Bach Six Partitas

[Mandryka]

András Schiff 1st recording (light and sculpted, freedom and swing, brain firing on all cylinders with witty decision-making)

That style in that Schiff is exactly what she says it is. I know conservatory trained pianists who can't tolerate the individualism of it.

[Mandryka]

I went back to this after being so disappointed with Tristano's new piano recording. It's really impressive, I'd forgotten how good Martin Gester is in this music. Why oh why can't pianists get the hang of polyphonic keyboard music?

[bioluminescentsquid]

The incipit of this putative cycle is the B flat major suite, which I think has often been played quasi-gallantly by keyboardist. What I mean is it is voiced so as to avoid dissonance, and to bring out memorable melodies. I have sometimes even heard it played like simple domestic music, without grandiose and deeply meaningful gestures or symphonic colours.
 
Not so for Verlet in this her second recording.

I don't think anyone I know voices this music remotely like she does. The voices are staggered to create drama and the occasional dissonance. This is particularly effective in the heart of the music, the sarabande.  And memorable in the  closing gigue, which made me think of Haydn's clock - but unlike Haydn's clock Verlet's Bach never goes off the rails. Verlet's clock is . . . clockwork.

Her pacing tends to be slow, and her rhythms rather uninflected, and this give the impression of strength and weight.

It also gives the impression of po-faced constipation.

This is the least light, least graceful, least playful performance of the partita that I recall hearing.

Me no like.

I find myself coming back to this recording a lot these days. Looking back I posted about being unimpressed by it. (I searched for the word "constipation" to find this post) I like what you wrote a few posts down about how the playing feels labored and does not let us forget the physicality of the music making. Now something about its guilelessness is very refreshing and appealing. Much like Colin Tilney, Piet Wiersma, Oreste De Tommaso.

About Tilney, on the same lines.

Tilney's "Contrapuntal Byrd" as well as his late Bach partitas have something in common, which I would name a frozen quality. One feels no sign of life and everything feels to stand still (maybe overstated, but exaggeration promotes the understanding). I recall some late recordings by Otto Klemperer with similar qualities. Maybe it's the tempo you live in when you have past the eight decade, but to me it is depressing and sleep-promoting. Things may soon enough stop forever.

[Mandryka]

Oreste De Tommaso.

Nice to be reminded of him! I shall listen to the Verlet again tomorrow hopefully, and post if I have anything worth saying.

Another one to add to the list is John Khouri maybe. No Bach though.

[bioluminescentsquid]

Another one to add to the list is John Khouri maybe. No Bach though.

I have only recently warmed to John Khouri. I am listening a lot to his Schubert these days. Awfully compelling passionate old piano smashing. I can't think of anyone who is quite like him in Bach!

[Mandryka]

By the way, I noticed that Blandine Verlet studied with Ruggero Gerlin - worth listening to some Gerlin possibly, I've been listing to his Scarlatti. I think she learned a thing or two from him.