The brisk tempos Bach is said to have liked are certainly forthcoming from I Musici, first past the post in half of the 18 movements and losing only by a short head in some other. Special medals should be struck for the two hornists, unscathed by the record-breaking speed of Concerto No. 1, and for Guy Touvron for his easy-riding display of high-altitude trumpeting in a comparably rapid Concerto No. 1. The string sound in the quicker movements is heavier, less illuminated by 'daylight' than when period instruments are used, particularly in Concertos No. 3 and 6 (though these are taken at moderate tempos), but the contrapuntal lines remains clear enough. Only in the Allegro third movement of Concerto No. 1 does high speed perhaps exact a penalty, severely straining Pina Carmirelli's command of the violino piccolo. Both Pinnock (DG) and Koopman (Erato) clearly relish showing their paces in Concerto No. 5 and, fluent and energetic though she is, Maria Teresa Garatti does not quite match their elan in the flanking movements. Tempo is of course to be judged by the musical result, rather than by the metronome, in which case some of I Musici's sprints must be accounted excessive since they leave themselves too little time to shape their phrases are eloquently as the others do.
The slow movements present a more dismal picture, notably those of Concertos nos. 5 and 6. The intimate conversation in that of Concerto No. 5 is marred by an intrusive, earnestly plodding continuo cello, and that of Concerto no. 6 is taken too quickly to allow the music time to breathe—no magic here. If there is any real understanding of what Affekt means, or of the proper use of vibrato in expressing it, it is not manifest in sound. This is a failure of understanding, not the inevitable product of the tools used. Though this new set, well recorded and decently balanced, scores over the surviving (and how mostly elderly) 'traditional' ones it is no match for the now-numerous, fully 'authentic' versions on offer, least of all those selected for comparison. I Musici have got some aspects of their stylistic act nicely together, but I fear that Bach is not their strong suit.'