Bach JS - Mass in B Bwv 232, Missa Brevis Bwv 233 - Jochum

Bach JS - Mass in B Bwv 232, Missa Brevis Bwv 233 - Jochum
Chamber | Eac, single flac, no cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 742 MB
March 15, 1994 | Philips | RapidShare

There are three Eugene Jochum recordings of the Mass in B minor floating around out there: this is the first.

Jochum's reading is generally even-paced and flows easily. He avoids the stateliness of Klemperer's reading but does not fly by the listener in a mad rush as do Pearlman and Gardiner--overall, this is, in a word, a very solid and respectable performance. Jochum's choral forces are large (HUGE if you're used to the "one voice per part" approach) and at their fullest (such as the opening "Kyrie") the choirs and orchestra combined can generate a respectably powerful sound.

The soloists are all uniformly good. There is only a slight balance issue during the "Domine Deus" duet between soprano and tenor soloists.

Overall, Jochum's first recording is absolutely solid. For listeners approaching this masterwork for the first time, this is a great place to start.

CD Content
# Mass for 3 voices, chorus, orchestra & continuo in F major, BWV 233 (BC E6)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Munich Pro Arte Orchestra
with Gisela Litz, Leonard Hokanson, Eduard Melkus, Hermann Prey, Manfred Clement, Agnes Giebel
Conducted by Kurt Redel

# Mass in B minor, for 5 voices, 6-part chorus, violin, orchestra & continuo, BWV 232 (BC E1)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
with Kurt Richter, Wilhelm Carl Grimm, Hans Braun, Kim Borg, Hertha Topper, Kurt Kalmus, Karl Benzinger, Anton Nowakowski, Margarethe Scharitzer, Lois Marshall, Peter Pears, Josef Merz, Franz Hoger, Karl Bobzien, Rudolf Joachim Koeckert
Conducted by Eugen Jochum

Stokowski - Maestro Celebre - Bach & Beethoven

Stokowski - Maestro Celebre - Bach & Beethoven
Symphonic | single flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 454 MB
released 2004 | History| RapidShare

CD Content

cd1
1. (00:04:53) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Prelude in E Flat Minor, BWV 853 (from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I), rec. 1927
2. (00:02:57) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - ''Christ lag in Todesbanden'' Chorus from Cantata No. 4, BWV 4, rec. 1931
3. (00:04:27) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Adagio from Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C-Major, BWV 564, rec. 1933
4. (00:05:01) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - ''Komm süßer To'' , BWV 478 (from the Schemelli Song Book), rec. 1933
5. (00:03:29) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Siciliano from Sonata No. 4 for Violin and Piano, BWV 1017, rec. 1933
6. (00:04:43) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Sarabande from English Suite No. 3 in G-Major, BWV 808, rec. 1934
7. (00:06:08) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Air on a G String from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068, rec. 1936
8. (00:04:23) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - ''O Haupt voller Blu'' from the St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, rec. 1936
9. (00:04:34) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - ''Mein Jesu! Was für eine Seelenwe'', BWV 487 (from the Schemelli Song Book), 1936
10. (00:04:36) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - Sarabande from Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002, rec. 1936
11. (00:09:04) Leopold Stokowski - Bach - ''Es ist vollbracht'' From St. John Passion, BWV 256, rec. 1940

cd2
12. (00:14:02) Leopold Stokowski - Symphony No. 9 in D minor op125 - Allegro ma non troppo un poco maestoso
13. (00:10:18) Leopold Stokowski - Symphony No. 9 in D minor op125 - Scherzo: Molto vivace
14. (00:15:38) Leopold Stokowski - Symphony No. 9 in D minor op125 - Adagio molto e cantabile
15. (00:25:12) Leopold Stokowski - Symphony No. 9 in D minor op125 - Finale: Presto. Allegro ma' non troppo

Bach JS - Keyboard Concertos - Hewitt,Tognetti 2 Vols

Bach JS - Keyboard Concertos - Hewitt,Tognetti 2 Vols
Concerto | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 630 MB
released 2005 | Hyperion | RapidShare

Sometimes it is hard to decribe exactly what truly makes a great performance, but when many elements come together so splendidly as they do here, you immediately recognize it. These concertos are fresh and effervescent in every aspect - from Ms. Hewitt's delicate, poised articulations to the beautiful orchestral compliment from the ACO to the excellent Hyperion-engineered sound.

Hewitt chose the Australian Chamber Orchestra after playing these works for many months with several orchestras around the world. Just hearing the first few bars of the first movement of the 6th concerto reveals how perfect Hewitt and the ACO are for each other and this music. The ACO's style and judgment are always in pefect compliment to Hewitt's playing - never overwhelming or underwhelming her gorgeous lines. If you prefer the more intimate dialog and effect of a smaller orchestra compared to the drama and power of a larger one, these performances should delight. There is a wonderful, chamber-like interaction and relaxed musicianship here that makes these performances rather irresistable and highly refreshing.

Compared to other "reference" recordings, there is more of a carefree flow of tempo - and really charm - in the Hewitt/ACO performances which have a Spring-like freshness in their appeal. Hewitt's playing is both delicate but completely commanding at the same time and blends wonderfully with the feathery tones of the two flute soloists and Richard Tognetti's masterfully appealing violin interludes. All use modern instruments, yet retain appropriate period mannerisms with sonorities that are beautiful, enhanced by superb Hyperion sound engineering. While Miss Hewitt could easily take over with her powerful Fazioli Concert Grand, she use finesse and nuance to create a more gentle interaction with the lithe ACO.

Having ten years of Bach recordings under her belt shows clearly in Hewitt's natural, at-one flow with the music - like she has penetrated the life within the music and just exudes it the most natural and intended manner like breathing. Her lines are sure and elegant and her ornamentations support the overall melody in the most delightful way that does not draw attention to the performer. Her bass 'flutters' are particularly appealing and inject nuances of artistry and excitement. This is music of top caliber and performances to be celebrated that have a timeless, ever-fresh quality that should wear well through the years. Such performances as this are one reason Miss Hewitt won the 2006 Gramophone "Artist of the Year" award.

The music industry reviews of these July '05 releases were on the positive side overall. ClassicsToday gave both CD's glowing reviews and a perfect 10/10 for Artistry/Sound Quality with Gramphone giving both discs the highest "Gem" award. Sound quality is excellent with even the non-SACD sounding brilliant and without fault (perfect balance, clarity of solists and depth of tonal textures). And with these concertos, Miss Hewitt completes her decade-long Bach traversal with a grand crescendo.

CD Content

Cd 1
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 7 in G minor, BWV 1058
# Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050
# Concerto for flute, violin, harpsichord, strings & continuo in A minor ("Triple"), BWV 1044

Cd 2
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 4 in A major, BWV 1055
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 3 in D major, BWV 1054
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 2 in E major, BWV 1053
# Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056
# Concerto for harpsichord, 2 recorders, strings & continuo No. 6 in F major, BWV 1057

Bach JS - Partitas,French Ouverture,Inventions & Sinfonias - Gieseking

Bach JS - Partitas,French Ouverture,Inventions & Sinfonias - Gieseking
Piano | Single Ape, no cue | no log, cover | 2 CD, 389 MB
November 19, 1996 | DG | RapidShare

It's difficult to describe how freshly and spontaneously the notes pour from Gieseking's fingers. It almost sounds as though he's making this incredibly complex music up, and having a lot of fun while he does it. Virtuosic Bach with a wink and a smile, anyone?


