From: Andrei Jorza

>In Bach's Brandenburg Concert 1 in the second Allegro but especially in the
>first allegro from Brandenburg Concert 2 there is a very queerly sounding
>instrument.

The only solo instrument shared between the first and second Brandenburg
Concertos is a violin, and even then the first concerto specifies a
"violino piccolo" (I think that is the term).  The three oboes from the
first concerto I consider part of the orchestra; the second concerto has a
solo oboe.

>It is definitely some kind of a blowing instrument yet I couldn't figure
>it out what.

Perhaps the oboe is what you are hearing.  The recorder (sometimes a flute
is substituted) is the other wind instrument in the second concerto.  And
of course the trumpet part which is easy to pick out.

>I'm writing in hope there is someone in this list who knows what it is.
>And as far as not finding the part I am writing about, one can't possibly
>miss it since it appears all throughout part 1 from concert 2.

>P.S. I have a version of all Brandenburg Concerts. My Concert 3 has only
>two parts. Is this normal or did they just cut it off.

Two parts or two tracks? The Goebel/Musica Antiqua Koeln only plays what
is in the score, i.e., the slow, two-measure "hinge" between the first and
last movements.  Many other recordings improvise on the notes given in the
score, making this "hinge" into a more substantial "movement".  Either way
the whole concerto is in three parts:  fast - slow (short or long) - fast.

Mark K. Ehlert