Artboard 2

An Introduction to Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4 & 5

100

10,000

1,400

LABEL

Naxos

RELEASE DATE

July 16, 2002

DURATION

02:31:18

ALBUM ARTIST

Jeremy Siepmann

ALBUM ARTISTS

ARTIST PAGE DETAILS

Cologne Chamber Orchestra

ARTIST PAGE DETAILS

Helmut Müller-Brühl

ARTIST PAGE DETAILS

Jeremy Siepmann

Album TRACKS

DISC 1

Jeremy Siepmann

Discussion/Introduction to Bach's "Brandenburg" Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 The Brandenburgs as concerti grossi

1:28

Introduction: Melody, Theme and Motif; Bach's opening gambit

2:15

Onwards and upwards: Motif No. 2 and its function

:51

The two elements of Motif No. 2 and its function

:28

The 'motto' rhythm hidden even within the opening bar

1:07

Motif No. 3 introduced by the recorders, has a kind of 'hovering' character; its repetition in risi

:26

Motif No. 3 repeated for a second, 'directed' listen

:23

Bach reminds us of the opening

:17

Motif No. 4 - a steadily rising derivative of Motif No. 1

:19

Motif No. 5, a lovely, bouncy, syncopated flourish, in which all instruments join

:23

Opening Ritornello (complete)

1:47

Episode 1 begins with virtuoso energy of the solo violin, made up of alternating arpeggios and risi

1:15

Motif No. 3 returns, courtesy of the recorders, recently sidelined by the violin, which now accompa

:47

Ritornello 2, a varied repeat of Ritornello 1, arrives after much harmonic movement, this time in E

:43

Episode 2, Part 1, preceded by the 'fanfare' motif from which its first theme derives

:59

Episode 2 continued, with more bravura dazzle from the solo violin; key shifts from A minor to C ma

1:05

Repeat of section for purposes of hearing the harmonic movement

:47

Ritornello 3, with the prominent participation of the soloists

:47

Episode 3 proves retrospective, featuring transposed repeats of earlier material

:49

Ritornello 4, not altogether what it might seem; solo violin takes 'motto' motif, orchestral violin

:48

Episode 4. Cue to part 1, focusing on 'soloistic' counterpoint provided by the continuo

:56

Return to Ritornello 4 to hear sources of Episode 4, Part 2

:36

Episode 4 continued, with emphasis placed on conversational interchanges between orchestral violins

:28

Return to opening Ritornello in order to enhance awareness of the contrast between G major and B mi

:53

Ritornello 5, beginning

:10

Ritornello 5, continued with emphasis on the determined banishment of B minor

:56

Cue to complete performance of First Movement

:46

First Movement (complete)

6:19

Introduction: Rhythmic Motif provides basis for whole movement; the kernel from which much of the m

1:17

The melody not much to write home about; nor is the meek 'answer' offered by the soloists

:14

Putting the two together, thereby establishing a relationship

:21

Contrast and syncopation - their relationship in opening section

2:18

Listening from the 'bottom up'

2:48

The intertwining and alternation of solo and orchestra; the irregularity of metrical groupings

2:14

The next orchestral phrase; slowing the pace but not the tempo

:28

The First Section (complete)

1:36

The next section; foreground symmetry and background variety

1:29

The central section's groupings are hugely asymmetrical

1:12

Cue to Second Movement as a whole

:11

Second Movement (complete)

3:17

Introduction to the Third Movement...

4:57

Fugue subject

1:04

First counter-subject

:31

Second counter-subject

:51

Bass entry of the subject

:14

Exposition (complete)

:33

First Episode; the use of fragmentary derivatives

:33

The difference a detail can make!

:15

Harmonic Rhythm defined; back to the beginning to find the seed...

1:06

...and now the blossom

:21

The First Solo Episode; a confusion of terms; onwards, the the introduction of the solo episode, th

1:59

Ritornello 2 complete

1:11

Solo Episode 2 dominated by thrilling virtuosity from the solo violin

1:47

Ritornello 3: highly contrapuntal and dominated by subject-derivatives, with much harmonic fluidity

:46

Ritornello 3 continues: engine of harmonic motion repeated at higher pitch

:06

More on Ritornello 3: the use of long, sustained, slightly syncopated notes in upper strings and re

:21

Ritornello 3 (complete)

:31

Solo Episode 3 - less solo than earlier ones, what with (albeit very discreet) orchestral accompani

:28

The two recorders converse in canon, accompanied for six exhilarating bars by cello 'continuo'

:22

Finishing Solo Exposition 3: orchestral cellos introduce what sounds like it's going to be the comp

:33

Approaching the final Ritornello; stretto explained

:56

Cue to Final Ritornello, noting tension-building 'pedal point' in cellos and double bass

1:02

Coda - the 'tail-piece', with its surprising 'hammer strokes'

:58

Cue to Third Movement

:19

Third Movement (complete)

4:31

DISC 2

Opening Music; analysis and phony analysis; Shaw quote; Motif No. 1

3:07

Music, energy and relationship

:58

The outlines of a melody emerge

:41

The opening bar again

:25

Motif No. 2: ta / dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya

:11

Motif No. 3, and an important feature of its rhythm

:32

Beethoven Fifth Symphony (opening)

:19

Motif No. 4

:12

Motif No. 5

:04

Motif No. 6

:05

Episode 1: a 'Love Duet'

1:39

Episode 1 continued; violin and flute reverse direction of their theme; the 'love song' Motif answe

1:01

False' Ritornello; soloists interrupt; rising 'sighing' motif; harpsichord continues downwards

:59

Four things going on at once, in violin, flute, harpsichord right hand, harpsichord left hand

:39

The orchestra returns, picking up at exactly the spot where it was interrupted

:28

The harpsichord intervenes with derivative of Motif 4; key shifts from A major to B minor

:25

The orchestra returns to the foreground and brings this section to an end

:41

Harpsichord emerges as virtuoso; a series of expectations are frustrated

2:32

A backwards look; blurred distinctions between soloists and orchestra; 'Mozartian' development

4:35

Out of the Twilight Zone; a sequence of surprises

1:57

The epoch-making harpsichord cadenza and the final Ritornello

4:50

Cue to the First Movement

:52

First Movement (complete)

8:59

Introduction; the opening of Ritornello

2:33

The first bar; the first main building block

:16

The flute motif

:16

Opening of the first solo episode

1:04

An important motif; the second main building block

:17

The second main theme

:32

Ritornello 2; violin and flute as 'orchestra'

:52

Episode 2; inversion of the original motifs

:38

More on Episode 2

:10

Episode 1 and Episode 2 compared

:21

Episode 2; key shifts from D major to F sharp minor

:49

Ritornello 3; an exact transposition of Ritornello 1

:46

Episode 3 contrasted with Episode 1

:33

Episode 3 described in detail

1:05

Ritornello 4; second main theme's first appearance in a Ritornello

:57

Episode 4: dominated by inversions

1:34

Cue to Second Movement

:06

Second Movement (complete)

5:39

Introduction: Ritornello 1

:54

The Fugue Subject: close juxtaposition of contrasting elements

1:21

Flute takes the 'answer', with countersubject in the violin

:33

Contrary motions as a contrapuntal device

:23

Contrary motion as a listening aid; a new theme

:31

Playing with the counter-subject; a musical game of tag

:51

Hidden rhythms: background variety behind foreground uniformity

:43

Fugal writing and the compatibility of parts; the Exposition

1:35

Episode 1, taken by soloists, contains important 'seeds'

:37

The orchestra enters at last, but by stealth