Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

Started by Bogey, May 06, 2007, 01:26:30 PM

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Old San Antone

Quote from: (: premont :) on October 19, 2020, 03:51:19 AM
To me the point is, that all these things a piano can do, and a harpsichord can't, largely are irrelevant to the music.

Maybe, according to your preference.  But I enjoy hearing Bach played on a piano since the music comes alive in a way that for me remains stiffer, and more strident, played on a harpsichord.  However, I sampled the WTC by George Lepauw and turned it off during the first fugue.  Way too "romantic" for my taste.

milk

Quote from: Old San Antone on October 19, 2020, 04:50:52 AM
Maybe, according to your preference.  But I enjoy hearing Bach played on a piano since the music comes alive in a way that for me remains stiffer, and more strident, played on a harpsichord.  However, I sampled the WTC by George Lepauw and turned it off during the first fugue.  Way too "romantic" for my taste.
he doesn't just stick with dynamics though, and he doesn't manically (or maniacally) blur the lines like Lim. A lot of what he does seems to be finding drama by using rubato. Sometimes it does sound romantic perhaps, I don't know. It's certainly not mainstream and doesn't remind me of anyone else in particular.
Anyway, I'm listening to Frédérick Haas at the moment and it just blows everything away. The A-minor prelude And fugue in Bk2 is a trip. Haas is brilliant and the instrument is superb.
There are just so many great harpsichord renditions now, some having come out in the last decade.

premont

Quote from: milk on October 19, 2020, 05:10:54 AM

Anyway, I'm listening to Frédérick Haas at the moment and it just blows everything away. The A-minor prelude And fugue in Bk2 is a trip. Haas is brilliant and the instrument is superb.
There are just so many great harpsichord renditions now, some having come out in the last decade.

Yes, I recently had some great hours with Frederick Haas' book II and his Goldberg variations, which are even better.
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staxomega

Are these performances too subtle for me? I love the sound of the instrument, warm and with plenty of lovely color. I found the performances to put it in a polite way a bit characterless. I thought his use of ornamentation was a bit stingy, you'll go many pieces with very few then he'll use quite a bit in a single prelude or fugue.

Since I don't post on harpsichord much for frame of reference my two favorites in Book 1 are Kenneth Gilbert and Celine Frisch.


Leo K.

Quote from: hvbias on October 25, 2020, 08:54:31 AM
Are these performances too subtle for me? I love the sound of the instrument, warm and with plenty of lovely color. I found the performances to put it in a polite way a bit characterless. I thought his use of ornamentation was a bit stingy, you'll go many pieces with very few then he'll use quite a bit in a single prelude or fugue.

Since I don't post on harpsichord much for frame of reference my two favorites in Book 1 are Kenneth Gilbert and Celine Frisch.



Thank you for the heads up on this recording, as I love the sound of a softer Harpischord with plenty of nuances in the timbre. Also, Kenneth Gilbert is reference for me too. Celine Frisch's Rambeau blows the mind!

Leo K.

Quote from: milk on October 05, 2020, 02:51:22 AM
here's something. This recording is a bit strange and I don't quite know what to make of it. Very fast tempos and  - just - out-of-the-ordinary choices. It might just be flying too fast, over my head.

The Butt WTC sounds like something I've been looking for - I want a WTC that is fast, or isn't slow in any of the preludes/fugue - I'm so glad I heard about this.

milk

Quote from: Leo K. on October 26, 2020, 07:23:55 AM
The Butt WTC sounds like something I've been looking for - I want a WTC that is fast, or isn't slow in any of the preludes/fugue - I'm so glad I heard about this.
I'm curious if you enjoy it or not. I have to be pushed to try it again. It's Quite extreme.

Mandryka

https://www.youtube.com/v/x2UL4OTn0KU

Rübsam once said to me that he though that Robert Hill played with completely independent voices, I never really understood it but then I just came across this performance of BWV 888 from WTC2, and maybe Rübsam was right.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

Quote from: milk on October 26, 2020, 02:09:07 PM

I'm curious if you enjoy it or not. I have to be pushed to try it again. It's Quite extreme.

