It seems an odd type of concerto that can have a pair of violins as soloists in the outer movements and in the middle movement an oboe or a cello. But the orchestral concerto, or the sinfonia concertante, had few and rather relaxed rules; even Mozart did something of the kind in his Concertone, K190. Clearly J. C. Bach, when writing these pieces for his London or Mannheim players, simply brought forward whichever of the virtuoso members of the orchestra he felt like featuring, and he evidently, and perhaps understandably, was reluctant to try out in slow movements the kinds of dialogue and symmetry between two violins that he carried off so neatly in the quick music. This CD inaugurates a very welcome complete recording of Bach’s sinfonie concertanti with the Hanover Band and Anthony Halstead, in new texts edited by Ernest Warburton.
The first of them here benefits from his (or perhaps Richard Maunder’s; the otherwise admirable booklet is not quite clear) restoration of supposed accompanying parts for clarinets and bassoons, which enriches the texture attractively, as those familiar with previous recordings in the more usual version will acknowledge. The first movement is characteristically spacious and leisurely and the finale is a cheerful Minuet; in between, the Andante allows Anthony Robson to show his expressive mettle, which he duly does, in a warm and languorous melodic line for oboe. The second work is scored for two violins and cello, but the flutes – taking the place of oboes in the original publication (the case is convincingly argued by Warburton, and entirely borne out by the result) – also feature very prominently, especially in the Andante where violas mostly double them an octave below: a delectable texture. Again there is a Minuet to end the piece, with a Trio that features the flutes and violas. Lastly, the second two-violin work (which also exists as a bassoon concerto): the Largo here is for solo cello, and must certainly be one of the most eloquent pieces written at the time for that instrument, along with Boccherini’s concertos and the Haydn C major, although in the classical period the cello, it seems to me (and Angela East’s performance, though very sympathetic, does not persuade me otherwise), had yet to acquire its full measure of eloquence.
J. C. Bach’s music is unmistakable in its genial manner, in its shapeliness, its elegance, its euphony, its graceful logic. The pieces here are typical, although it is fair to say that they don’t include anything specially extraordinary. Anthony Halstead conducts sensibly and with good feeling for the natural tempos and their relation to the expressive nature of the music. The solo violinists play with polish and style, if without greatly exciting the hearer. A promising start to a very worthwhile venture.'