These lively, heartfelt performances by Antonio Janigro and I Solisti di Zagreb certainly have withstood the test of time. From the onset, in Concerto No. 1 BWV 1052, all the elements necessary for a great Bach performance are readily apparent and expertly considered. The opening Allegro swings, stylishly and with authority. Some purists may find Janigro’s richly dramatic rendering of the central Adagio somewhat exaggerated, though compared with the often dispassionate run-throughs many other more “historically informed” conductors have offered, Janigro is far more musically compelling. Janigro’s rendering of the final Allegro is a model of masterful Baroque interpretation, with I Solisti di Zagreb’s judiciously animated playing perfectly complementing Anton Heiller’s probing harpsichord.
Many other memorable moments abound, such as Janigro and Heiller’s “period” performance of the Largo of the Fifth Concerto BWV 1056. Clearly influenced by Glenn Gould and Vladimir Golschmann’s landmark recording for Columbia (now Sony) introduced only a few years earlier, Heiller and Janigro adopt an equally coy, very slow tempo. Also like Gould and Golschmann, Janigro has great fun with the second-movement Alia siciliana of the Concerto in D BWV 1063 where the string pizzicatos and keyboard ornamentation often step out of sync with one another, mocking the piece’s otherwise stoic rhythmic structure.
While a little bright, Vanguard’s sound is well detailed, with good orchestral and instrumental balances. Joseph Braunstein’s original dry, long-winded notes thankfully have been abridged. Though I’d be reluctant to recommend these performances as first recordings, there’s still plenty to enjoy here on this very welcome reissue.
