Bach - 'Brandenburg' Concerto no. 4 in G major BWV 1049 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

In the 'Brandenburg' Concerto no. 4 in G major, performed by the Netherlands Bach Society for All of Bach, Bach is continually misleading us. Which instruments are the real soloists? Initially, the lead is taken by the two recorders, but later it appears that the violin is the soloist. After the next refrain, the two recorders take over again, but they are soon trumped by the violin, which steals the show in a whirlwind of dizzying notes. And so it continues.

Netherlands Bach Society
Shunske Sato, violin and direction

0:00 Allegro
6:41 Andante
10:20 Presto

[bach]

0:07 Allegro
6:41 Andante
10:20 Presto

[Caroline]

For those who don't know about the story behind Bach's Brandenburg concertos. In 1721, Bach composed six “concertos for various instruments”. He dedicated them to a German nobleman and sent the manuscript as a gift, hoping to land a job as the court composer in Brandenburg. The nobleman never replied. Bach eventually took another job in Leipzig, where he lived for the rest of his life. Bach had send his original and there were no copies. The 6 concertos were lost for 130 years. They were never performed. The manuscript was eventually sold for about $20 and shelved in a library. The Brandenburg Concertos sat there until 1849, when they were discovered and published for the first time. Thank god.

[displaychicken]

It’s odd to think that the Brandenburg Concertos went from essentially being forgotten and stuffed into a junk drawer for over a century to being fired into deep space as an example of the best that humanity has to offer.

[davidriggenbach]

@2:45 I find that episode one of the most intriguing in the whole repertoire of Baroque music... it is the most sublime duet exchange between two solo instruments when suddenly we get a suspended note from the other soloist and suddenly the explosion of energy from the violin like we've never heard before. Then those dissonant intervals between the recordings! Truly an exceptional composition.

[MrMarkhughes]

Sato has got such a passion for Bach's music it really comes across.

[etruscie]

What luxurious sound! The quality of this recording is unbelievable. There does not seem to be any clipping of the frequency extremes. The performance is vigorous, lively, and unforgettable.

[beckyboo]

Anyone who says perfection doesn't exist must have forgotten about Bach 💖😄 this is pure perfection 🤌

[mwewering]

Als die Menschen so arbeiteten, dass mehr Zeit als nötig für Essen, Schlafen und Reinigen übrig blieb, sie mehr Zeit für Muße, Erholung, Spiel und Spaß hatten, befreit vom Einerlei und von der Knechterei, da langweilten sie sich.
Aus der Langeweile, die so nötig wie die Bequemlichkeit ist, entstanden die wundervollsten, atemberaubensten und sinnenverklärensten Dinge. Musik, Kunst, Tanz, Architektur, Wissenschaft, Mathematik und alle Kultur.
Heute arbeiten die Leute, weil sie es nicht besser wissen, sie haben kaum Zeit für all die Dinge hinter der Langeweile, sie betäuben sich mit Konserven aus Elektrokisten.
Danke an Netherlands Bach Society! Sie zeigen uns immer wieder das Wunder, wenn Menschen im Gleichklang und Harmonie gemeinsam Wunder erschaffen.

[mariosergioribeiro]

The Netherlands Bach-Sato enterprise is always a feast to our ears and senses...

[pmarq]

These performances by the Netherlands Bach Society are the greatest renditions of Bach's music I've ever experienced.

[robertbacon]

Hi - I'm Robert from the UK - in the early 1970s I was part of a student ensemble which played this piece in a charity concert at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham - I played first recorder (nowhere near as fast as this wonderful band) and it was one of the musical highlights of my life (now aged 73) - Bach is a continuing obsession in my dotage - I am trying to get to grips with the Art of Fugue - for any other Bach obsessives out there, please listen and watch the video of this by the wonderful Netherlands group - it is so beautiful and inspiring

[Aristaeuss]

I love their energy. I always see that especially between the strings in these recordings, how they look at each other for cues and communication throughout the piece. I love when you're performing with people like this and you have so much fun while doing so. You can tell that's what's going on here.

[chaam]

I always have the impression of a few talented friends enjoying their music together ❤

[guylebras]

One of the most beautiful masterpiece ever composed for the recorder. The music of angels standing in front of God. Thanks to NBS for this amazing performance!

[cosmofoxgaming]

This is my favourite of the Brandenburg Concertos .Music doesn’t get any better. This is everything. Every emotion. Even the ones we don’t have words for. Truly spellbinding! Thank you Netherlands Bach Society.

[xathron]

12:03 is such an emotional part for me; not only is it insane as hell and easily one of the most virtuosic moments in history, it remains emotional and dramatic at the same time and that violinist {I'll be doing more research on him!} portrayed Bach's genius very well.

[davcar]

Bravo to the engineers as well, fabulous recording and mixing.

[mariacelinachavarriagonzal]

Heard so many times before, but never ever had I heard THIS luminous and vital Brandenburg concerto before... What a group of lively and enlivened musicians for All of Bach! Sato and the Netherlands Bach Society revitalize this beautiful opus with such magic, vitality and gusto like a novel creation that at the same time lifts you from the ground and grounds you while the soul twirls in utter joy ...Gracias...

[javiercernuda]

Sato is an incredible musician, violinist and lider.

[Iluminacion]

What an extraordinary performance! What a great ensamble! Just beauty everywhere. The concertmaster is a genius with all the music in his head. Thanks so much!