Bach - Brandenburg 1 & 2 and Orchestral Suite 3 & 4 - Les Talens Lyriques

25 November 2022, 21:00
As part of their 30th anniversary season Les Talens Lyriques performed an all-Bach programme in three cities in the week beginning 21st November 2022. The first performance took place at Salle Gaveau in Paris (21st), the second at the Théâtre d'Orléans (23rd), and the third at the Casino de Montbenon as part of the Bach Festival in Lausanne (25th). The programme featured Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 (BWV 1068), Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 (BWV 1046), Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (BWV 1047) and Orchestral Suite No. 4 (BWV 1069).

I had the pleasure of performing Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with Gilone Gaubert (violin), Katharina Andres (recorder) and Gilles Vanssons (oboe). It was an honour to perform this iconic work with Les Talens Lyriques and such a great team of concertists under the exceptional direction of Christophe Rousset. Christophe is a conductor that I have a huge amount of respect for. He is a great leader: he has great pride in his musicians and has every confidence that you will succeed, and as a result... you do! He said neither too much nor too little in the rehearsals and always made me feel very comfortable playing this demanding work. Resultantly, the performances were calm and controlled, yet dynamic and vibrant. This is only possible when you feel totally at ease.

The rehearsals were just as enjoyable as the performances. At one point we had to consult the facsimile manuscript to check the location of the final pause in the third movement. In my part it was shown in the quaver rest after the final note, however it was over the last note in the manuscript. There’s a lesson to always check the manuscript, and perhaps reason enough for me to record it again... and what a recording that would be with Les Talens Lyriques and Christophe Rousset. In one of the rehearsals, Christophe played the harpsichord in the third movement of Brandenburg 2, and it was refined, elegant and supportive. Christophe’s approach and interpretation was a refreshing revelation in general. In fact, he was quoted in the programme notes, saying: “I have built my career on lesser-known works, but I absolutely want to interpret masterpieces. I have chosen the most brilliant of the Orchestral Suites and Brandenburg Concertos; these are ambitious works but I wish to play them with the greatest simplicity. I am not looking for originality, but rather to bring them care and respect. The musicians of Les Talens Lyriques are delighted at the idea of ​​playing this repertoire which gives them the chance to bring out all the colours of this music and create a dialogue with the audience who know these works well.” – Christophe Rousset

As well as performing in Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (my 11th, 12th and 13th time performing this work), I also played first trumpet in the Orchestral Suites, in a section with Nick Wright (bumper), William Russell (2nd trumpet), Gareth Hoddinott (3rd trumpet) and Marie-Ange Petit (timpani). It was a pleasure to perform with them, and it was good for me to get accustomed to playing in each hall before performing Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. I was particularly glad to have a bumper, especially in Lausanne where it was very hot on stage (and it was also recorded for a broadcast on Swiss radio, RTS Espace 2). 

My trumpet and timpani colleagues were very supportive. They listened from the wings while waiting to come on stage for the last piece each night, and they told me that Christophe said ‘that was quite something’ when he came off stage in Salle Gaveau after our first Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 performance. I was pleased that he was pleased! I later heard that the Paris concert was teeming with trumpet players, who had come to listen to this trumpety programme.

edgePhoto credit: François Henry

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Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 featured the excellent horn playing of Jeroen Billiet and Yannick Maillet. A reviewer of the Paris concert noted ‘a memorable Johann Sebastian Bach concert, marked by the presence of two fantastic natural horns, an oboist and a trumpeter which are no less so.’ Gilone Gaubert was also brilliant, playing both violin and violin piccolo. Gilles Vanssons is a fantastic oboist, and he had to play in every movement except one (3rd Suite, Air) in the whole performance: an incredible achievement! The same can be said for Katharina Andres who played recorder flawlessly in Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, as well as second oboe throughout the rest of the concert. Bravo to all!


Russell Gilmour
Russell Gilmour Blog
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