BACH: BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS, KEYBOARD CONCERTOS, VIOLIN CONCERTOS & ORCHESTRAL SUITES - JEAN-FRANCOIS PAILLARD (15 CDS)

Since its foundation Erato has made Bach one of the cornerstones of it's catalogue, with Jean-François Paillard responsible for the orchestral works. His Ensemble Instrumental Jean-Marie Leclair which he founded in 1953 and later renamed Orchestre de Chambre Jean-François comprised just fifteen or so players, in order to achieve greater legibility, lightness and vivacity, and it paid particularly close attention to style, thanks to an in-depth knowledge of historical performance practice. Rigor but also luminosity and sensitivity, intelligence and maturity without any loss of freshness or elegance, shimmering sonorities... The superlatives were showered on each new release. Over the years, Paillard's Bach recordings were also graced by a range of top-flight soloists: Rampal, Marie-Claire Alain to name but a few.