Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Helmut Müller-Brühl - J.S.Bach - Concerti for three Harpsichords, Violins and Flute (1995)

Although Naxos offers many fine recordings, few are of such high quality as this 1995 release of Bach's concertos for various instrumental combinations. In terms of interpretation, execution, and sound, these performances may be compared favorably to others on major labels, without disclaimers. In the Concerto for flute, violin, and harpsichord, Felix Reimann, Ingeborg Scheerer, and Andreas Spering, respectively, give finely nuanced readings that lift their parts to a level of poetic expression. The Concerto for harpsichord and two recorders is better known in its arrangement as the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. Robert Hill, harpsichord, and Nadja Schubert and Eva Morsbach, recorders, form a tight concertante, and their flawless playing is a high point of the disc. The Concerto for three harpsichords is vigorously played by Gerald Hambitzer, Andreas Spering, and Christoph Anselm Noll, and the string ripieno maintains the same level of energy in the competitive manner of the concerto grosso. The Concerto for three violins, performed by Winfried Rademacher, Elisabeth Kufferath, and Christine Pichlmeir, is perhaps the most directly appealing for its exuberance and varied colors. High praise must be accorded to Helmut Müller-Brühl and the Cologne Chamber Orchestra for their excellent support. The ensemble's refinement matches the soloists' exquisite playing, and their full sound is rich and balanced.