Classics Explained: Bach, J.S. - Brandenburg Concertos Nos 4 & 5 (Siepmann)

Jeremy Siepmann

124 SONGS • 2 HOURS AND 31 MINUTES • JUL 26 2002

1

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G: The Brandenburgs as concerti grossi

01:28

2

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Introduction: Melody, Theme and Motif; Bach's opening gambit

02:15

3

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Onwards and upwards: Motif No. 2 and its function

00:51

4

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: The two elements of Motif No. 2 and the effect of their combination

00:29

5

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: The 'motto' rhythm hidden even within the opening bar

01:07

6

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Motif No. 3, introduced by the two recorders, has a kind of 'hovering' character

00:27

7

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Motif No. 3 repeated for a second, 'directed' listen

00:23

8

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Bach reminds us of the opening

00:17

9

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Motif No. 4 - a steadily rising derivative of Motif No. 1

00:19

10

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Motif No. 5, a lovely, bouncy, syncopated flourish, in which all the instruments join

00:23

11

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Opening Ritornello (complete)

01:47

12

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 1 begins with virtuoso entry of the solo violin, made up of alternating arpeggios

01:15

13

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Motif No. 3 returns, courtesy of the recorders, recently sidelined by the violin

00:47

14

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Ritornello 2, a varied repeat of Ritornello 1, arrives after much harmonic movement

00:43

15

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 2, Part 1, preceded by the 'fanfare' motif from which its first theme derives

00:59

16

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 2 continued, with more bravura dazzle from the solo violin

01:05

17

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Repeat of section for purposes of hearing the harmonic movement

00:48

18

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Ritornello 3, with the prominent participation of the soloists

00:47

19

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 3 proves retrospective, featuring transposed repeats of earlier material

00:49

20

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Ritornello 4, not altogether what it might seem; solo violin takes 'motto' motif

00:48

21

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 4. Cue to Part 1, focusing on 'soloistic' counterpoint provided by the continuo

00:56

22

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Return to Ritornello 4 to hear sources of Episode 4, Part 2

00:37

23

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Episode 4 continued, with emphasis placed on conversational interchanges

00:28

24

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Return to opening Ritornello in order to enhance awareness of the contrast

00:53

25

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Ritornello 5, beginning

00:10

26

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Ritornello 5 continued, with emphasis on the determined banishment of B Minor

00:56

27

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: Cue to complete performance of First Movement

00:46

28

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - First Movement: First Movement (complete)

06:20

29

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Introduction: Rhythmic Motif provides basis for whole movement

01:17

30

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The melody not much to write home about; nor is the meek 'answer' offered by the soloists

00:14

31

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Putting the two together, thereby establishing a relationship

00:21

32

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Contrast and syncopation - their relationship in opening section

02:18

33

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Listening from the 'botton up'

02:48

34

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The intertwining and alternation of solo and orchestra; the irregularity of metrical groupings

02:14

35

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The next orchestral phrase; slowing the pace but not the tempo

00:28

36

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The First Section (complete)

01:37

37

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The next section; foreground symmetry and background variety

01:29

38

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: The central section's groupings are hugely asymmetrical

01:12

39

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Cue to Second Movement as a whole

00:11

40

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Second Movement: Second Movement (complete)

03:17

41

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Introduction to the Third Movement...

04:57

42

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Fugue subject

01:04

43

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: First counter-subject

00:31

44

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Second counter-subject

00:51

45

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Bass entry of the subject

00:14

46

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Exposition (complete)

00:33

47

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: First Episode; the use of fragmentary derivatives

00:33

48

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: The difference a detail can make!

00:15

49

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Harmonic Rhythm defined; back to the beginning to find the seed...

01:07

50

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: ...and now the blossom

00:21

51

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: The First Solo Episode; a confusion of terms; onwards, to the introduction of the solo episode

01:59

52

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Ritornello 2 complete

01:11

53

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Solo Episode 2 dominated by thrilling virtuosity from the solo violin

01:47

54

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Ritornello 3: highly contrapuntal and dominated by subject-derivatives, with much harmonic fluidity

00:47

55

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Ritornello 3 continues: engine of harmonic motion repeated at higher pitch

00:06

56

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: More on Ritornello 3: the use of long, sustained, slightly syncopated notes in upper strings

00:21

57

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Ritornello 3 (complete)

