How did this recording come about we might ask? It was made because four friends who enjoyed making music together wanted to mark Bach’s 300th birthday. For those musicians whose principal profession is music, this intention is immediately understandable, and it was equally expected that Christoph Eschenbach, who has often exchanged the piano for the conductor’s rostrum, would undertake the direction of the performances. The participation of Helmut Schmidt (Germany’s former chancellor) may, however, seem surprising. What is evident in this recording is that the four friends above all else enjoyed themselves; they had prepared carefully the recording, and from the very first bar to the last, the orchestra too were inspired to contribute their full measure. This enjoyment is transmitted to the listener; this is the enjoyment Bach himself derived from his concertos – mature works full of dignity and understanding.
