In September 1954, Jascha Horenstein undertook an adventurous recording of the Brandenburg Concerti. This was one of the first attempts at recreating the "Cöthen sound" by trying to approximate the type of orchestra J. S. Bach might have had at his disposal when he lived. Although this wasn't a completely "authentic" performance (since the ensemble had a mixture of traditional and period instruments at its disposal), it was the nearest thing to a 17/18th century sound anyone had managed to record to date. Until then, most performances of the Brandenburgs were done with large orchestras of Romantic period proportions, and original performance practice had largely been lost.
This recording attempted to redress the balance. The orchestra numbered only 22 musicians, quite a novelty in its day, and the performances contributed significantly to changing the then current conception of performing practice relative to Bach which led later on to the flowering of the "original instruments" movement. A perusal through the list of musicians who took part is an eloquent testimony to its pedigree:
Wolfgang Schneiderhan (solo violin)
Dimiter Tortscanoff (violin)
Paul Trimmel (violin)
Ernest Opawa (violin)
Rudolf Lindner (violin)
Paul Angerer (solo violin, violino piccolo, harpsichord, 2nd recorder)
Karl Troetzmueller (viola, 1st recorder)
Josef de Sardi (viola)
Viktor Goerlich (1st cello)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (viola da gamba)
Hermann Hoebarth (2nd viola da gamba)
Emil Kremer (double bass)
Camillo Wanausek (flute)
Friedrich Wachter (oboe)
Rudolf Spurny (2nd oboe)
Josef Koblinger (3rd oboe)
Leo Cermak (bassoon)
Franz Koch (horn)
Karl Buchmayr (horn)
Adolf Holler (trumpet)
Josef Ortner (trumpet)
Josef Nebois (harpsichord)
The orchestra was ad hoc although it has been referred to as either the Wiener Ensemble or the Chamber Orchestra of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. These forces never recorded together again.
The original release was a deluxe edition (Vox DL 122), white ersatz-leather-bound, including the complete score and a facsimile of Bach's dedication as it appeared in the first edition of the score.
The Horenstein Brandenburg Concerti were recently re-released digitally mastered from the original analog tapes in the VoxBox Legends series: CDX2 5519. In the United States, the 2 CD recording costs approximately $10.
For more information about Jascha Horenstein, contact:
Yakov Horenstein (cousin)
Address: 37, via Manin
20121 Milano, ITALY
Tel/Fax: +39 2 2900 6208
E-mail: yakho@actcom.co.il