Bach on the harpsichord, lute-harpsichord, clavichord

[prémont]

There you go - I don't find either Vartolo or Gould irritating.  I used to hate tempo changes such as those used by Vartolo, but in recent years I'm smitten with them (for the most part).

My taste has also changed during the years, generally in the way, that I have become more tolerant to a wider spectrum of interpretations. On the other hand I have got a more strict idea of stylistics, and I do not find pleasure in interpretations, which my mind tells me are out of style as is the case with Gould and Vartolo.

[Bunny]

Here is something I am really looking forward to, Andreas Staier version of Goldberg Variations.
Presto UK will be selling this Feb. 2010..........it will be mine 

Devil!

[Que]

Here is something I am really looking forward to, Andreas Staier version of Goldberg Variations.
Presto UK will be selling this Feb. 2010..........it will be mine 

Sofar I've not been entirely convinced by Staier's Bach. I think the man is a Classicist. 

Q

[DarkAngel]

Sofar I've not been entirely convinced by Staier's Bach. I think the man is a Classicist. 
Q

As far as being a classicist, guilty as charged......I have nothing but high praise for the few Haydn, Mozart releases so far by Staier. Even his Schubert is causing some waves

Did you pick up Staier's 4 CD Bach boxset?
I was very impressed especially the Bach six partitas, took a long time to get a Goldberg for his followers, I would be surprised if he did not deliver anything short of an inspired performance...........

[DarkAngel]

Devil!

Just trying to keep the classical music economy alive...........and a small payback for our favorite artists

[Coopmv]

As far as being a classicist, guilty as charged......I have nothing but high praise for the few Haydn, Mozart releases so far by Staier. Even his Schubert is causing some waves

Did you pick up Staier's 4 CD Bach boxset?
I was very impressed especially the Bach six partitas, took a long time to get a Goldberg for his followers, I would be surprised if he did not deliver anything short of an inspired performance...........

I like Staier's Haydn and have 2 CD's in their original HM "jackets".  I will wait and see as my experience has been not all tried and true "classical" pianists were successful in transforming themselves into notable performers of Bach keyboard works.  Helene Grimaud and Daniel Barenboim came to mind ...   

[jwinter]

Purchase and tip of the day:  should you happen to see a super-cheapie 4 disc box called "Bach: The Well-Tempered Piano" on Kannon Records, which gives no indication at all on the outside as to who's performing, it's actually the full WTC on harpsichord by Christiane Jaccottet. 

On first listen I think the performances are fine, and very well-recorded.   I'm quite pleased, particularly since I paid less than 5 bucks for the whole set.  Found it in a discount book store, in a bin with lots of strange live & compilation CDs of big bands and old 60s pop.

[Coopmv]

Purchase and tip of the day:  should you happen to see a super-cheapie 4 disc box called "Bach: The Well-Tempered Piano" on Kannon Records, which gives no indication at all on the outside as to who's performing, it's actually the full WTC on harpsichord by Christiane Jaccottet. 

On first listen I think the performances are fine, and very well-recorded.   I'm quite pleased, particularly since I paid less than 5 bucks for the whole set.  Found it in a discount book store, in a bin with lots of strange live & compilation CDs of big bands and old 60s pop.

The late Christiane Jaccottet was an outstanding harpsichordist IMO.  I have a number of her recordings on works by JS Bach on LP and on CD.  It was not until a few months ago I was able to get "probably" all the Bach keyboard works she had recorded through this set, which I got for around $20 before shipping (set is going for almost $117 now).  However, the most important finds for me were the WTC Books 1 & 2 ...

[jwinter]

The late Christiane Jaccottet was an outstanding harpsichordist IMO.  I have a number of her recordings on works by JS Bach on LP and on CD.  It was not until a few months ago I was able to get "probably" all the Bach keyboard works she had recorded through this set, which I got for around $20 before shipping (set is going for almost $117 now).  However, the most important finds for me were the WTC Books 1 & 2 ...

Thanks for the info!  I was quite pleasantly surprised by the contents -- I was assuming it would be on piano, given the title and the picture on the box, and took a shot.  Nicely fills a hole for me -- the only WTC on harpsichord I had was Leon Berben in the Brilliant Bach set, and an MP3 of Davitt Maroney that I ripped from the library ages ago.

[Coopmv]

Thanks for the info!  I was quite pleasantly surprised by the contents -- I was assuming it would be on piano, given the title and the picture on the box, and took a shot.  Nicely fills a hole for me -- the only WTC on harpsichord I had was Leon Berben in the Brilliant Bach set, and an MP3 of Davitt Maroney that I ripped from the library ages ago.

I am not familiar with Leon Berben, a quick google shows that he is pretty young.  I have the following set by Davitt Moroney, who is an excellent harpsichordist.  I just love the interpretation Christiane Jaccottet had for the WTC and how the performance flowed ...