CD Content

Cd 1
# Partita for keyboard No. 1 in B flat major, BWV 825
# Partita for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826
# Partita for keyboard No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827
# Partita for keyboard No. 4 in D major, BWV 828
# Partita for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 829
# Partita for keyboard No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830

Cd 2
# Fantasia and Fugue, for keyboard in C minor, BWV 906
# Toccata for keyboard in C minor, BWV 911
# Fantasia and Fugue, for keyboard in A minor, BWV 944
# Overture in the French Manner, BWV 831
# Italian Concerto, for solo keyboard in F major, BWV 971
# English Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in D minor, BWV 811

BachBusters - Don Dorsey on Authentic Period Synthesizers

BachBusters - Don Dorsey on Authentic Period Synthesizers
Synthesized | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 198 MB
October 25, 1990 | Telarc | RapidShare

I first got my hands on this CD in the late 1980's (the 1990 release date listed by Amazon is incorrect) and it ignited a life-long love affair with the music of Bach. Everything on the disc, from the thundering chords of the Fugue in D Minor to the bouncy, almost pop-like beats of the Italian Concerto, is brilliant -- and, incredibly, the choice of instrumentation doesn't sound cheesy or annoying years later (as it does with, say, Wendy Carlos' Switched-On-Bach albums).

Dorsey's incredible rendition of the Fugue in D Minor drove me to learn to play the piece, a significant undertaking, which is probably the highest endorsement I can offer. And, as other reviewers have noted, the rendition of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring is really quite breathtaking (although it hasn't aged as well as some of the other material on the disc). Dorsey's done a great job of making the music of Bach more accessible -- hats off.--Amazon


CD Content

Italian Concerto, for solo keyboard in F major (Clavier-Übung II/1), BWV 971 (BC L7)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Two-Part Invention, for keyboard No. 1 in C major, BWV 772 (BC L42)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 1 in C major, BWV 787 (BC L42)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Two-Part Invention, for keyboard No. 8 in F major, BWV 779 (BC L49)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 8 in F major, BWV 794 (BC L49)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Two-Part Invention, for keyboard No. 10 in G major, BWV 781 (BC L51)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 10 in G major, BWV 796 (BC L51)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Two-Part Invention, for keyboard No. 12 in A major, BWV 783 (BC L53)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 12 in A major, BWV 798 (BC L53)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Two-Part Invention, for keyboard No. 15 in B minor, BWV 786 (BC L56)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 15 in B minor, BWV 801 (BC L56)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Verschiedene Canones (14), for unspecified instruments or keyboard, BWV 1087
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Toccata and Fugue, for organ in D minor, BWV 565 (BC J37)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Cantata No. 147, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben," BWV 147 (BC A174) Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Don Dorsey

Bach JS - Inventions & Sinfonias - Peter Serkin

Bach JS - Inventions & Sinfonias - Peter Serkin
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 207 MB
February 11, 1997 | RCA | RapidShare

If Peter Serkin's four Goldberg Variations recordings reveal a lifelong affinity for Bach on the concert grand, one suspects his approach to the Inventions has similarly been well-tempered and seasoned over the years. Compared to Glenn Gould's rhythmic vigor and Andras Schiff's fleeter, more spontaneously conceived readings, Serkin's eloquent understatement may appear impersonal and even bland. Repeated hearings, however, uncover felicities of voice leading and dynamic terracing, as well pianist's warm, singing legato achieved purely by hand balance and fingering, with no aid from the pedal. While the virtues of Gould and Schiff should not be discounted, Serkin sweetens the ante, adding on the four Duets from the Clavierubung. Sonics are first class. --Jed Distler


CD Content

Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Duetto, for keyboard No. 1 in E minor (Clavier-Übung III No. 23), BWV 802 (BC J74)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Duetto, for keyboard No. 2 in F major (Clavier-Übung III No. 24), BWV 803 (BC J75)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Duetto, for keyboard No. 3 in G major (Clavier-Übung III No. 25), BWV 804 (BC J76)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Duetto, for keyboard No. 4 in A minor (Clavier-Übung III No. 26), BWV 805 (BC J77)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Peter Serkin

Bach JS - Fantasia and Fugue in A minor, Aria Variata and other works - Angela Hewitt

Bach JS - Fantasia and Fugue in A minor, Aria Variata and other
works - Angela Hewitt
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 207 MB
August 10, 2004 | Hyperion | RapidShare

This CD - the last in the Hewitt's cycle of solo keyboard works of Bach - is one in Hewitt's discography that doesn't get as much attention as some others but is an emmensely satisfying musical experience. Spanning decades of Bach's life, the selections on this CD are quite diverse and represent what Angela Hewitt calls, "The best of the rest" - referring to the remaining works of Bach she felt were significant to record ... but by no means "the bottom of the barrel." She saved some treasures for last which include here two grand fantasies/fugues, two choral preludes of simple beauty, a few suite- and tocatta-like pieces, one radiant sonata and the star of the recital for me, the magnificant Aria with variations in "the Italian style" (BWV989).

In the two fantasia/fugues (early works likely composed for organ), Miss Hewitt brings out the two or three voices with a commanding and often fascinating articulation and precision. She masterfully and simultaneously summons a wide range of nuances and dynamics in her seamless, overlapping fugal voices. In the opening A-minor fugue she deftly creates an commanding, organ-like voice of great strength and rigidity on the left hand while - with the right hand - quiet, ethereal textures of lightness and lithe (assisted by the tactful use of the pedals). The combination and progression are most enthralling to hear. Similarly, the C-major fugue is a dancing run of great joy where the final A-minor "perpetual motion" fugue is nearly five breathtaking minutes of seamless semiquavers like liquid. Both A minor works possess a virtusoity and complexity reminiscent of the monumental Chromatic Fantasia/Fugue in D minor (BWV903).

Very different from the commanding fugues are the two gentle and lovely choral preludes - works of simplistic beauty and types of Bach's compositions that Hewitt seems to have a way of finding the spiritual core that the Luthern Kappelmeister Bach must have had in mind. (Often she ends her programs with such gentle, contemplative works, but in this CD she chose to end with the quicksilver fugue mentioned above).

Another star of the set is certainly the Aria and Variations (BWV989) - an early work foreshadowing the great Goldberg variations. The combination of the imaginative writing of Bach here (who wrote very few variation movements) and the brilliance of Hewitt's pianism makes for a memorable reading. The "wow" variation must certainly be the eighth for its dazzling, off-beat runs and Hewitt's marvelous "echo" simulations (sound track #11) - a spellbinding movement. In the opening and closing aria and slower variations, she elegantly draws out varying moods of contemplation or carefree dance with her impeccable tonal coloration and utilization of the full range of expression of the modern Steinway to impart maximum expression and excitment. This Aria/Variations is one of my favorite individual work out of the hundreds she has recorded.

