Simon Borutzki & Ensemble Bach all'italiano

Johann Sebastian Bach most likely is the composer whose music has been arranged most commonly throughout history. However, it is a less known fact that Bach himself acted as an arranger of music from the hand of other composers. For instance, he skilfully transcribed the violin concertos of his Italian colleagues Allesandro Marcello (1673–1747) and Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) for the harpsichord, in such a manner that both – the composer and the arranger – appear to meld into one congenial entity. For Bach all’Italiano, the recorder player Simon Borutzki and the harpsicordist Clemens Flick examined these transcriptions and arranged a selection of them into concertos for recorder and continuo ensemble, which maintain their Italian sentiment and the German texture of Bach's renditions and at the same time enrich them with the unique tonal qualities of the various flutes. After all, as the music critic Johann Mattheson said in 1739: "Borrowing is a permissible thing; but you have to make the imitations in such a fashion that they obtain an appearance nicer and better than the movements they were borrowed from."

With this intention, recorder player Simon Borutzki, by means of his eight concertos, offers a totally new and highly unique view of Bach's adaptation of the Italian style – entirely in the sense of baroque instrumentations typical of a concerto da camera.

Simon Borutzki , recorder
Lea Rahel Bader , violoncello
Clemens Flick , harpsichord & organ
Magnus Andersson , lute

Pizzicato (20. Juni 2016, Remy Franck)

„Wie ein hoch talentierter Zuckerbäcker verziert der Blockflötist die Musik mit sonorer Klangfülle und gesunden Farben. Eine das Ohr anspringende Dynamik und ein Parlando, wie es nur die besten Erzähler haben, geben den Interpretationen eine Frische, wie man sie selten vernimmt. Das ist umso attraktiver, als der Hörer die Musik aus in anderen Besetzung kenn“

„Simon Borutzki dazzles the listener with a rock-solid technique and a winningly expansive and eloquent fantasy. Bach all’taliano is one truly appealing CD!”

American Record Guide (August 2016, Todd Gorman)

“If you could serve this over pasta, the guests wouldn’t stop talking about how good it is! Bravo to all four!”

Gramophone (August 2016, Charlotte Gardner)

“One of the most exciting albums to have landed on my desk all year”

Crescendo (September 2016, CK)

„Virtuos und mit spritzigem Elan”

Neue Musikzeitung (Oktober 2016, Adelheid Krause-Pichler)

„Der Sound, der aus dieser Musik mit dem Solo-Instrument Blockflöte entsteht, ist nicht nur weich und satt, die Flöte virtuos und keck – tatsächlich fühlt sich der Hörer in die Atmosphäre all'italiano versetzt, getragen von den Harmonien Bachs. Die Neuerscheinung der CD Bach all'italiano verbindet lebendige Musikgeschichte mit guter interpretatorischer Gestaltung. Sie ist nicht nur für Blockflötenfans empfehlenswert.“

Gramophone (Dezember 2016, NN)

„Young recorder player Simon Borutzki is highly impressive in this performance […] just listen!”