It is absolutely abysmal.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

milk

Quote from: Mandryka on October 26, 2020, 02:17:30 PM
https://www.youtube.com/v/x2UL4OTn0KU

Rübsam once said to me that he though that Robert Hill played with completely independent voices, I never really understood it but then I just came across this performance of BWV 888 from WTC2, and maybe Rübsam was right.
that's wonderful. Sorry, did he release a complete book? Sadly, I think not. How's his AOF?

Leo K.

Quote from: milk on October 26, 2020, 02:09:07 PM

I'm curious if you enjoy it or not. I have to be pushed to try it again. It's Quite extreme.

Unfortunately, it hasn't been the most enjoyable as it sounds a little stiff, not what I thought it would be! I revisited it many times the past few months and it's just not grabbing me.

milk


Another harpsichord version of WTC that is fulfilling. It's a wonderfully recorded and an attractive instrument too. Devine has a sense of counterpoint and the drama between the voices. He gets a wonderful resonance out of the lower notes. This recording really drew me in. 

premont

Quote from: milk on January 22, 2021, 04:50:59 AM

Another harpsichord version of WTC that is fulfilling. It's a wonderfully recorded and an attractive instrument too. Devine has a sense of counterpoint and the drama between the voices. He gets a wonderful resonance out of the lower notes. This recording really drew me in.

The harpsichord was made by Colin Booth and is for that reason self recommending. I may investigate this too, even if I wasn't that impressed by Devine's Goldbergs or his Bustijn suites.
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Que

Quote from: milk on January 22, 2021, 04:50:59 AM


Another harpsichord version of WTC that is fulfilling. It's a wonderfully recorded and an attractive instrument too. Devine has a sense of counterpoint and the drama between the voices. He gets a wonderful resonance out of the lower notes. This recording really drew me in.

I took it for a testdrive on Spotify, and quite liked it.
But it were the lapses in tension and impetus, that led me to strike it from the list.

Q

milk

Quote from: Que on January 22, 2021, 06:12:30 AM
I took it for a testdrive on Spotify, and quite liked it.
But it were the lapses in tension and impetus, that led me to strike it from the list.

Q
It's not the best but it offers something in some places. I find every major harpsichord recording of the last few years has something whereas many of the piano are Ho-hum.

Que

Quote from: milk on January 22, 2021, 03:25:34 PM

It's not the best but it offers something in some places. I find every major harpsichord recording of the last few years has something whereas many of the piano are Ho-hum.

Absolutely, and Devine has a lot going for it in style & sound.
In recent years I did buy the sets by Rousset. Even though by that time his style moved from brazenly brilliant but solid, to eccentric and enigmatic. Fascinating all the same. But I wished he recorded his WTC in his years on Ambronay - those recordings are stunning, and better recorded too.

Q

milk

#1816
Quote from: Que on January 23, 2021, 12:25:12 AM
Absolutely, and Devine has a lot going for it in style & sound.
In recent years I did buy the sets by Rousset. Even though by that time his style moved from brazenly brilliant but solid, to eccentric and enigmatic. Fascinating all the same. But I wished he recorded his WTC in his years on Ambronay - those recordings are stunning, and better recorded too.

Q
I remember Mandryka not liking Rousset at all. But I don't remember why. I also wonder if Pinnock is any good in this. I know Pinnock is a big figure in the world of Bach but I can't say there's any recording of his that I've latched on to. 
BTW: Michel Kierner is not bad also.

ETA: I've just sampled a bit of Pinnock. I think I did sample this before and so that'd be two bad impressions. Admittedly, these are just quick takes.

Mandryka

Quote from: milk on January 24, 2021, 05:47:27 AM
I remember Mandryka not liking Rousset at all.

Are you an elephant?
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

milk


milk


My first impression is that this is another mediocre and unchallenging offering from a well-known pianist - played without much rubato or special insight. Maybe I'm wrong. I'll try it again later.