In short, while perhaps not as famous as other CD's in Angela Hewitt's Bach discography, this CD is a most enthralling and varied tour of Bach's solo keyboard music that is bathed with the typical clarity, precision, finesse and lovely tone that has made Angela Hewitt one of the finest interpreters of Bach today. She really seems 'on her game' in these recordings which was also heartily noted in a review by Gramophone (who had critiqued her prior English Suites set as having an "overly precious" style at times). Also, the sound quality is clear and exceptional - typical of most of her Hyperion cycle and most like the Partitas or Toccatas. Her extensive liner notes too are a most enjoyable and educational experience to read. I don't know if it is more Bach's genius or more Angela Hewitt's refined and imaginative pianism, but I keep coming back for more and more of this artist's Bach recordings. Highly Recommended and a personal favorite of Hewitt's many fine recordings.--Amazon


CD Content

# Fantasia and Fugue, for keyboard in A minor, BWV 904 (BC L136)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Aria variata, for keyboard in A minor ("In the Italian Style"), BWV 989 (BC L179)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Sonata for keyboard in D major, BWV 963 (BC L182)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Suite for keyboard in A major, BWV 832 (BC L174)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Suite for keyboard in F minor (fragment), BWV 823 (BC L167)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Adagio, for keyboard in G major, BWV 968 (BC L185)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Fugue for keyboard in C major (from Clavier-Büchlein W. F. Bach), BWV 953 (BC L149)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Jesus, meine Zuversicht, chorale prelude for organ (Anna Magdalena Clavier-Büchlein no. 1/8), BWV 728 (BC K101)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten (IV), chorale prelude for organ (WFN 3, AMN II/11), BWV 691 (BC K99)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach - 6 French Suites - Andras Schiff

Bach - 6 French Suites - Andras Schiff
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 499 MB
August 10, 1993 | Decca | RapidShare

András Schiff is one of the best Bach players among Gould, Rosalyn Tureck and Wanda Landowska. On Schiff's French Suites, every part from every suite has a different color and gives you different feeling. Every harmony is taken to its end with care, and dynamic balance is always delightful to listen. Articulation of the notes is excellent, full of humour, and in some places you surely start to smile and you feel very happy when you listen to Schiff. He also plays the slow parts very deeply and warmly, which is for some artists a big problem when playing Bach. There are also Italian Concerto and French Overture on the CD's, played brilliantly, so this set is really worth buying. Recommended for everyone.--Amazon


With Glenn Gould's untimely death in 1982, the time was ripe for András Schiff's formidable gifts as a Bach interpreter to garner international attention--and rightfully so. Although Schiff admired and was influenced by Gould, he approaches Bach on the piano quite differently. For instance, Schiff's warm, luminous tone contrasts with Gould's gaunt, stripped-down sonority, drawing inspiration from the grandeur and flexibility of tempo that typifies Bach performances from pianists such as Edwin Fischer and Miecyslaw Horszowski. At the same time, Schiff always has kept up with the latest scholarship in regard to embellishment and articulation. As you listen to Schiff in the Partitas, English Suites, French Suites, and the B minor French Overture, you can't help but notice both the way the pianist's tempos accurately pinpoint the music's dance origins and the improvisatory feeling with which he imbues the ornaments on the repeats.

CD Content

French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

Italian Concerto, for solo keyboard in F major (Clavier-Übung II/1), BWV 971 (BC L7)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

Overture in the French Manner, partita for keyboard in B minor (Clavier-Übung II/2), BWV 831
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Andras Schiff

Kennedy Plays Bach with the Berlin Philharmonic

Kennedy Plays Bach with the Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestral | Eac, flac, cue | no log, cover | 1 CD, 299 MB
January 13, 2008 | EMI | RapidShare

There is no question that Kennedy believes Bach is the greatest of composers. He has said so when giving his inimitable introductions to encore items at concerts, and his commitment to Bach's cause is the foundation upon which these recorded performances is based. Bach is the most indestructible of composers, and only die-hard 'original instrument' purists would reject the virtuoso, big-boned style of these performances. The virtuosity is apparent throughout, both of the soloist(s) and of course the orchestra. But it is virtuosity in the service of Bach, not virtuosity for its own sake. Tempi are direct and quick, but articulation remains clear, so that details are projected. The fine balancing of textures allows for details to be heard in fully scored passages too. With the resonant properties of this ensemble, it is no surprise that broad tempi prevail in the slow movements. Phrasing is sensitively done, and there is close adherence to dynamic shadings. The pianissimo playing is beautifully sensitive. The two double concertos are true partnerships; in neither case does one sense rivalry between the players. Such an approach would be inappropriate in Bach, to whom Kennedy and his colleagues pay splendid treatment in this fine compilation.--Terry Barfoot


CD Content

Bach - Violin Concerto in A minor
Bach - Violin Concerto in E major
Bach - Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor
Bach - Concerto for Violin & Oboe in C minor


Performers:
Kennedy (Nigel); Albrecht Mayer (oboe); Daniel Stabrawa (violin)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Bach - Six Cello Suites transcribed for Guitar - Wangenheim

Bach - Six Cello Suites transcribed for Guitar - Wangenheim
Guitar| Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 490 MB
March 13, 2007 | Arte Nova Classics | RapidShare

..his engrossing approach to Bach, revealing both a convincing realization of the polyphonic potential of the suites and an interpretation that combined poetic beauty with unforced virtuosity, illustrated A.v. Wangenheims mastery of the instrument and his musical gifts, but is also the fruit of long exposure and detailed study..

Andreas von Wangenheim is regarded as one of the most interesting and expressive guitarists on his generation. He received his musical education at the music conservatories of Hamburg and Basel. In 1987, he won the Bach Prize of the international guitar competition for students in Europe and has since given concerts in most European countries as well as Korea, China, Japan, Canada and the USA. He is a guest of well known festivals such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Chamber Music Festival Delft, Rheingau Music Festival, Appollonia Festival Sofia and “Ticino Musica” Switzerland.

