Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

[prémont]

Yes, it was exactly my reaction when I did read: "No unanimity on my part" on your Reply #893.

My fault. I misinterpreted the word unanimity, thinking it meant un-animity (disagreement) instead of un(a)-animity (agreement).

[prémont]

... I prefer to listen to again this Bk. 1 before posting any more detailed comment...

So do I.

[Bogey]

For 5 bones, could not resist getting this set:

[mc ukrneal]

For 5 bones, could not resist getting this set:

I just hope they weren't yours! The bones I mean! 

[Bogey]

I just hope they weren't yours! The bones I mean! 

May just be worth the real ones....I'll let you know.

[jwinter]

A bit late I realize, but I'm currently listening to Gieseking's WTC, Book 1.  I was catching up on this thread and saw it mentioned, and then remembered that I had found a copy at my library last year and ripped it to MP3 along with a bunch of other stuff. 

Overall this is better than I was expecting -- after one spin it's not breaking in among my favorites by any stretch, but I'm glad I've finally given it a listen.  It has lousy sound quality (most likely due to excessive noise reduction, as I think George mentioned), and his speeds are a bit fast for me at times, although not universally so (I'm hearing BWV 849 now, and it's rather leisurely). 

[asin]B00000E4IK[/asin]

By the by, there also seems to be another Gieseking WTC out now, recorded for Saar Radio according to Amazon...

[asin]B003X859N4[/asin]

[Bulldog]

A bit late I realize, but I'm currently listening to Gieseking's WTC, Book 1.  I was catching up on this thread and saw it mentioned, and then remembered that I had found a copy at my library last year and ripped it to MP3 along with a bunch of other stuff. 

Overall this is better than I was expecting --

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in the Gieseking set.  Yes, the sound is poor, but I think Gieseking does nothing to rise above it.

[Mandryka]

For 5 bones, could not resist getting this set:

Part of the problem there, for me, is that it's quite closely miked and for me that almost kills the music making -- it makes her instrument sound too powerful. All her later harpsichord recordings are like this and for me they are awful to listen to. The Playel she used was a quiet instrument and I guess her producers thought that the public demanded something more in your face. Interpretively the WTC is very interesting and she has a tremendous rhythmic facility. But if you want to hear her at her best you need to go to earlier recordings -- the first A minor English suite (not the second), the Rameau E minor suite. for example.

Still  she is a genius and I'm glad to have her WTC

By the by, there also seems to be another Gieseking WTC out now, recorded for Saar Radio according to Amazon...

I think they are the same performance. Gieseking was on a performance treadmill after the war and some of his records show this.

[Bulldog]

I acquired this set about 2 weeks ago.  I'm finding it very rewarding although I'm not sold yet on how she plays Bach's "dark" pieces.


[asin]B002C68WSC[/asin]

[Opus106]

Beyond Robert Levin's are there recordings of the pairs from the WTK -- one, two, many or the whole lot -- played on an organ?


EDIT: All right, I see that Lagacé and one Frederic Desenclos are mentioned already in this thread. If there are others, please let me know.

[Antoine Marchand]

Beyond Robert Levin's are there recordings of the pairs from the WTK -- one, two, many or the whole lot -- played on an organ?

Yes, the whole shebang here:

[asin]B002TIYP7U[/asin]

Extra info and samples: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-1685-1750-Das-Wohltemperierte-Klavier-1-2/hnum/7556747

The complete WTC also was recorded by Bernard Lagacé on Analekta (1965 Rudolph von Beckerath organ at the Église Immaculée-Conception, Montreal), as invividual CDs and as a part of his integral recording of Bach's organ works.

Daniel Chorzempa also recorded the two books using different instruments (harpsichord, organ, clavichord & fortepiano), as Levin, but his complete set is sadly OOP.

[prémont]

Yes, the whole shebang here:

[asin]B002TIYP7U[/asin]

Extra info and samples: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-1685-1750-Das-Wohltemperierte-Klavier-1-2/hnum/7556747

The complete WTC also was recorded by Bernard Lagacé on Analekta (1965 Rudolph von Beckerath organ at the Église Immaculée-Conception, Montreal), as invividual CDs and as a part of his integral recording of Bach's organ works.

