Bach - Well tempered clavier & The art of fugue - which recordings

[Daimonion]

Hello,

I am looking for the recordings of Bach's Well tempered clavier & The Art of Fugue (both piano). As for my taste I do like Gould's Goldberg Variations (1981 ones!) but I am not somehow convinced by his interpretation of Well tempered clavier (I have mixed feelings about it. For the reasons I cannot recognize). I am a beginner. Any suggestions will be welcome. Yours,

Daimonion

P.S. I like the way Gould plays AoF here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uX-5HOx2Wc - but as far as I know it may be hard to find a complete and consistent recording of this kind. (The edition I found has both piano and organ tracks and they are taken from different sources, as far as I understand).

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Gould actually embarked on a recording of AoF using both piano and organ, I'm not sure it is complete.

For the WTC, if you like piano Andras Schiff and Angela Hewitt are mainstream recommendations. Neither is really that similar to Gould, but no one really is similar to Gould. Both did it twice. Schiff's second on ECM seems to be preferred more often, I like Hewitt's first. There are many alternatives and no real consensus.

Hewitt also had done AoF, I haven't heard it.

[JBS]

Gould actually embarked on a recording of AoF using both piano and organ, I'm not sure it is complete.

For the WTC, if you like piano Andras Schiff and Angela Hewitt are mainstream recommendations. Neither is really that similar to Gould, but no one really is similar to Gould. Both did it twice. Schiff's second on ECM seems to be preferred more often, I like Hewitt's first. There are many alternatives and no real consensus.

Hewitt also had done AoF, I haven't heard it.

Gould's AoF is indeed incomplete. I have to admit I prefer multi instrument recordings and not keyboard ones. So I would  say either Emerson SQ or Goebel/MAK depending on whether you want modern or period instruments. If you want piano, try  Aimard or Sokolov.

As to WTC, Gould is a favorite of mine there, which obviously is of no help to the OP! But both Hewitt and Schiff do solid jobs there.

[springrite]

If you can be a bit more open-minded about taking liberties, then Feinberg would be my first choice for WTC.

For AoF, there is also the Robert Simpson version for string quartet which, while some may consider to be overly academic, I think it works just fine.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

If you can be a bit more open-minded about taking liberties, then Feinberg would be my first choice for WTC.

For AoF, there is also the Robert Simpson version for string quartet which, while some may consider to be overly academic, I think it works just fine.

I also like the piece performed on string quartet, but I prefer the Emerson Quartet's recording. Unlike the Simpson version, it is played in its original key and the quartet members sometimes change instruments (viola for violin, tenor viola for viola) when one of the voices goes out of range of the customary instrument. I think it works better.

The Amsterdam soloists also do a fine job, it may be out of print.

[Mandryka]

There are some satisfying recordings for four viols (Eg Koelner Violen-Consort)  If you really music have two violins, a viola and a cello, maybe see what you think of The Musicarius Quartet and The Modern String Quartet. The Chiarascuro Quartet are playing AoF in concert now, maybe they'll release a recording eventually.

[andolink]

Very hard to find fault with this AoF - -

[milk]

I feel like anything Bach, Leonhardt can be recommended for harpsichord safely. Right? Like, "oh, whatever it is, use Leonhardt as the baseline and spread out from there." For piano, seems like Crossland is a good solid modern piano recommendation? I want to listen to her more but I recall that she turns in stylish and lively playing of those books. Art of the Fugue really stymies me on piano. I think it's a monster for pianists and it's so easy to go off the rails. People here seem to really like very dry restrained recordings like Lepinat and Reimer. I can't figure AOF out on piano. For the plucked stuff, well, start with Leonhardt and spread out?