C Bach is often thought of as a composer of polite music of no great depth or energy, but, as this disc shows, it does not have to be so, certainly as far as the energy side of things goes. As the Akademie für Alte Musik demonstrated (Harmonia Mundi, 9/04), the music of Bach's youngest son responds well to a little intensity of sound and intent, and now the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra have seconded that with a collection of concertos and symphonies that captures the grace and elegance of his music while managing to suggest that blood really did flow through his veins after all.

It helps, of course, if you are a top-ranking period orchestra, and the FBO duly demonstrate their passionate ensemble-playing and urgent tone in the overture to the opera Il tutore e la pupilla which opens the disc, with fizzing tremolandi in the opening movement and healthy weight given to the more shapely melodic lines of the central Andante. The same goes for the other symphonies on offer; there is nothing wispy and wan here, and Op 8 No 4 ends with a firmly shaped Tempo di minuetto.

The Sinfonia concertante for two violins is probably the least exciting work on the disc -though it is pleasant and well crafted as you might expect - but the Flute Concerto is very attractive, especially when played so beautifully by Karl Kaiser. Bach later shortened its second movement, but maybe if he had heard this sweetly paced performance of it he would not have felt the need.