ in G major, Op. 6/1, CW C7ab (T. 264/1) (2 versions): Allegro assai
04. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 1’ in D major, Op. 3/1, CW C1a (T. 262/4): Allegro con spirito
05. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 1’ in D major, Op. 3/1, CW C1a (T. 262/4): Andante
06. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 1’ in D major, Op. 3/1, CW C1a (T. 262/4): Presto
07. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 2’ in C major, Op. 3/2, CW C2a (T. 262/4): Allegro
08. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 2’ in C major, Op. 3/2, CW C2a (T. 262/4): Andante
09. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 2’ in C major, Op. 3/2, CW C2a (T. 262/4): Allegro assai
10. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 18b’ in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CW C18b (T. 268/6): Allegro
11. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 18b’ in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CW C18b (T. 268/6): Andante con sordini
12. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 18b’ in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CW C18b (T. 268/6): Tempo di Menuetto
13. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 12’ in G minor, Op. 6/6, CW C12 (T. 265/7): Allegro
14. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 12’ in G minor, Op. 6/6, CW C12 (T. 265/7): Andante piu tosto adagio
15. Symphony for orchestra ‘No. 12’ in G minor, Op. 6/6, CW C12 (T. 265/7): Allegro molto

Disc: 5
01. Symphonie Concertante for 2 violins, cello & orchestra in G major, CW C32 (T. 284/1): Allegro
02. Symphonie Concertante for 2 violins, cello & orchestra in G major, CW C32 (T. 284/1): Andante
03. Symphonie Concertante for 2 violins, cello & orchestra in G major, CW C32 (T. 284/1): Menuetto
04. Symphonie Concertante for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns & orchestra in E flat major, CW C41 (T. 290/9): Allegro assai
05. Symphonie Concertante for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns & orchestra in E flat major, CW C41 (T. 290/9): Larghetto
06. Symphonie Concertante for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns & orchestra in E flat major, CW C41 (T. 290/9): Menuetto
07. Symphonie Concertante for violin, cello & orchestra in A major, CW C34 (T. 284/4): Andante di molto
08. Symphonie Concertante for violin, cello & orchestra in A major, CW C34 (T. 284/4): Rondeau, allegro assai
09. Symphonie Concertante for 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 violins, 2 violas, cello & orchestra in E flat major, CW C40 (T. 288/7): Andante
10. Symphonie Concertante for 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 violins, 2 violas, cello & orchestra in E flat major, CW C40 (T. 288/7): Menuetto

Disc: 6
01. Sinfonia for strings in F major (‘Dissonant’), F. 67 (BR C2): Vivace
02. Sinfonia for strings in F major (‘Dissonant’), F. 67 (BR C2): Andante
03. Sinfonia for strings in F major (‘Dissonant’), F. 67 (BR C2): Allegro
04. Sinfonia for strings in F major (‘Dissonant’), F. 67 (BR C2): Menuetto 1 & 2
05. Ertönet, ihr seligen Völker, cantata, F. 88 (BR F15)
06. Sinfonia in D minor (‘Adagio and Fugue’), F. 65 (BR C7)
07. Sinfonia in D major (used as prelude to cantata ‘Dies ist der Tag’), F. 64 (BR C8): Allegro e maestoso
08. Sinfonia in D major (used as prelude to cantata ‘Dies ist der Tag’), F. 64 (BR C8): Andante
09. Sinfonia in D major (used as prelude to cantata ‘Dies ist der Tag’), F. 64 (BR C8): Vivace
10. Wo geht die Lebensreise hin?, cantata, F. 91 (BR F12): Sinfonia in D major
11. O Wunder, we kann dieses fassen?, cantata, F. 92 (BR F2): Sinfonia in G major
12. Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor ‘No. 5’ (doubtful), BWV 1070: Larghetto-un poco allegro
13. Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor ‘No. 5’ (doubtful), BWV 1070: Torneo
14. Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor ‘No. 5’ (doubtful), BWV 1070: Aria, adagio
15. Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor ‘No. 5’ (doubtful), BWV 1070: Menuetto alternativo-trio
16. Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor ‘No. 5’ (doubtful), BWV 1070: Capriccio

Disc: 7
01. Symphony in B flat, HW1/20: Largo-allegro
02. Symphony in B flat, HW1/20: Andante con moto
03. Symphony in B flat, HW1/20: Minuetto
04. Symphony in B flat, HW1/20: Rondo, allegretto scherzando
05. Symphony in E-flat major, HW1/10: Allegro
06. Symphony in E-flat major, HW1/10: Andante assai
07. Symphony in E-flat major, HW1/10: Allegro assai
08. Symphony in C major, HW1/6: Allegro di molto
09. Symphony in C major, HW1/6: Andante Listen
10. Symphony in C major, HW1/6: Allegro assai

Brilliant Classics’ Oddest Issue?

The Brilliant Classics label has established a reputation for issuing very good (though rarely great) box sets of major composers at bargain prices. Most famous in their catalog are the Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart complete works editions. Perhaps as an appendix to the Bach complete edition, we have this 7-CD set of music from the sons of Johann Sebastian Bach: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Johann Christian Bach, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, and Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach. None of Bach’s sons achieved the stature or reached the pinnacles of their father, but there is excellent music here. And it should also be said at the outset that this is not a “complete works,” edition, but rather a showcase of the better works by Bach’s sons.

The first three discs are works of C.P.E. Bach: The Berlin Symphonies, some of the cello concerti, and some of the flute concerti. A pick-up orchestra calling themselves the C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra plays the Berlin Symphonies under Hartmut Haenchen, and the playing is mostly very good. Balazs Mate is the soloist for the cello concerti, with mixed results, but his style is certainly sympathetic to the pieces if his intonation occasionally misses. Machiko Takahashi is our flute soloist, though two of the three flute concerti were originally for oboe, and the lower oboe range doesn’t always make for brilliant flute playing. Takahashi’s technique often seems muddy, though his sound is very lush. Nonetheless, it was common practice for later Baroque and early Classical concerti to be played on a variety of instruments, so the approach is certainly valid. The Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra sounds fantastic in its accompanying role.

The next two discs are works of J.C. Bach–random symphonies and sinfonia concertanti. The symphonies are played well enough, but the sinfonia concertanti are the better listen in the hands of the London Festival Orchestra.

Only one disc of W.F. Bach–random sinfonias (mostly in introduction to his father’s cantatas) and a very nice suite in G Minor which may or may not be his own composition. Again, the C.P.E. Bach chamber orchestra performs admirably.

And finally, a disc of three of J.C. Bach’s symphonies in polished performances by the New Bach Collegium Musicum under Burkhard Glaetzner. These are more extensive pieces in a thoroughly Classical style, with longer movements and a style that clearly paves the way for Haydn and Mozart. This is a fascinating insight into the Bach legacy and its imprint on the Classical era, which was already dawning as J.S. Bach’s life was ending.

All things considered, this is very interesting music, well-recorded and performed, at a bargain price. If you’re curious about Bach’s legacy and the transition from the Baroque to the Classical, this is very much worthwhile. Enjoy.