[Bunny]

The late Christiane Jaccottet was an outstanding harpsichordist IMO.  I have a number of her recordings on works by JS Bach on LP and on CD.  It was not until a few months ago I was able to get "probably" all the Bach keyboard works she had recorded through this set, which I got for around $20 before shipping (set is going for almost $117 now).  However, the most important finds for me were the WTC Books 1 & 2 ...

Thanks for the info!  I was quite pleasantly surprised by the contents -- I was assuming it would be on piano, given the title and the picture on the box, and took a shot.  Nicely fills a hole for me -- the only WTC on harpsichord I had was Leon Berben in the Brilliant Bach set, and an MP3 of Davitt Maroney that I ripped from the library ages ago.

The "Well Tempered Piano" as well as Jaccottet's Goldbergs are available at Itunes for a lot less than $119.   

[prémont]

The late Christiane Jaccottet ..I was able to get "probably" all the Bach keyboard works she had recorded through this set,

As I told you before, three CDs with "odd" harpsichord works are missing from the set as well as her recording of the harpsichord concertos.

[prémont]

I am not familiar with Leon Berben, a quick google shows that he is pretty young. 

He was young at the time of the recording of the WTC, which accordingly is rather immature. He has matured since, and his recent recording of the Bach Toccatas manualiter is excellent.

[prémont]

Sofar I've not been entirely convinced by Staier's Bach. I think the man is a Classicist. 

Exactly my thoughts.

[Antoine Marchand]

As I told you before, three CDs with "odd" harpsichord works are missing from the set as well as her recording of the harpsichord concertos.

How many of those "odd" harpsichord works are played on lute-harpsichord, Premont? I am sure they are not currently available, but I am curious about what label issued those works?

BTW, I have seen a 3-CD set with Jaccottet's harpsichord concertos on Concerto Royale (is it a pirate label?).   

[prémont]

How many of those "odd" harpsichord works are played on lute-harpsichord, Premont? I am sure they are not currently available, but I am curious about what label issued those works?

Of the three CDs (label Intercord) with odd works I only own one, the one with works played on lute-harpsichord, which are:

Suite E-major       BWV 1006a (after the third Partita for solo violin)
Suite e-minor       BWV   996
Suite g-minor       BWV   995   (after the fifth Suite for solo violoncello)
Prelude, Fugue and Allegro Es-major  BWV 998
Musette D-major BWV Anhang 126 (Clavierbüchlein A M Bach)

The two other CDs (played on harpsichord) contain if IRRC among other works the Fantasy and Fugue a-minor BWV 904, the Fantasy c-minor BWV 906 and the two Suites in French style BWV 808 a-minor and 809 Es-major.

BTW, I have seen a 3-CD set with Jaccottet's harpsichord concertos on Concerto Royale (is it a pirate label?).

This 3 CD Concerto Royale set contains the WTC book II, the Fifth and Sixth French Suite and the French Ouverture. I do not know the exact relation between Concerto Royale and Intercord, but I know positively, that Concerto Royale has released quite a number of Vox recordings without any kind of license from Vox, among others the "complete" Bach harpsichord concertos with Christiane Jaccottet (omitting BTW the d-minor concerto BWV 1052 for some unknown reason).

[Antoine Marchand]

Of the three CDs (label Intercord)...

Thanks for the detailed information, Premont. It is really very useful in the confusion of Jaccottet's discography. 

[SonicMan46]

Just arrived at my doorstep this morning!

Bach, JS - WTC II w/ Peter Watchorn on the pedal harpsichord; 3-CDs packaged in a cardboard foldout w/ an interesting plastic flip device for the discs - overall the package is just slightly thicker than a single jewel box!  Have not begun my listening yet - 

[Coopmv]

As I told you before, three CDs with "odd" harpsichord works are missing from the set as well as her recording of the harpsichord concertos.

My focus has always been on Jaccottet's solo performance and I have more than enough HIP Bach Harpsichord Concertos to more than offset a few that were no doubt non-HIP performances anyway ...

[SonicMan46]

Just to mention again a well-discussed performer on this thread,  Robert Hill - this 2-CD offering has him performing on the harpsichord (entire first disc; one work on second disc), lautenwerk (or lute-harpsichord, i.e. gut strung harpsichord), and clavichord (latter two instruments on the second disc).

The sources for this music are varied; the first disc contains transcriptions of the solo violin partitas/sonatas, one by Hill (BWV 1104) and the other two by Bach; the other disc has several works written specifically for solo clavier, several Bach adaptations, and a final Hill transcription (BWV 1001) of a solo violin work.

This set now complements the other two that I own w/ him (Art of Fugue & Lautenwerk disc - currently at BRO for $8!