Bach on the guitar

[Michel]

What to get? Heard something else on the radio and very much liked it, so recs please....

[George]

Sharon Isbin's Lute Suites on Virgin.   

[orbital]

Or for violin transcriptions I'd recommend this:

[Shrunk]

Paul Galbraith:  Bach Lute Suites, BWV 995-998  Delos 3258

This may be my favourite recording of these pieces, though there are several others that would do as well (John Williams, Goran Sollscher, the aforementioned Sharon Isbin).

[greg]

Bach on the guitar

those have got to be some ooooooooooooold recordings...

[bwv 1080]

The best Bach on Guitar is John William's recording of the Lute Suites.

[SonicMan46]

Sharon Isbin's Lute Suites on Virgin.   

Also own Sharon Isbin's CD of the Lute Suites - second George's recommendation! 

In addition, I have the Segovia & Parkening Bach recordings shown below - mixed programs but both outstanding - 

 

[Expresso]

4 suites for lute with Göran Söllscher:

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-4-Suites-Lute-Germany/dp/B000025WKP/ref=sr_1_10/104-2241052-1035901?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1187039310&sr=1-10

[SonicMan46]

4 suites for lute with Göran Söllscher:

Expresso - thanks for bringing up Göran Söllscher - I assume the works that you linked are on the CD shown below to the left (probably should put that on my wish list immediately!); I own the other CD pictured (right), which is a compilation w/ a few JS Bach works - of course, the fascination w/ this performer is the use of a 11-string Baroque Guitar - 

 

[bwv 1080]

Expresso - thanks for bringing up Göran Söllscher - I assume the works that you linked are on the CD shown below to the left (probably should put that on my wish list immediately!); I own the other CD pictured (right), which is a compilation w/ a few JS Bach works - of course, the fascination w/ this performer is the use of a 11-string Baroque Guitar - 

 

That is not a baroque instrument.  It is a modern guitar w/ 11 strings.  A baroque guitar looks like this:
-edit but perhaps with the simley face you knew this already

[SonicMan46]

That is not a baroque instrument.  It is a modern guitar w/ 11 strings.  A baroque guitar looks like this:
-edit but perhaps with the simley face you knew this already

Yes, I thought that was a little 'fishy' -    Just re-read the insert notes, which state that 'he uses the 11-string guitar built for him by Georg Bolin, which combines the qualities of the guitar with those of the lute...' - so, seems like a 'modern hybrid' for lack of a better term - at any rate, the sound of this instrument is quite enjoyable, full & rich - still contemplating that other recording!  Thanks for the clarification - Dave 

[Xenophanes]

Well, I have to agree with some others. 

John Williams and Sharon Isbin are great for the 4 Lute Suites.

Christopher Parkening Plays Bach has almost attained classic status by now.

Julian Bream is another good bet.  Narciso Yepes also recorded Bach.

[Shrunk]

As I was reminded on another thread here, don't forget Bach on the lute.  There are some recommendations on the fourth page of that thread.

[Grazioso]

A classic disc

[E d o]

Sharon Isbin - I believe she studied with Tureck for this recording.

[bwv 1080]

My former teacher, Stanley Yates has arranged and recorded the Cello Suites.  He has thickened the texture a bit by filling in some of the implied harmonies.  For example, here is the sarabande from BWV 1009:

http://www.stanleyyates.com/audio/sarabande.mp3

[rockerreds]

Also own Sharon Isbin's CD of the Lute Suites - second George's recommendation! 

In addition, I have the Segovia & Parkening Bach recordings shown below - mixed programs but both outstanding - 

 

I own the one on the left-fantastic!

[canninator]

What to get? Heard something else on the radio and very much liked it, so recs please....

For a single disc that gives musically superlative renditions of the lute suites played on the modern classical guitar then you can happily go with either John Williams or Sharon Isbin. The Isbin recording is arguably better historically informed with respect to ornamentation but IMO lacks the crispness and rhythmic drive of the Williams.

The best recordings of the lute suites played on a lute are those by Julian Bream and I think EMI have a disc still in print of Bach played by Bream on the guitar and lute, although not at the same time.

On an unrelated note, if you want to get a truly extraordinary guitar recital CD then get Shades of Sleep by James Boyd (self-released at www.jamesboyd.co.uk). This CD was an Editors Choice in Gramophone and also got a rave review in Classical Guitar magazine. It features Tippets 'Blue Guitar', Brittens 'Nocturnal after Dowland', and three other John Dowland transcriptions. Absolutely remarkable.