Andreas von Wangenheim

recorded his own transcriptions (Arte Nova/ BMG) of the six solo cello suites for the "Bach Year 2000" for which he received excellent reviews. Also with Arte Nova, he recorded a CD containing his own transcriptions of Mozart and Haydn Divertimenti.
Track listing
CD 1

Suite in A major (Transcription of the Suite No. 3 in C major BWV 1009)
1 Prélude
2 Allemande
3 Courante
4 Sarabande
5 Bourrée I & II
6 Gigue

Suite in D major (Transcription of the Suite No. 1 in G major (BWV 1007)
7 Prélude
8 Allemande
9 Courante
10 Sarabande
11 Menuet I & II
12 Gigue

Suite in B major (Transcription of the Suite No. 4 in E flat major BWV 1010)
13 Prélude
14 Allemande
15 Courante
16 Sarabande
17 Bourrée I & II
18 Gigue

CD 2

Suite in A minor (Transcription of the Suite No. 2 in D minor BWV 1008)
1 Prélude
2 Allemande
3 Courante
4 Sarabande
5 Menuet I & II
6 Gigue

Suite in D major (Transcription of the Suite No. 6 in D major BWV 1012)
7 Prélude
8 Allemande
9 Courante
10 Sarabande
11 Gavotte I & II
12 Gigue

Suite in A major (Transcription of the Suite No. 5 in C minor BWV 1011)
13 Prélude
14 Allemande
15 Courante
16 Sarabande
17 Gavotte I & II
18 Gigue


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Bach - Italian Concerto · French Overture · Capriccios - Angela Hewitt

Bach - Italian Concerto · French Overture · Capriccios - Angela Hewitt
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 224 MB
January 9, 2001 | Hyperion | RapidShare

If you are newer to Bach's abundent solo keyboard music - or Angela Hewitt - then this CD is an excellent place to start. It features the popular "French Overture" and contains some of the more lyrical and "accessible" music Bach wrote for the keyboard. There is a delightful mix of Bach compositions here capturing the diverse musical styles from Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Bach shows himself to be a true "non-politico" as well as the master composer by skillfully combining these styles (namely from France and Italy) to produce works of great appeal and mastery - but in a style that is uniquely "Bach."

In the opening piece, Hewitt does great justice to Bach's tribute to the Italian concerto style with a convincing "dialog" between lighter solo episodes (tutti) and the fuller passages imitating orchestral effect (ritornello) - all on one keyboar of course. This piece is most famous for the Adagio which Hewitt infuses with much heart and soul by her delicate, thoughtful melodic lines that never approach over sentimentality. The main event of this CD must certainly be the monumental "French Overture" (aka: Partita in B minor) - a grand conception lasting some 30 minutes repleat with numerous movements of French courtly dance influence and rich in imaginative and decorative keyboard effects. Miss Hewitt wonderfully articulates these effervescent rhythms with supreme confidence and masterful result. Her ornamentations are always tasteful, seamlessly integrated and truly enthralling to hear. In the off-beat rhythms of the gigue, her semiquavers bounce off the page with great poise and the crispness of fresh-pressed linen. And she shows her masterful pianism to its fullest in the curious final "echo" movement, bringing an brilliant, orchestral quality to it.

Hiding in the shadows of these two main events are four charming little "duets." These are no mere "fillers" but delightfully catchy, two-part inventions that Hewitt plays to full effect. Rounding out the program is a most unique "program music" piece by Bach thought written around the story of his older brother's departure ("Capriccio on departure of his brother"). In it, Angela Hewitt communicates both its nostalgic sentiments with her gentle, poinant phrasing and dynamics along with the piece's festive celebratory ending with her effective creation of trumpet and horn effects. In this unique composition, Hewitt succeeds to create a wonderful range of emotive effects in one piece.

Indeed, her carefree yet tight-on-the-rails style truly seems to bring out the best of Bach's keyboard treasures - transforming them into music of great vitality and charm. Her approach to Bach is one of artistry, nuance and good taste (not unlike Schiff) but without the "directness" or the "rough edges" that can be found in other performer's approaches (Gould and Gulda, respectfully). The many great Bach performers through the last decades have given us many "pallates of color" to experience, and Hewitt's colors are most notably beauty of tone, a poetic flavor, and graceful fluidity of line at its heart. It is no wonder that Angela Hewitt has been heralded as "the premier Bach pianist of this generation." Just about any recording of Bach's keyboard music by Angela Hewitt is a safe bet for being among the top choices available, and this CD is certainly no exception. It received the highest marks from both Gramaphone and Penguin Guides while ClassicsToday gave it a perfect 10/10 for Artisty/Sound Quality. In all her Bach recordings from Hyperion, the sound quality of this recording is among the fullest and most realistically recorded (where some other recordings like her Couperin, WTC or French Suites are done with a touch more "spaciousness" but still with clarity). Also a highlight are the scholarly and detailed notes delineating the nuances of the various "dance" types that Bach encorporated into his compositions. In all, an emmensely satisfying recording from a top Bach pianist of our time. Highly recommended.

CD Content

# Italian Concerto, for solo keyboard in F major (Clavier-Übung II/1), BWV 971 (BC L7)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, for keyboard in B flat major, BWV 992 (BC L181)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Capriccio in honorem Johann Christoph Bach ii, for keyboard in E major, BWV 993 (BC L180)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Duetto, for keyboard No. 1 in E minor (Clavier-Übung III No. 23), BWV 802 (BC J74)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Duetto, for keyboard No. 2 in F major (Clavier-Übung III No. 24), BWV 803 (BC J75)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Duetto, for keyboard No. 3 in G major (Clavier-Übung III No. 25), BWV 804 (BC J76)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Duetto, for keyboard No. 4 in A minor (Clavier-Übung III No. 26), BWV 805 (BC J77)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

# Overture in the French Manner, partita for keyboard in B minor (Clavier-Übung II/2), BWV 831
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Angela Hewitt

Bach - 4 English Suites - Walter Gieseking

Bach - 4 English Suites - Walter Gieseking
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 216 MB
January 29, 2002 | Urania | RapidShare

It was with the repertoire of French masters that the German pianist Walter Gieseking became most famous. The impressionistic piano writing of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel required the most sensitive touch and attention to color and nuance, and Gieseking's finger acuity, imaginative pedaling, and above all, preternaturally alert ear made him an ideal interpreter of this music. Nevertheless, his own repertoire ranged widely across eras and national boundaries.

Largely self-taught as a pianist, Gieseking was born in Lyon, France, on November 5, 1895; with his family (his father was a distinguished doctor and entomologist), he traveled in France and Italy until he enrolled at the Hannover Conservatory, where he came under the tutelage of Karl Leimer, making his debut in 1915.

Gieseking was drafted into the German army a year after his first public performance but escaped combat by performing in his regimental band. After the war, he undertook the the life of a working musician, accompanying singers and instrumentalists, playing in chamber music ensembles, and working as an opera coach. He could hardly avoid the heady artistic atmosphere of postwar Germany, and he became an advocate of new music, playing works by Schoenberg, Busoni, Hindemith, Szymanowski, and Pfitzner, whose Piano Concerto he premiered under Fritz Busch in 1923. Subsequent debuts in London (1923), the United States (1926, Aeolian Hall, New York), and Paris (1928) were highly acclaimed, with audiences and critics responding enthusiastically to Gieseking's subtle shadings and contrapuntal clarity.