00:31

58

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Solo Episode 3 - less solo than earlier ones, what with (albeit very discreet)

00:28

59

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: The two recorders converse in canon, accompanied for six exhilarating bars by cello 'continuo'

00:22

60

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Finishing Solo Exposition 3: orchestral cellos introduce what sounds

00:34

61

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Approaching the final Ritornello; stretto explained

00:56

62

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Cue to Finale Ritornello, noting tension-building 'pedal point' in cellos and double bass

01:02

63

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Coda - the 'tail-piece', with its surprising 'hammer strokes'

00:58

64

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Cue to Third Movement

00:20

65

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G - Third Movement: Third Movement (complete)

04:32

66

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Opening Music; analysis and phony analysis; Shaw quote; music: Motif No. 1

03:08

67

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Music, energy and relationship

00:59

68

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The outlines of a melody emerge

00:42

69

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The opening bar again

00:25

70

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Motif No. 2: ta / dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya

00:11

71

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Motif No. 3, and an important feature of its rhythm

00:32

72

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Beethoven Fifth Symphony (opening)

00:20

73

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Motif No. 4

00:12

74

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Motif No. 5

00:05

75

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Motif No. 6

00:06

76

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Episode 1: a 'Love Duet'

01:39

77

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Episode 1 continued; violin and flute reverse direction of their theme

01:01

78

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: 'False' Ritornello; soloists interrupt; rising 'sighing' motif; harpsichord continues downwards

00:59

79

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Four things going on at once, in violin, flute, harpsichord right hand, harpsichord left hand

00:39

80

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The orchestra returns, picking up at exactly the spot where it was interrupted

00:28

81

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The harpsichord intervenes with derivative of Motif 4; key shifts from A Major to B Minor

00:25

82

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The orchestra returns to foreground and brings this section to an end

00:42

83

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Harpsichord emerges as virtuoso; a series of expectations are frustrated

02:33

84

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: A backwards look; blurred distinctions between soloists and orchestra; 'Mozartian' development

04:36

85

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Out of the Twilight Zone; a sequence of surprises

01:57

86

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: The epoch-making harpsichord cadenza and the final Ritornello

04:51

87

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: Cue to First Movement

00:52

88

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - First Movement: First Movement (complete)

09:00

89

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Introduction; the opening Ritornello

02:34

90

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: The first bar; the first main building block

00:16

91

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: The flute motif

00:16

92

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Opening of the first solo episode

01:04

93

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: An important motif; the second main building block

00:17

94

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: The second main theme

00:33

95

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Ritornello 2; violin and flute as 'orchestra'

00:52

96

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 2; inversion of original motifs

00:38

97

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: More on Episode 2

00:10

98

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 1 and Episode 2 compared

00:21

99

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 2; key shifts from D Major to F-Sharp Minor

00:49

100

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Ritornello 3: an exact transposition of Ritornello 1

00:47

101

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 3 contrasted with Episode 1

00:34

102

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 3 described in detail

01:05

103

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Ritornello 4; second main theme's first appearance in a Ritornello

00:57

104

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Episode 4: dominated by inversions

01:34

105

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Cue to Second Movement

00:06

106

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Second Movement: Second Movement (complete)

05:39

107

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Introduction: Ritornello 1

00:54

108

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: The Fugue Subject: close juxtaposition of contrasting elements

01:21

109

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Flute takes the 'answer', with countersubject in the violin

00:33

110

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Contrary motion as a contrapuntal device

00:23

111

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Contrary motion as a listening aid; a new theme

00:32

112

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Playing with the counter-subject; a musical game of tag

00:51

113

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Hidden rhythms: background variety behind foreground uniformity

00:44

114

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Fugal writing and the compatibility of parts; the Exposition

01:35

115

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Episode 1, taken by soloists, contains important 'seeds'

00:37

116

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: The orchestra enters at last, but by stealth

01:19

117

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Stretto and musical football

01:02

118

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Key changes to B Minor, introducing extensive Middle Section

01:24

119

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: The Middle Section a precursor of the Mozartian 'development'

03:06

120

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: The Fugue Subject out in force: first four immediately consecutive entries yet

01:51

121

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Ambiguity of mode and a Scottish twist

00:38

122

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Middle Section sontinued; harpsichord dominates

02:11

123

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Cue to Last Movement

00:19

124

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D - Third Movement: Last Movement (complete)

04:55

℗© 2002 Naxos