Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) 
Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052
Keyboard Concerto No. 4 in A, BWV 1055
Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D, BWV 1054
Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056
Tianqi Du (piano)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Jonathan Bloxham
rec. 2023, St Luke’s, Islington, London, UK
Naïve V7957 [66]

In Concerto 1 in D minor, from the outset Tianqi Du and Jonathan Bloxham conducting the Academy of St Martin in the Fields clarify the stile concertato, the interaction of diverse musical forces. String orchestra and piano together present the ritornello, then from 0:15 the piano alone features antics in semiquavers and demisemiquavers, the strings largely in quavers. From such interaction the tension and excitement of this movement derives. The recording gives the piano an appropriate degree of dominance over the twenty-four strings close-by. In the first episode (tr. 1, 1:09) the pianist decorates with a repeating motif, in the second (2:54) both hands rapidly dovetail at semiquaver intervals. After the ritornello return the piano works to a climax, a semiquavers’ cadenza written out by Bach (4:37) is made suitably spectacular by Du. Sometimes I’d like more orchestra – e.g. their quavers’ cross-rhythms against the piano’s semiquavers from 6:55 – but the overall effect remains brilliant.

I compare this with Warren Mailley-Smith and The Piccadilly Sinfonietta recorded in 2021 (review). Timing at 7:22 to Du/Bloxham’s 8:06, Mailley-Smith directing from the keyboard is more companionable and dance-like. The orchestra, sounding smaller, is more evenly balanced with piano, so those cross-rhythms softly played are clearer. Mailley-Smith’s cadenza has more reflective tripping.

Du/Bloxham perform the G minor slow movement as a strict Adagio, the opening ritornello a ritual of mourning. The piano is soon a lone arioso (tr. 2, 1:03), detailing the anguish that impelled the ritual, Du occasionally crying out in pain, notably the ‘coloratura’ B flat (2:18), Bloxham’s strings stark witnesses. Mailley-Smith, timing at 5:02 to Du/Bloxham’s 7:36, gives us a graciously pointed, almost Arcadian eloquence, that high B flat beautiful, the orchestra a delicate, sympathetic presence.

Du/Bloxham’s finale teems with a zest for life, even in the opening ritornello the piano sparklingly leading the strings. The first episode (tr. 3, 2:10) mixes three-semiquaver groupings with single semiquavers. The second episode (3:21) enjoys closely matching pairs of two semiquavers. The playing is stunningly robust with Du occasionally adding glissandos between phrases (e.g. 3:42). Mailley-Smith, timing at 7:03 to Du/Bloxham’s 7:38, offers a quieter, lighter articulated approach, still dexterous yet less determinedly virtuosic than Du/Bloxham. 

In Concerto 4 in A major effectively the first movement has two main ideas, the opening ritornello’s descending motif and melody from piano and strings and the ascending motif and melody from piano (tr. 4, O:38). Du’s breezy, engaging manner and masterly treatment of mordents make everything buzz along. Mailley-Smith times at 3:49 against Du/Bloxham’s 4:07. I find Mailley-Smith merrier, airier, supremely fluent in continuous, irrepressible flow.

The Larghetto slow movement is in F sharp minor. The first violins carry the melody and Du soon layers around this his arioso, displaying the feeling behind the rhetorical manner of the strings and later immediately protesting in response (from tr. 5, 0:58). Thereafter, from Du the arioso sequences take on a poignant sadness (1:11), including very slow trills trimmed of all ostentation (e.g. 1:32).

The Allegro ma non tanto finale is all floridity, a celebration the piano enhances with its variation-like second theme (tr. 6, 0:32) which the strings’ counterpoint neatly underscores. Sometimes the strings could be more prominent, e.g. the first violins’ p entry with the ritornello theme (1:33) and certainly f retort (1:33); but there are also effective soft strings’ accompaniments (e.g. from 3:08). Mailley-Smith, timing at 4:06 to Du/Bloxham’s 4:19, is lighter and offers a seamless, joyous swing with crisper interplay between piano and strings.

In Concerto 3 in D major Bloxham supplies an exhilarating ritornello and Du plenty of pizazz with judicious extra ornamentation is some repeated phrases. Contrast is secured through three episodes (tr. 7, 0:27, 2:07 and 4:19), the last growing excitingly to a climax and a Bach Adagio calming and unusually soulful cadenza (4:55). Mailley-Smith is quieter in manner but still with seamless progression, not Du/Bloxham’s excitement but appreciable artistry. Mailley-Smith’s episodes have a darker character, in the first the first violins’ countermelody (from 2:18 in Bloxham) is clearer. Mailley-Smith’s cadenza is flashier.

The opening of the Adagio e sempre piano slow movement conjures a mystical atmosphere, then from Du comes a simple and moving melody of contrition, supplication, but also hope. Its second section (tr. 8, 2:36) is more wary, meditative and pleading. Mailley-Smith, at 5:28 markedly faster than Du/Bloxham’s 6:49, is attractively bright but a perky display rather than soul searching, though his quieter second section visits pathos and a vision of hope.

In the Allegro finale you appreciate Bloxham’s balanced undulating line of ritornello appearing four times, the piano episodes between (tr. 9, 0:15, 0:45, 1:14, 1:45) with Du firstly fluent but assertive, secondly more purposeful, thirdly more virtuosic, finally more skipping. Mailley-Smith, with identical timing of 2:33, is more precarious and exciting in accelerating towards the ends of the episodes, more cheerful, less disciplined. 

Concerto 5 in F minor has maverick tendencies; Du/Bloxham play it with a lolloping ritornello to allow more contrast when the piano breaks free in upper register (tr.10, 0:35). I compare this with Maria João Pires with the Gulbenkian Orchestra/Michel Corboz published in 2022 (Erato 5419716496, download only in UK). Pires’ upper register is smoother than Du’s, with an airier, spontaneously musing quality. Timing at 3:44 to Du/Bloxham’s 3:26, Pires/Corboz are Allegro moderato rather than the new Bärenreiter urtext’s Allegro. The orchestral effect is first tiptoeing, later sullen in its thick tone.

To the Adagio slow movement, cousin in melody and expressiveness to the ‘Air on the G string’ of Bach’s Orchestral Suite 3, Du brings tranquillity, gentleness and intimacy with a self-conscious poise of cherished reflection. Bloxham’s whispering strings’ backcloth fits well. Timing at 3:11 to Du/Bloxham’s 3:46, Pires/Corboz bring a more dancing quality, with strings more present and Pires incandescent.

The Presto finale matches Du’s resolute momentum with Bloxham’s orchestral discipline. In the variation-like second theme (tr. 12, 0:22) Du exploits mordents, trills and appoggiaturas vividly to convey mimicry and adds an Eingang (mini-cadenza) (2:55) after a late pause. Pires offers no Eingang but a freshly reflective quality alongside stolid orchestra.

Michael Greenhalgh

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