Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

[Bulldog]

Now you're just playing with me.  I listened to some samples of the Woodward.  It sounds like he is playing a Toyota piano with a stuck sustain pedal.   Anyway, off-putting enough to delay a purchase, at least. 

No, not playing at all, but I did forget how particular you are concerning preferences.  Maybe Woodward is enamored with the sustain pedal; didn't bother me since I didn't notice it much.  For me, Woodward is in the "slow and thought-provoking" vein like Aldwell, Horszowski, Martins, Tureck and Vieru.  It's just one of the Bach performance styles I enjoy, but it is a big winner given my tastes.

[Bogey]

No, not playing at all, but I did forget how particular you are concerning preferences.  Maybe Woodward is enamored with the sustain pedal; didn't bother me since I didn't notice it much.  For me, Woodward is in the "slow and thought-provoking" vein like Aldwell, Horszowski, Martins, Tureck and Vieru.  It's just one of the Bach performance styles I enjoy, but it is a big winner given my tastes.

On the slow side, who is your favorite of these, Don?

[Bulldog]

On the slow side, who is your favorite of these, Don?

Rosalyn Tureck, of course.

[George]

Rosalyn Tureck, of course.

The DG one, Bill!  0:)

[Bulldog]

The DG one, Bill!  0:)

Good memory, George.  I should take you with me when food shopping.

[George]

Good memory, George.  I should take you with me when food shopping.

Nah, I am always forgetting to pick up one or two things. Until I get home, of course. 

[Bulldog]

Nah, I am always forgetting to pick up one or two things. Until I get home, of course. 

Right, but you likely have a cell phone and can call home to get needed information.  I don't own a cell phone; my intent is to be the last adult in the States without one.

[George]

Right, but you likely have a cell phone and can call home to get needed information.  I don't own a cell phone; my intent is to be the last adult in the States without one.

We have something in common. I don't own one too. I like to be unreachable. 

Good part is that I walk home every day, right past the grocery store.

[Scarpia]

We have something in common. I don't own one too. I like to be unreachable. 

You know, cell phones do have on/off switches. 

[Bulldog]

You know, cell phones do have on/off switches.

But you have to carry them around; I like to travel light.  Boy, that sure sounds lame.  I need to come up with a better reason.  Here it is - if Bach didn't need a cell phone, I don't need one either.  That sucks too.  Oh well, I'll just have to go with being contrary; it's in my nature.

[kishnevi]

But you have to carry them around; I like to travel light.  Boy, that sure sounds lame.  I need to come up with a better reason.  Here it is - if Bach didn't need a cell phone, I don't need one either.  That sucks too.  Oh well, I'll just have to go with being contrary; it's in my nature.

I'm another member of the uncellphoned brigade.
What I tell people: "If it's that important, it's probably something I don't want to know about". 

[George]

I'm another member of the uncellphoned brigade.
What I tell people: "If it's that important, it's probably something I don't want to know about".

[Opus106]

Now, has anyone heard the WTC played on a cellphone keypad? 0:)

[George]

Now, has anyone heard the WTC played on a cellphone keypad? 0:)

No, but I have a historical recording of someone playing it on this:

[Opus106]

No, but I have a historical recording of someone playing it on this:

Wired Telephonic Cacophony?

[SonicMan46]

Well, yesterday both March-April issues of the American Record Guide & Fanfare arrived!  And surprisingly in both issues, there was a lot of discussion on Bach's WTC - been reading the reviews the last couple of days - will put some brief comments below to further add to the discussion - BTW, I'm still contemplating a 'harpsichord' version and another 'piano' set:

American Record Guide

  Haskin's thoughts on Pollini BkI -

This has become my favorite Well-Tempered Clavier on piano....Occasionally his singing and breathing is audible—very audible—I love it, but it's probably not to everyone'staste.

  Haskin's on Watchorn BkII (pedal harpsichord) -

Peter told me that he's been working on his interpretation of the WTC II for 40 years, and it  shows: this is music-making of the highest  order. I've listened to this set four times now  and haven't tired of it yet. You won't, either.....From an interpretive standpoint, Watchorn goes farther than any harpsichordist I know to bring this harpsichord music into the sacred orbit of Bach's Leipzig years.

Fanfare

  Phillip Scott also on Pollini BkI -

Unlike Hewitt in her second recording, he does not pull tempos around, but keeps then strict, almost robotic...Another minus...is the pianist's tendency to hum along in a tuneless vocal....I returned to the Hewitt and found her playing full of felicitous touches

  Jerry Dubins on Belder (hpd) both Bks -

Belder uses two different instruments...in BkI....a lack of color and imagination, and quite likely the lifelessness of the harpsichord...BkII is a significant improvement...sparks Belder to some of his finest playing.....If my reaction to BkI was tepid, it was more than thawed by my enthusiasm for BkII...for a harpsichord version, you can't really go wrong with this set.

  Lynn Bayler on Jill Crossland BkII -

Perhaps I am just more sensitive to this sort of approach, but I find her playing far superior to Edwin Fischer's because she finds moods and stories in this music and not just spirituality.

Arkiv Music has reprinted the Fanfare reviews of Scott & Dubins - hope that these brief comments might add some 'fodder' to the thread - 

[Bulldog]

Well, yesterday both March-April issues of the American Record Guide & Fanfare arrived!  And surprisingly in both issues, there was a lot of discussion on Bach's WTC - been reading the reviews the last couple of days - will put some brief comments below to further add to the discussion - BTW, I'm still contemplating a 'harpsichord' version and another 'piano' set:

American Record Guide

  Haskin's thoughts on Pollini BkI -
  Haskin's on Watchorn BkII (pedal harpsichord) -
Fanfare

  Phillip Scott also on Pollini BkI -
  Jerry Dubins on Belder (hpd) both Bks -
  Lynn Bayler on Jill Crossland BkII -
Arkiv Music has reprinted the Fanfare reviews of Scott & Dubins - hope that these brief comments might add some 'fodder' to the thread - 

Just shows that everyone has an opinion.

[DarkAngel]

Good news, I recently made a very good "score" on the used market.......

Got this 11 CD boxset that includes Alan Curtis French & English suites, Scott Ross partitas, Glen Wilson WTC I & II, plus more.......waited many months to find one. Now will someone please buy my Glen Wilson WTCs in the for sale section here

[Scarpia]

Good news, I recently made a very good "score" on the used market.......

Got this 11 CD boxset that includes Alan Curtis French & English suites, Scott Ross partitas, Glen Wilson WTC I & II, plus more.......waited many months to find one. Now will someone please buy my Glen Wilson WTCs in the for sale section here

Ooooo, I have the orchestral music box from that set.   Packaging is astonishing, the box is almost entirely empty.  I guess the entire thing is supposed to form a wall that spells out Bach's name.

[DarkAngel]

Ooooo, I have the orchestral music box from that set.   Packaging is astonishing, the box is almost entirely empty.  I guess the entire thing is supposed to form a wall that spells out Bach's name.

Yes the box is a cube and really only needs to be 1-2" thick clamshell box.......
I notice someone is selling a used complete 153 CD set for only $2,500 used at Amazon 

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-2000-Complete-Commemorative-Book/dp/B00001IV8B/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1268182769&sr=1-12