C.P.E. Bach: Oboe Concertos; Sinfonia / Dombrecht, Il Fondamento

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C. P. E. BACH Oboe Concertos: in Eb, Wq 165 ; in Bb, Wq 164 . Sinfonia in e, Wq 177 • Paul Dombrecht (ob, cond); Il Fondamento (period instruments) • PASSACAILLE 982 (55:13)

A psychological study of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach could be as fascinating as his biography might be dull. He was the quintessential middle child/good son. Despite his illustrious father’s obvious favoritism toward the talented first son, Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, the gallant second son, never disavowed his father, even as his own music evolved stylistically and when his own fame had surpassed theirs. He was the loyal offspring who preserved his progenitor’s legacy, while the older sibling squandered away his own share. He toiled faithfully for 30 years in the court of Frederick (“the Great”), accompanying the regent’s nightly concerts, for a fraction of the stipend awarded to his less gifted cohorts, Johann Joachim Quantz and Johann Gottlieb Graun. At one point his pay was half that of his own assistant! Yet he persevered and eventually “escaped” to Hamburg and a position more in keeping with his abilities. His many admirers included Haydn and Mozart.

The two oboe concertos, products of the Berlin years, were both fashioned from existing harpsichord concertos, but the oboe versions are perfectly idiomatic for the instrument. They are in three movements and are fine examples of the emerging aesthetic of which C. P. E. Bach is the primary exemplar. The concertos are not exactly neglected, but there seems to be a tendency to overlook them. Heinz Holliger recorded both on an LP, but I don’t know whether it has been transferred to CD. Peter Pongráz (on Hungaroton many years ago) and Józef Kiss (Naxos) have recorded them on CD. Pauline Oostenrijk recently recorded the E?-Concerto for Challenge. I’m aware of just one other period-instrument recording, of the E? only, made by Paul Goodwin (Archiv). Fortunately Paul Dombrecht has stepped into the breach. Dombrecht, a pioneer in the period-instrument movement, brings high expectations to this release, and he meets them superlatively. One hopes that this release will remind other oboists of these wonderful concertos, but, if not, Dombrecht’s versions will fill the bill.

The Sinfonia, another Berlin product, separates the concertos on the disc. It is a more extreme example of the Empfindsamer stil, the volatile, subjective style that C. P. E. embraced. The performance shows that Dombrecht’s conducting is as adept as his playing.

This fine release deserves a warm recommendation.

FANFARE: George Chien


Product Description:

  • Release Date: June 12, 2012


  • Catalog Number: PAS982


  • UPC: 5425004849823


  • Label: Passacaille


  • Number of Discs: 1


  • Composer: Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach


  • Conductor: Paul Dombrecht


  • Orchestra/Ensemble: Il Fondamento