Corelli's only set of concertos, published in 1714 as his Op. 6, is well represented in the catalogue at present. Yet few of the performances do full justice to this engaging and historically significant repertory. The two versions under discussion here could hardly be further distanced from one another in matters of style and sound. I Musici's set was recorded nearly 25 years ago and must, even then, have sounded stodgy and somewhat dated compared with their many excellent performances of Vivaldi's concertos which Philips were issuing at about the same time. For I Musici, grandeur means a slow tempo, beefy bass string playing and a deliberate gait; a pity, because the playing is well up to this ensemble's best form. Not all of the music by any means comes over as dull, however, and there are some effectively conceived performances in almost all the 12 concertos; but the four-square, ponderous and inelegant opening Largo of the Concerto No. 1 in D major is a particularly revealing example of what sounds to my ears a hopelessly misjudged view of an imposing yet graceful piece.
La Petite Bande recorded its set during the late 1970s and these are performances which do considerable justice to the music. Brisker tempos, lighter bass string playing and an altogether more imaginative approach to continuo realization bring these concertos alive to an extent hardly realised by I Musici. Sigiswald Kuijken, the leader and director of La Petite Bande, includes a theorbo in his continuo group and this is invariably an effective addition. Both sets field a secure and lively concertino group of two violins, cello and continuo but listeners may well find that the warmer sound and greater degree of finesse provided by the concertino of I Musici is more to their liking than the thinner, wirier textures of the other. Having said that, I should add that in matters of baroque style, as in its more highly developed spirit of fantasy, La Petite Bande offers far and away the more satisfying performances.
If you find it difficult to forsake the 'big band' sound of the 1950s and 1960s then I Musici may well be the set for you. If, on the other hand, you want to be illuminated and enchanted by concertos without a dull work among them then I would urge you to consider the other. Both are mid-price reissues and both are well recorded. The English Concert, at full price on Archiv Produktion (winner of last year's Gramophone Early Music, Baroque Award) remains my first choice and that, too, of my colleague JAS; but should you only want half the set, then a single disc of concertos Nos. 1,3,7-9 and 11 by the Canadian group Tafelmusik, on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG ((CD) RD77908, 12/89), also at full price, is outstanding.'