Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

[Que]

I sometimes wonder if Glenn Gould's performance of WTC really deserves all the accolate.  The bottomline is whether Glenn Gould performed WTC as Bach had intended ...

No pianist performs/can perform the WTC the way Bach intended....

So I have no problem when a pianist puts his own mark on it, not even to the extent Gould does. Why not go all the way? As long as it's brilliantly done.

Q

[Coopmv]

No pianist performs/can perform the WTC the way Bach intended....

So I have no problem when a pianist puts his own mark on it, not even to the extent Gould does. Why not go all the way? As long as it's brilliantly done.

Q

WTC was originally written for harpsichord, as piano did not even exist during Bach lifetime ...

[Que]

WTC was originally written for harpsichord, as piano did not even exist during Bach lifetime ...

My point exactly!

Q

[Coopmv]

My point exactly!

Q

So which version of WTC performed on harpsichord is considered top of its class?

[Que]

So which version of WTC performed on harpsichord is considered top of its class?

The answers to that question are already to be found in this very thread, like HERE or HERE.

And on lots of WTC discussions on the Bach harpsichord thread and HERE.

And Mn Dave had the same question the other day, discussed on the Bach chamber music thread HERE.

Have fun reading up on all this.

Q

[Bulldog]

I sometimes wonder if Glenn Gould's performance of WTC really deserves all the accolate.  The bottomline is whether Glenn Gould performed WTC as Bach had intended ...

When you have the answer to that one, you'll be one very famous man.

[prémont]

When you have the answer to that one, you'll be one very famous man.

If you have to be fair Don, what do you think the answer is.

[Dr. Dread]

I'm sure he'd wonder what all the humming's about. 

[prémont]

I'm sure he'd wonder what all the humming's about. 

[Bulldog]

If you have to be fair Don, what do you think the answer is.

Just speculating, but I'd say no.

[Coopmv]

I think Glenn Gould performed Bach keyboard works while he was humming was comparable to Herbert von Karajan conducting with his eyes closed.  They were both eccentric ...

[sTisTi]

I think Glenn Gould performed Bach keyboard works while he was humming was comparable to Herbert von Karajan conducting with his eyes closed.  They were both eccentric ...

Yes, but at least you don't hear Karajan's closed eyes on his recordings

[Coopmv]

Yes, but at least you don't hear Karajan's closed eyes on his recordings

But you will see it when you watch the DVD and I have quite a few of these concerts on DVD ...

[nut-job]

I just read that Angela Hewitt has recorded the Well Tempered Clavier again!  I have her original set and I like it, but I thought one virtue of it is that it is rather neutral, it lets Bach's polyphony speak for itself.  What's the point of doing it again?

[Renfield]

A looser, slightly less neutral approach, from what I've gathered.

I'm certainly awaiting it eagerly, as I found her original one just a little bit too uptight.

[nut-job]

A looser, slightly less neutral approach, from what I've gathered.

I'm certainly awaiting it eagerly, as I found her original one just a little bit too uptight.

Get Schiff then. 

[Renfield]

Get Schiff then. 

I've actually contemplated Schiff; my WTC collection (or Bach collection, for that matter) is quite limited*.


*That is, I have Edwin Fischer, Tureck on DG, Gould, Hewitt and Richter, IIRC.

[springrite]

*That is, I have Edwin Fischer, Tureck on DG, Gould, Hewitt and Richter, IIRC.

Any time you use IIRC to speak of your collection of recordings of a particular piece, you have more than a limited collection. 

[Lethevich]

She explains it here.

[George]

I've actually contemplated Schiff; my WTC collection (or Bach collection, for that matter) is quite limited*.


*That is, I have Edwin Fischer, Tureck on DG, Gould, Hewitt and Richter, IIRC.

How do you like the Tureck?