Swedish act Råg I Ryggen released one of those nearly-forgotten seventies heavy prog albums whose somewhat mythical reputation causes the original vinyl to fetch too high prices today. As with most albums of this sort, there’s no need to spend that kind of money since it was reissued on CD a few years ago. The band lasted only two years, and you won’t find a whole lot of information about them from most internet or written sources. No matter, they’ve included pretty much their entire biography in the liner notes of the album, which along with the bonus concert tracks makes this CD release something of an anthology as well. Being young and new, it isn’t surprising the band shows evidence of many influences in their music…
Beck’s symphonies have long been regarded as among the most striking works of their kind from the mid-18th century. Remarkable for their dramatic flair, rich harmonic language and fluid, inventive part writing, Beck’s Op. 3 Symphonies (published 1762) display a rare level of compositional finish that elevates them above all but the very greatest symphonies of their time.
Among the current sensations of the historical-performance scene is I Barocchisti, from Italian Switzerland, and its director and harpsichordist Diego Fasolis. The group released performances of Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos on a pair of discs, with the second disc also containing the Concerto for flute, violin, harpsichord, strings, and continuo in A minor, BWV 1044. Whatever may be said for breaking up the set in other situations, this radical approach is best appreciated as a whole. Part of the charm of these classic works is their differentiation, somewhat obscured in modern performances (and even in some on historical instruments) that use a large string section.