The Second World War brought controversy to Gieseking: like many other artists who remained in Germany during hostilities, he was accused of collaborating with the Nazis. His 1949 Carnegie Hall engagements caused such an uproar that they had to be cancelled; but he was eventually cleared of all charges by an Allied court in Germany. His concert career resumed with the success it had formerly enjoyed. To this activity he added a heavy schedule of recording, committing to disc the complete solo piano music of Mozart and the Beethoven concertos, as well as complete sets of Debussy's and Ravel's piano works. At the time of his death in London (October 26, 1956), Gieseking was engaged on a project to record all the Beethoven piano sonatas. His recordings of Debussy and Ravel are regarded as benchmarks for every subsequent performer.

Gieseking's autobiography, So wurde ich Pianist, was published posthumously in 1963; it seems never to have been translated into English.--AllMusic

Tracks:

01. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (04:01) 02. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (01:17) 03. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (00:49) 04. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (04:02) 05. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (01:36) 06. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (01:35) 07. Suite Inglese No.2 In La Minore,... (01:06) 08. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (03:03) 09. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (01:18) 10. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (01:01) 11. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (03:15) 12. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (01:17) 13. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (01:19) 14. Suite Inglese No.3 In Sol Minore... (01:24) 15. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (04:27) 16. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (01:16) 17. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (00:53) 18. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (01:40) 19. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (00:53) 20. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (01:23) 21. Suite Inglese No.4 In Fa Maggior... (01:29) 22. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (07:47) 23. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (03:12) 24. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (01:33) 25. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (02:02) 26. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (01:15) 27. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (01:34) 28. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (01:59) 29. Suite Inglese No.6 In Re Minore,... (01:28)

Bach - Famous Bach Choruses - Gardiner

Bach - Famous Bach Choruses - Gardiner
Vocal | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 323 MB
June 14, 1994 | Archiv | RapidShare

Excellent compilation of representative choruses.

The Monteverdi Choir began with a vision by John Eliot Gardiner, that is to make Monteverdi's 'Vespers' sound like it must have sounded in St. Mark's in Venice around 1610. And so, not wanting to emulate the English cathedral choir sound, he handpicked a choir, working with them for months on end, until he had formed a new ensemble. Thus the birth of the present-day Monteverdi Choir. The choir first appeared in 1964 in King's College Chapel and continues successfuly to this day, drawing on a mixture of professionals and highly qualified amateurs.

The selections on this disc are from recordings made by the Choir dating from 1985 thru 1992. It is a very interesting and well-chosen group of works, mostly very upbeat and 'happy' and 'bouncy' as only J.S. Bach can be!!!!Even though I own every disc from which these were taken, it is so great to have them all on one recording to enjoy as a group. And for the price at the moment, it is worth it.

Perfection is the name for anything that Gardiner puts together and this choir personifies the BEST in choral music.--Amazon

Tracks

1. Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben: No. 10 Chorale - Jesus bleibet meine Freude

2. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland II: No. 1 Chorus - Nun Komm, der Heiden Heland

3. Schwingt freudig euch empor: No. 1 Chorus - Schwingt freudig euch empor

4. Christmas Oratorio: No. 1 Chorus - Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage

5. Christmas Oratorio: No. 24 Chorus - Herrscher des Himmels, erhore das Lallen

6. Christmas Oratorio: No. 25 Evangelist - Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren - No. 26 Chorus - Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem - No. 27 Recitativo - Er hat sein Volk getrost - No. 28 Chorale - Dies hat er alles uns getan

7. Christmas Oratorio: No. 43 Chorus - Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen

8. Mass In B minor: No. 22 Chorus - Sanctus

9. Mass In B minor: No. 23 Chorus I-II - Osanna in excelsis

10. O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht

11. St. Matthew Passion: No. 1 Chorus - Kommt, ihr Tochter, helft mir klagen - Chorale - O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig

12. Actus Tragicus: No. 2a Chorus & Solos - Gottes Zeit ist de allerbeste Zeit - No. 2b Arioso - Ach, Herr, lehre uns bedenken - No. 2c Aria - Bestelle dein Haus - No. 2d Chorus & Arioso - Es ist der alte Bund

13. St. John Passion: No. 27a - Die Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum gedreuziget hatten - No. 27b Chorus - Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen - No 27c Evangelist, Jesus - Auf dass erfullet wurde die Schrift - No. 28 Chorale - Er nahm alles wohl in acht

14. St. John Passion: No. 39 Chorus - Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine

15. St. John Passion: No. 40 Chorale - Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein

Bach - Sonaten und Partiten fuer Violine Solo - Karl Suske

Bach - Sonaten und Partiten fuer Violine Solo - Karl Suske
Violin | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 757 MB
October 1, 2005 | Berlin Classics | RapidShare

Karl SUSKE

Karl SUSKE was born in Reichenberg/Liberec (Northern Bohemia) in 1934. He studied at the music conservatories of Weimar and Leipzig with Gerhard Bosse. After his exam in 1954 he became first violinist of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, two years later he became first concertmaster and member of the Gewandhaus Quartet. In 1962, he went to Berlin to take over the post of first concertmaster at the Staatsoper "Unter den Linden". In 1977, he returned to Leipzig where he was first concertmaster of the Gewandhaus Orchestra until June 2001. At the same time he became leader of the Gewandhaus Quartet. He held this post until 1993.

From 1975 to 1987 he taught at the Weimar music college. From 1987 to 1990 he was professor at the Leipzig music college. He was leader of the Suske Quartet founded in 1965 (later Berlin String Quartet). With this ensemble he toured Europe, the United States and Japan and made many CD recordings including all string quartets by Mozart and Beethoven. At the same time Karl SUSKE also recorded the violin sonatas by Mozart and Beethoven with Walter Olbertz.

During the concert tours of the Gewandhaus Orchestra Karl SUSKE often played as a soloist. Karl SUSKE's discography also includes sonatas and partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach as well as the violin concerto by Beethoven with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur. From 1991 to 2000 Karl SUSKE was first concertmaster of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. In addition, the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo invited him several times as a guest concertmaster.

CD Content

# Sonata for solo violin No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

# Partita for solo violin No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1002
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

# Sonata for solo violin No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

# Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

# Sonata for solo violin No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

# Partita for solo violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Karl Suske

Bach & Sons - Trio Sonatas - Rampal, Stern, Parnas, Ritter

Bach & Sons - Trio Sonatas - Rampal, Stern, Parnas, Ritter
Chamber | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 293 MB
October 25, 1990 | Sony | RapidShare

Tracks:
01 - J.S. Bach Musical Offering - BWV 1079 - C Minor (05:31)
02 - J.S. Bach Musical Offering - BWV 1079 - C Minor (06:08)
03 - J.S. Bach Musical Offering - BWV 1079 - C Minor (03:15)
04 - J.S. Bach Musical Offering - BWV 1079 - C Minor (03:06)
05 - C.P.E. Bach Trio Sonata - G Major (03:57)
06 - C.P.E. Bach Trio Sonata - G Major (04:13)
07 - C.P.E. Bach Trio Sonata - G Major (02:45)
08 - J.C.F. Bach - Sonata For Fortepiano Flute & Violin - C Major (05:11)
09 - J.C.F. Bach - Sonata For Fortepiano Flute & Violin - C Major (03:55)
10 - J.C.F. Bach - Sonata For Fortepiano Flute & Violin - C Major (05:12)
11 - J. S. Bach - Trio Sonata, BWV 1038 - G Major (03:28)
12 - J. S. Bach - Trio Sonata, BWV 1038 - G Major (01:02)
13 - J. S. Bach - Trio Sonata, BWV 1038 - G Major (02:17)
14 - J. S. Bach - Trio Sonata, BWV 1038 - G Major (01:31)
15 - W.F. Bach Trio Sonata - A minor (04:23)
16 - W.F. Bach Trio Sonata - A minor (00:42)

