Dunedin Consort - Bach: Orchestral Suites - Apple Music
Butt and the ace period-instrument players of his Dunedin Consort bring out the full French flavour of each of Bach’s dance suites, highlighting their rich combination of grandeur and grace while imparting irresistible rhythmic energy to every movement. Butt’s sprightly speeds reflect the practical demands of dancing a courante or a minuet, which become nearly impossible at too slow a tempo. Even the set’s most familiar pieces—the “Air” from the Third Suite, the “Badinerie” from the Second and the scintillating “Ouverture” from the Fourth—feel fresh and spontaneous.