Just because you can play the fast outer movements of Bach's violin concertos at supersonic speeds is no reason to play them at supersonic speeds. After all, the concertos are usually considered student works -- supremely elevated student works by one of the greatest composers in western music, true, but still student works -- and a virtuoso with
Daniel Hope's talent doesn't need to show off by tearing through them. But show off he does, without restrain, without pity, and without remorse and the results are performances that verge on caricature. And just because you can play the slow inner movements of Bach's violin concertos with an extra half ton of extra emotional weight attached to each phrase is no reason to crush the music under your bow. But
Hope, a player who has previously turned in superlative performances of Berg and
Shostakovich's violin concertos, cannot resist retro-fitting Bach's concertos with neo-modernist expressivity and the results are performances that border on parody. And just because the
Chamber Orchestra of Europe can keep up with
Hope and flutist Jaime Martin and harpsichordist
Kristian Bezuidenhout can race alongside him in the outer movements of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto is no reason to seek out this recording except as an example of what can happen when grandstanding takes priority over artistry. Warner Classics' 2006 digital sound is so clear as to be nearly transparent and so warm as to be almost real.