Kaori Muraji, guitar - Plays Bach

Kaori Muraji, guitar - Plays Bach
Guitar | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 1 CD, 291 MB
October 29, 2008 | Decca | RapidShare

Bach's music was waiting for someone like Kaori Muraji to arrive. She is perfectly suited to define this composer for the guitar, specifically the qualities of calmness, symmetry and delicacy. She recognizes and is able to realize the spiritual element that is implicit in any Bach composition.
People argue about the best way to represent Bach; is it better to use the emotional approach championed by Glen Gould, or the cerebral approach preferred by Alfred Brendel (both on piano). Kaori Muraji finds the balance between the two schools of thought. It is fascinating to listen to this artist mature. She's young, but has been playing for almost 30 years. Its hard to believe she could get any better, but she keeps doing so. Expressively, she is very understated, filled with complexities but straightforward nonetheless. Her playing is like a mother's hand brushing her child's forehead; it has the power to connect and comfort, to bring one instantly but gently into the present moment. Recording quality is excellent and again the packaging is wholly lustrous. Her recordings tend to be conservative, but reflective. Each listening reveals something more, they are so well thought out and executed and there is something transcendent in her playing anyway. Kaori's arrangements are different and the flow is quite different too, very tender, measured and open. She is always sublimely expressive but the expression is very internalized. This collection has her playing both solo as on "Joy of Man's Desiring" and with orchestra as on "Air on the G String."

Tracks:
01 - Cembalo Concerto No.2 in E major, BWV 1053 - I. Allegro 9:20
02 - Cembalo Concerto No.2 in E major, BWV 1053 - II. Siciliano 05:47
03 - Cembalo Concerto No.2 in E major, BWV 1053 - III. Allegro 07:42
04 - Air on the G string 04:31
05 - Cembalo Concerto No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056 - I. Allegro 03:56
06 - Cembalo Concerto No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056 - II. Largo 03:03
07 - Cembalo Concerto No.5 in F minor, BWV 1056 - III. Presto 04:19
08 - Choral Jesus bleibet meine Freude 04:01
09 - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - I. Allmanda 02:51
10 - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - II. Corrente 01:34
11 - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - III. Sarabanda 04:30
12 - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - IV. Giga 02:32
13 - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - V. Ciaconna 14:44
14 - Menuet, BWV Anh.114&115 02:34

Bach - English Suites - Elina Mustonen 2CD

Bach - English Suites - Elina Mustonen 2CD
Baroque | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 970 MB
March 30, 2004 | ALBA | RapidShare

"I can recommend Elina Mustonen's recording of the English Suites to listener's who want a no-nonsense, straightforward, and musical reading of these compositions." (American Record Guide 7-8/2004)

Elina Mustonen (Harpsichord)

Born: Finland

The Finnish harpsichordist, Elina Mustonen, began her harpsichord studies at the age of eight. After her graduation from the Sibelius Academy in 1983, she began studies with the famed Dutch musician Ton Koopman at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, receiving her soloist's diploma in 1988. Elina Mustonen gave her debut recital in 1987, and has since been performing extensively, both as a chamber musician and as a soloist. Her solo performances have also been in conjunction with all the major Finnish orchestras, and she has toured in Estonia, Iceland, the UK, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, France and the USA. Elina Mustonen has made recordings as a soloist with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Ton Koopman for the Erato label, in chamber music by Marin Marais for BIS label, and in complete recordings of J.S. Bach's French and English Suites (BWV 806-811) for Alba label. Her latests recordings for Alba include Scarlattiana - 15 Sonatas for Harpsichord by Domenico Scarlatti and 2XBach, first volume of the complete works for viola da gamba and harpsichord by J.S., C.Ph.E. and J.C. Bach together with Veli-Markus Tapio. She has also participated in international television productions.

Elina Mustonen is currently teaching harpsichord at the Sibelius Academy as well as preparing her doctoral degree with research on J.S. Bach's harpsichord pedagogy for the Departement of Doctoral Studies in Musical Performance and Research at this Academy.

From the Press
"Mustonen's harpsichord art presents the pinnacle of our times."
(Helsingin Sanomat 4/2002)


CD 1 Tracks:
01 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, A minor, Prélude (04:58)
02 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, Allemande (03:52)
03 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, Courante (01:51)
04 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, Sarabande (03:08)
05 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, Bourrée I alternativement & Bourrée II (04:24)
06 - Elina Mustonen - Suite II, Gigue (03:36)
07 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, A major, Prélude (02:00)
08 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Allemande (04:52)
09 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Courante I (01:44)
10 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Courante II avec deux Doubles (05:58)
11 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Sarabande (03:50)
12 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Bourrée I & Bourrée II (04:26)
13 - Elina Mustonen - Suite I, Gigue (02:47)
14 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, E minor, Prélude (05:09)
15 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, Allemande (04:01)
16 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, Courante (02:18)
17 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, Sarabande (02:55)
18 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, Passepied I en Rondeau & Passepied II (03:26)
19 - Elina Mustonen - Suite V, Gigue (03:05)

CD 2 Tracks:
01 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 1.Prelude (03:28)
02 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 2. Allemande (03:51)
03 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 3. Courante (02:28)
04 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 4. Sarabande (03:13)
05 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 5. Gavotte I Alternativement & Gavotte II Ou La Musette (03:04)
06 - Elina Mustonen - Suite III G Minor BWV 808 - 6. Gigue (03:08)
07 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 1. Prelude (04:52)
08 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 2. Allemande (03:47)
09 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 3. Courante (01:40)
10 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 4. Sarabande (03:14)
11 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 5. Menuet I & Menuet II (03:04)
12 - Elina Mustonen - Suite IV F Major BWV 809 - 6. Gigue (03:41)
13 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 1. Prelude (08:14)
14 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 2. Allemande (04:05)
15 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 3. Courante (02:23)
16 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 4. Sarabande & Double (05:28)
17 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 5. Gavotte I & Gavotte II (03:32)
18 - Elina Mustonen - Suite VI D Minor BWV 811 - 6. Gigue (03:50)

Bach - French Suites BWV 812-819 - Davitt Moroney

Bach - French Suites BWV 812-819 - Davitt Moroney, harpsichord
Soloist | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 957 MB
April 11, 2000 | Virgin Veritas | RapidShare

The French Suites (BWV 812–817) are a set of six keyboard suites Bach compiled in his late thirties, the most prolific period of his life producing a series of important instrumental works. Together with the Inventions and Sinfonias and the Well-Tempered Clavier, the French Suites formed an integral part of Bach’s comprehensive programmes for the education of his pupils. Keyboard suites – a popular genre consisting of about half a dozen stylized dances – had high educational value; one was expected to learn from them the essence of manners and good tastes.

