This 4.1 DSD production strikes me as excellent in every way. The sonics offer warmth and the surround effect is so discreet as to be noticeable only in contrast to straight stereo, where the increased front-to-back depth is very apparent but never exaggerated. The acoustic seems quite ample, so much so that Martin Pearlman’s quick tempos in the Bourée I of the Fourth Suite and in a few other places risk blurring the rhythms, but the sound of the trumpets and drums is so richly caught–bold but never overwhelming–that it’s a small price to pay. Similarly, the very sense of space prevents Christopher Kreuger’s Baroque flute from sounding hollow and breathy in such challenging spots as the famous Badinerie from Suite No. 2.
Pearlman’s swift tempos permit Telarc to get all four suites on a single disc, which makes this something of a bargain. But it would be wrong to believe that speed is the only interpretive choice here. The Air from the Third Suite flows serenely and never hastily, while the same work’s Gavotte has the necessary stateliness. Similarly the slow introductions to the various overtures never sacrifice grandeur to the exigencies of the clock. And quite often fast is wonderful: the tune in the oboes and violins against a rushing accompaniment in the First Suite’s Forlane is just thrilling as captured here. In short, if you are looking for these pieces on SACD, you will find very little to complain about either sonically or artistically–and a great deal to enjoy–in these lively, intelligent versions. [4/27/2004]
