These two additions to the expanding tally of integral Brandenburg Concertos on CD are both played on period instruments but have little else in common. In Concertos Nos. 3–6 Vienna Akadamie (VA) for the most part favour easier-going tempos than do the Taverner Players (TP) in the quicker movements and, maybe to escape from any charge of the 'romanticism' at which the principal violinist's vibrato occasionally hints, faster ones in the central movements, in Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 the differences between them are minimal

Concerto No. 1 is not the happiest of VA's efforts; the rather muffled opening throws a few acidic string sounds into relief, the thin-sounding violino piccolo is oppressed by the weight of the accompanying parts in the second movement, and both the third movement and the final dances are somewhat lack-lustre; the sudden animation at bar 26 et seq. of the Polacca sounds like an abrupt awakening from slumber. The Taverner Players edgier in sound, do better in the first movement but not as well as either The English Concert (EC) on Archiv Produktion, or the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) on Virgin Classics, clearer and more precise, though the violino piccolo and the horns of the EC sometimes sound hard pressed by the brisk tempos; both score high points in the dances. Overall, first place goes, I feel, to the OAE.

Brisk gallops through the outer movements of Concerto No. 2 fail to unseat any of the trumpeters, though David Staff (TP) takes a few audible tight grips on the reins, and sounds a little distant. All four bands treat the Andante sympathetically, with little to choose amongst them—as also in the Allegro assai—but the OAE are the most successful in combining animation with comfort. Nicholas Anderson found the first movement of the OAE's Concerto No. 3 "lacking in vigour and, perhaps, in spirit", and LS deemed the acoustic of the EC's recording "too resonant for real clarity", both rightly, and the latter comment applies also to the beefily resonant one by the VA—which is a pity since it is easy paced and vigorous. All four link the two movements with a brief violin flourish, of which Alison Bury's (OAE) is the most fitting. The choice rests between the TP and the OAE, but there is still room for someone to do even better.

The virtuosic violin part in Concerto No. 4 is splendidly handled by all four soloists: Istvan Kertesz (VA) has something of Monica Huggett's (OAE) capacity for shaping his lines, but occasionally sinks beneath the waves made by his colleagues and heightened by the acoustic climate. Simon Standage (EC) and, even more, John Holloway (TP) execute their diziest flights in breathtaking and fiery fashion and, as also the elegant Huggett, benefit from good balance in the recording. The recorder players of the VA coo like doves with their mouths full, those of the other three groups are more incisive and held in better balance. The OAE bring greater warmth to the Andante than either the TP or the EC, thereby winning the 'contest' among these three fine versions by a short head.

The ambling pace of the VA's opening Allegro of Concerto No. 5 allows them to mould their phrases expressively, but lends a pedestrian air to it. Martin Haselbock's approach to the long harpsichord solo is no less erratic than that of Malcolm Proud (OAE), noted by NA; 'accelerations' and 'decelerations' are created by the predominating note-values and do not need to be italicized. The VA apply a light touch to the Affetuoso but their clipping of the first notes of dotted rhythms sounds mannered, even prissy—affected rather than affectionate. Taking the work as a whole, my own choice is evenly balanced between the TP and the EC, either one perhaps a candidate as NA's alternative (to the OAE).

The VA's unhurried approach to quicker movements is apparent in Concerto No. 6, to which they bring a greater degree of expressiveness than most others, and though their corporate sound is somewhat sumptuous it does not muddy the textures. The TP, like the OAE, hurry the first Allegro but get the other movements right, though I would have liked turns at the ends of the trills in the slow movement, as provided by the others. Some shaky intonation mutes my recommendation of the otherwise splendid account by the EC with its well-judged tempos and happily stylish delivery. So, in this case you pays your money and you takes your choice.