Traditionally, the French Suites were considered as pair with the English Suites, the other unpublished collection of suites Bach wrote earlier. The ‘French’ are distinguished from the ‘English’ by both the lack of prelude and being smaller in scale. Stylistically, the ‘French’ are the more charming and elegant of the two: they tend to avoid the use of counterpoint, and focus more sharply on the exploration of such galant elements as cantabile melodies and sonorous, idiomatic keyboard texture. When discussing these characters, one cannot disassociate them from their origin: a sort of wedding gift to his young, musical wife – Anna Magdalena Bach (née Wilcke, 1701–60).

Anna Magdalena was just twenty when Bach married her on 3 December 1721; it was his second marriage, having lost his first wife, Maria Barbara, from sudden illness 17 months earlier. One can only imagine what an uplifting change this marriage brought to Bach and his children.

She was a professional singer; her keyboard skills were predictably no equal to her singing abilities. That Bach sent her so soon after their wedding a Clavierbüchlein with the first five of the French Suites seems to attest to their loving relationship. How did she feel when receiving such a gift? Esther Meynell, the author of The Little Chronicle of Magdalena Bach – a romantic fiction published anonymously in London in 1925 – depicts this scene with remarkable clarity: “Very soon after our marriage he gave me a music-book he had made for me. … When I turned the pages with eager fingers, while he stood and watched me with a smile so good and kind, I found that he had written for me in this book many easy pieces for my playing on the clavier – on which instrument he had begun giving me lessons. I was not yet very advanced, though I could play a little before I was married, and he had written these little melodious compositions to please me, to encourage me, to suit the stage of skill at which I had arrived and lead me gently on towards a higher one. Amongst these pieces was a grave and beautiful sarabande – I always thought his sarabandes in the clavier Suites and Partitas were peculiarly lovely and expressive of his mind – and the gayest little minuet, and all were of a charm to tempt any student to the keyboard. Thus he was ever ready to stoop from his own height and take by the hand a child or a beginner. Nothing ever made him impatient with a pupil save indifference or carelessness.”

Except those movements that are found their way into Anna’s Clavierbüchlein, no other copies of the French Suites in Bach’s hand survive. How Bach called this collection is still open to debate. In all likelihood, to the lost autograph is given a plain title ‘Six Suites for Harpsichord’, if one can trust the wording – ‘Sex Sviten pur le Clavesin’ in somewhat misspelt French – found in a copy of Bach’s pupil (probably Johann Schneider, 1702–88). It is striking that no further distinction was given when there was another set of keyboard suites, the English Suites, in Bach’s household. Bach’s obituary (1754), for example, merely describes them ‘Six suites for the same [i.e. clavier]’ (English) and ‘Six more of the same, somewhat shorter’ (French). How did Bach distinguish between them? It was in one of Marpurg’s treatises in 1762, as far as we can trace, that we learn the first reference to this work as ‘Six French Suites’. Considering his close relationship with Bach family circles, this information seems credible; it was perhaps how the work was generally called. Forkel endorses this view in his biography of Bach (1802), explaining that they are ‘written in the French taste’.

Davitt Moroney is one of today's top specialists in older keyboard instruments, one who has delved deeply into the music and aesthetics of French and English harpsichord music. He has perhaps the most scholarly orientation among leading early music performers, but his performances are accessible to any listener. Born in Britain of Irish-Italian ancestry, he studied in England, France, and the United States, coming to early music through scholarly study. His Ph.D., granted at the University of California in 1980, dealt with the choral music of Tallis and Byrd. Through the 1970s, however, he studied organ (with the Austrian player Susi Jeans) and harpsichord (with the Canadian Kenneth Gilbert, and after finishing his degree he embarked on a career as a recitalist, with Paris as his home base.

Moroney has released over 50 compact discs of keyboard music of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries, as a soloist, chamber player, and participant in concertos, winning several Gramophone Awards and France's Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie Charles Cros. His most ambitions project, which took 15 years of planning, research, and rehearsal, is a complete survey of the keyboard music of the great Elizabethan-era English composer William Byrd. A seven-disc set (for the price of five), on the Hyperion label, it was the first album of its kind. Meticulously researched, it includes a 45,000-word program book written by Moroney himself. The recording uses the most appropriate instruments available, including two different harpsichords, clavichord, chamber organ, the Ahrend organ of the Church-Museum des Augustins, Toulouse, and a muselar virginal especially built for the recording. Many of the recordings were made in the actual locations where Byrd himself had played his music, including Lincoln Cathedral, Ingatestone Hall in Essex, and L'Abbaye Royale de Fontevraid, France.

Despite all the research and intellectual effort involved, and the strict authenticity for which he strives, Moroney's performances are vivid and expressive, delighting contemporary audiences. One way he is known for putting his insights across to audiences is to address them directly. In the year 2000, Moroney's biography Bach: An Extraordinary Life appeared, and his critical edition of Bach's Art of the Fugue (one of over a dozen he has edited) included a new completion of that work's massive unfinished closing fugue. Since 2001 he has been professor of music and university organist at the University of California, Berkeley..

On this CD:

1. 
   

Suite for keyboard in A minor, BWV 818a
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

Suite for keyboard in E flat major, BWV 819a
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24)
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Davitt Moroney

I guess there's no accounting for taste, but I am dumbfounded by the complaints of some Amazon reviewers that Davitt Moroney has somehow failed to "interpret" Bach's French Suites. If you're looking for grand, theatrical gestures, or expect him to sing along like Glenn Gould or to lurch and stagger through the music with arbitrary tempo changes and "dramatic" pauses, then you might be disappointed. What Moroney provides are performances of taste, nuance and unfailing musicianship. Far from being mechanical or metronomic, his playing is consistently supple, with subtle rhythmic inflections that allow the music to breathe, and totally free of the self-indulgent mannerisms some performers use to draw attention to themselves rather than the music. It's worth noting that in addition to the six canonical French Suites, he includes two additional suites (BWV 818a and 819a). The instrument he performs on has a beautiful tone; my one complaint is that the notes do not identify it (another reviewer says it is a copy of a French instrument, which is not an unreasonable choice. There is no reason to assume that because Bach was German, he only played German harpsichords. Handel, for example, was a German who moved to England and owned a Flemish harpsichord. And regardless of the instrument Bach owned, his published music was intended to be played on whatever instrument the buyer owned, so let's not pick nits). The recorded acoustic is lively without being overly reverberant (something that seriously mars some of Gustav Leonhardt's recordings). This is intelligent and tasteful music-making, historically informed without sounding academic, lively without sounding rushed. If you're looking for something else, maybe Bach's music is not for you. --Amazon

Bach - 6 Partitas, Bwv 825-830 - Schiff 2cd (flac)

