Sometimes It's Just The Music

Sometimes a disk is so straightforward in the quality of the music making both in terms or repertoire and performance that little needs to be said. I'll try to find a few things to say about this one however, which is of Bach Keyboard Concertos Nos 3, 5, 6 and 7. Murray Perahia conducts the Academy of St Martin in the Fields from the piano and the performances make any discussions about whether Bach should be played on a modern piano largely redundant. Other approaches have their own attractions and merit but this is simply great music making. The keyboard concertos come out of the same stable in Bach's voluminous output as the Brandenburg Concertos and they have a grace and free flowing inevitability about their composition that is deceptively simple. Many familiar melodies follow each other and it really is music that can be appreciated on a number of levels. Thaty is provides quality uplifting background listening as well as repaying close attention isn't necessarily a bad thing. There is certainly a place for simple sheer enjoyment. A disk to use to convert unbelievers.