Daniel Chorzempa also recorded the two books using different instruments (harpsichord, organ, clavichord & fortepiano), as Levin, but his complete set is sadly OOP.

There is another (or third) version af WTC book II by Christoph Bossert:

Johann Sebastian Bach: Das wohltemperierte Clavier, 2. Teil
24 Präludien und Fugen BWV 870–893
Christoph Bossert, Orgel. Aufgenommen 1998 an der Ehrlich-Orgel der Evangelischen Stadtkirche zu Bad Wimpfen (Deutschland). Ars Musici 1257-2. 3 CD.

It is about five years since I last listened to it. Compared to Desenclos I remember Bossert as being a bit unimaginative, - or maybe I did not listen enough to his interpretation  .

http://www.amazon.de/Das-Wohltemperierte-Clavier-Christoph-Bossert/dp/B000023ZTA/ref=sr_1_256?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1328638575&sr=1-256

[Opus106]

Thanks, gentlemen.

[Geo Dude]

Now that Schornsheim's WTC has been out for a bit, I'm curious to know what the general consensus on the recording is.

[Antoine Marchand]

There is another (or third) version af WTC book II by Christoph Bossert:

Johann Sebastian Bach: Das wohltemperierte Clavier, 2. Teil
24 Präludien und Fugen BWV 870–893
Christoph Bossert, Orgel. Aufgenommen 1998 an der Ehrlich-Orgel der Evangelischen Stadtkirche zu Bad Wimpfen (Deutschland). Ars Musici 1257-2. 3 CD.

It is about five years since I last listened to it. Compared to Desenclos I remember Bossert as being a bit unimaginative, - or maybe I did not listen enough to his interpretation .

http://www.amazon.de/Das-Wohltemperierte-Clavier-Christoph-Bossert/dp/B000023ZTA/ref=sr_1_256?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1328638575&sr=1-256

Yes, who knows, maybe he was interesting, but you weren't interested.

Just for the record: Joseph Payne also plays some multi-instrumental proto-WTC in his recording of the Clavier-Büchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. But there just one of the eleven Praeludium is played on organ, the others on harpsichord and clavichord.

[Leo K.]

I'm continually returning to Egarr's account of WTC book 2. It's making me love Book 2, whereas before I only respected it. I've never heard any Bach like Egarr's book 1 and 2. Incredible.

[prémont]

Yes, who knows, maybe he was interesting, but you weren't interested.

Wonder if I get the time to listen to it again. There is too much else waiting for me to listen to.

Just for the record: Joseph Payne also plays some multi-instrumental proto-WTC in his recording of the Clavier-Büchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. But there just one of the eleven Praeludium is played on organ, the others on harpsichord and clavichord.

One more: I used to own a recording (on LP) by Anthony Newman of book II, where he used organ, harpsichord and clavichord. However I parted with it, as I could not stand his superficial style in the long run.

[prémont]

I'm continually returning to Egarr's account of WTC book 2. It's making me love Book 2, whereas before I only respected it. I've never heard any Bach like Egarr's book 1 and 2. Incredible.

Egarr´s recording of Book I turned me off his Bach, and I have not acquired his Book II. I find his Book I sleepy and underarticulated.  Is his Book II that different?

[Leo K.]

Egarr´s recording of Book I turned me off his Bach, and I have not acquired his Book II. I find his Book I sleepy and underarticulated.  Is his Book II that different?

His Book 2 is in the same style, so you probably wouldn't want it.  Egarr's "cantabile heaven" is all over it. In my opinion it fits book 2 rather well, perhaps better than book 1. Perhaps.

[Bulldog]

His Book 2 is in the same style, so you probably wouldn't want it.  Egarr's "cantabile heaven" is all over it. In my opinion it fits book 2 rather well, perhaps better than book 1. Perhaps.

While "cantabile heaven" is a nice place to visit now and then, it gets a little tiring when his interpretations lack some drama, incisiveness and excitement.

For about a year now, I've been playing the WTC's from Egarr, Dantone and Ashkenazy non-stop in my vehicle (my favored versions don't leave the house).  Each of the three has its pros and cons.  I really hate that the Dantone only has one track for each prelude/fugue combination; it's a major pain to simply listen to a particular fugue.