Bach - 6 Partitas, Bwv 825-830 - Schiff 2cd (flac)
Piano | Eac, flac, cue | log, cover | 2 CD, 408 MB
June 12, 2007 | Decca | RapidShare

The Partitas, BWV 825–830, are a set of six harpsichord suites written by Johann Sebastian Bach, published from 1726 to 1730 as Clavier-Übung I, and the first of his works to be published. They were among the last of his keyboard suites to be composed, the others being the 6 English Suites, BWV 806-811 and the 6 French Suites, BWV 812-817.
These six suites for keyboard are the last set that Bach composed and the most technically demanding of the three. They were composed between 1725 and 1730 or 1731. As with the French and English Suites, the manuscript of the Partitas is no longer existent.
In keeping with a nineteenth century naming tradition that labelled Bach's first set of Suites English and the second French, the Partitas are often referred to as the German Suites. This title, however, is a publishing convenience; there is nothing particularly German about the Partitas. In comparison with the two earlier sets of suites, the Partitas are by far the most free-ranging in terms of structure. Unlike the English Suites, for example, which open with a strict prelude, the Partitas feature a number of different opening styles including an ornamental Overture and a Toccata.
While each of the Partitas was published separately, they were collected into a single volume (1731), known as the Clavier-Übung I (Keyboard Practice), which Bach himself chose to label his Opus 1. Unlike the earlier sets of suites, Bach originally intended to publish seven Partitas, advertising in the Spring of 1730 upon the publication of the fifth Partita that the promised collected volume would contain two more such pieces. This intention is further signalled by the spread of keys, which follows a clear structure, B-Flat - c, a - D, G - e, leaving F as the logical conclusion. The Italian Concerto, which is in the key of F and was published in the Clavier-Übung II, likely originated therefore as one of the Partitas before expanding beyond the dictates of the Suite form.


When it came time for Johann Sebastian Bach to publish his Opus 1, what work do you think he picked? One of the sacred cantatas? One of the Brandenburg Concertos? One of the cello suites? No, none of the above. In 1726, Bach chose his B flat major Partita to start his publishing career -- and once a year for the next five years, he published five more partitas, then collected them under the title Clavier-Übung in 1731.

When it came time for Hungarian pianist András Schiff to make his major-label debut, what work do you think he picked? Yes, that's right. In 1985, Schiff released his recording of the complete partitas -- and followed it with many more Bach recordings over the next few years until he'd released nearly the complete canonical works by 1996.

And yes, Schiff's partitas are wonderful. Schiff has an elegant technique that never draws attention to itself no matter how knotty the notes, a graceful tone that always concentrates on the lyricism no matter how thick the counterpoint, and the consummate taste to know exactly how to place an accent, turn an appoggiatura, bend a phrase, and inflect a rhythm to make the music wholly his own without making it any less Bach's. In short, if you want Bach's partitas played on the piano, Schiff is your man. Reissued in 2007, Decca's early digital sound somehow seems warmer and richer than it did in 1985.

András Schiff emerged in the last decades of the twentieth century as one of the most respected pianists of his generation. After studies with Elisabeth Vadasz, Schiff made his debut at the age of nine. At 14 Schiff began formal studies at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, where he studied with Pál Kadosa, György Kurtag, and Ferenc Rados; later, he studied with British conductor and keyboard player George Malcolm in London.

Schiff came to international prominence as a prizewinner in the 1974 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow; over the next few years, he also took top honors at the Leeds and Liszt Competitions, launching him on a successful concert and recording career. After a series of recordings for the Hungarian label Hungaroton, Schiff made a recording -- as an accompanist for Hungarian soprano Sylvia Sass -- for Decca. That recording's producer, Christopher Raeburn, was so impressed by Schiff's musicianship that he engaged the pianist for a project to record the Mozart piano sonatas then missing from Decca's catalogue. The results were so outstanding that Decca continued the series until Schiff produced the label's first integral set of Mozart sonatas. As a Decca/London artist, Schiff also recorded the complete Mozart piano concertos, much of the composer's chamber music, and many of the keyboard works of J.S. Bach. The last are a cornerstone of Schiff¹s recorded repertory; they are uniformly excellent and especially notable for their clean delineation of Bach's contrapuntal textures. In tandem with his work in the studio, Schiff has pursued a concert career that includes appearances with the world's major orchestras and conductors. On the recital stage, he has successfully collaborated with such notables as Gidon Kremer, Yuuko Shiokawa (who became his wife), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Heinz Holliger, Peter Serkin, Peter Schreier, Robert Holl, and Cecilia Bartoli. In the late 1990s, he added conducting to his list of talents, frequently conducting from the keyboard in concerto concerts. In order to perform all of Mozart's piano concertos in Salzburg over a period of seven years, he formed his own ensemble, Cappella Andrea Barca, in 1999.

Schiff's playing has been singled out for its complete technical fluency and intelligent musicality; in addition to the composers mentioned above, he is especially well known for his performances of Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók, Debussy, and Ravel. Among his post-competition honors are a Grammy Award (1989) and Hungary's highest artistic distinction, the Kossuth Prize (1996). In the 1990s he became a Teldec Artist; his recordings for the label include works by Handel, Brahms, Reger, Haydn, and Hungarian composer Sándor Veress. After leaving Teldec he joined ECM, for whom he has made several recordings of Beethoven sonatas.


CD1 Tracks:
01 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Praeludium (02:05)
02 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Allemande (02:56)
03 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Courante (02:53)
04 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Sarabande (04:35)
05 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Menuet #1 (01:21)
06 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Menuet #2 (01:26)
07 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #1 In B Flat, BWV 825 - Gigue (02:14)
08 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Sinfonia (04:40)
09 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Allemande (04:22)
10 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Courante (02:09)
11 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Sarabande (03:00)
12 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Rondeau (01:42)
13 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #2 In C Minor, BWV 826 - Capriccio (03:25)
14 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Toccata (07:38)
15 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Allemande (03:47)
16 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Corrente, Air (06:28)
17 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Sarabande (06:10)
18 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Tempo Di Gavotta (02:14)
19 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #6 In E Minor, BWV 830 - Gigue (06:02)

CD 2 Tracks:
01 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Fantasia (01:53)
02 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Allemande (02:57)
03 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Corrente (02:48)
04 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Sarabande, Burlesca (05:27)
05 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Scherzo (01:03)
06 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #3 In A Minor, BWV 827 - Gigue (03:03)
07 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Overture (06:05)
08 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Allemande (08:04)
09 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Courante (03:26)
10 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Aria (02:18)
11 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Sarabande (05:50)
12 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Menuet (01:35)
13 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #4 In D, BWV 828 - Gigue (03:43)
14 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Praeambulum (02:10)
15 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Allemande (04:08)
16 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Corrente (01:32)
17 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Sarabande (04:04)
18 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Tempo Di Minuetto (02:36)
19 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Passepied (01:43)
20 - András Schiff - Bach: Keyboard Partita #5 In D, BWV 829 - Gigue (03:59)