Album: Bach, Violin Concertos (Channel Classics)

Sunshine floods through this ensemble recording.

The forces are small, just one player per part, yet Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque think big. The A-minor Concerto is notable for the sustained warmth of the Andante. The ear is drawn to the viola (Jane Rogers), the instrument Bach is said to have played in the Brandenburg Concertos and the line most often swamped in larger-scale performances.

The E-major Concerto has spring, poise and wit, while the G-minor contrasts the langour of the Largo with a fizzing Presto.