Guitarists have been appropriating lute concertos for years, borrowing from their relations as it were, but to help themselves to like works for the oboe, violin and organ is another matter—or is it? Baroque composers did not hesitate to rewrite their works for media of different 'families' and indeed Bach himself transferred BWV1042 from the bowed to the plucked string in producing BWV1054. Such shifts were of course accompanied by modifications of the solo part, in line with the capabilities of the receiving instruments. In the three concertos on this LP the 'original' instrument has greater sustaining power than the guitar and there are passages where Williams has had to introduce ornamentation or diminution to keep things moving, which is fair enough, and he does it convincingly—save perhaps with the first, long note of the Adagio of the Bach, which he vouchsafes to the organ, a moment that will disturb only those familiar with the violin and harpsichord forms of the piece.
It is not easy to see why he should have agonized over the case of the Andante from BWV1003, which works well on the solo guitar, as the late Ida Presti demonstrated, with less relentless delivery, in her recording of it of 20 years ago (RCA Victor 840.003—not released in the UK; nla). With her husband in place of the orchestra, she recorded also the Adagio of the Marcello, placing the solo line in a lower octave, in which it sings better than in this recording. Williams delivers his lines with his customary clarity and good taste, the ASMF apply an appropriately light touch, and a well-balanced and clean recording makes this a most enjoyable album for any but the most rabid purist.'