I'll probably appear to many to be off-base here. But quality of the recording is paramount to me. Acoustic instruments loose so much through recording. The Brandenburg concertos is my favourite baroque piece and I've spent much time trying to find the perfect version. I didn't fint it. But I did find a version that was just as good as the any others in its execution and deisgn, while being superior in the quality of its recording AND the quality of the instruments used. This version is the MAK (Musica Antika Kölln) version with Reinhardt Goebel. After listening so many times to such version as the harnoncourt or the Pinnock (or actually any other versions that I know of)it first struck me as being much too fast at times. But I was intrigued and gave it its chance. After a few other attempts I was hooked, and it is now my de facto brandenburg of choice. The pace works just fine, at times being beneficial to certain scenes. I strongly advice anyone to try and go over this first disconfort.
