Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

[Coopmv]

Well yes I agree Levin made the wise choice of playing a replica instead of an original.  Chorzempa, as I remember (don't have the set with me at the moment) plays a rare original Silbermann fp for his recording.

The penguins?  They are on an oversized postcard my partner sent me from New Zealand the other day.  For some reason the descending left-hand figuration in the Bach prelude reminds me of the bumbling lot.

I saw the Chorzempa set listed on Amazon UK by a MarketPlace vendor a few months ago.  But the vendor would not ship to the US ...   

[FideLeo]

I saw the Chorzempa set listed on Amazon UK by a MarketPlace vendor a few months ago.  But the vendor would not ship to the US ...   

Not to worry - it will pop up sometime in the future where you least suspect it.  I bought my WTC1 recording by Scott Ross a long time ago at a closedown sale when Tower Records went out of business in my country, Book I only because there was no Book II in the shop.  Guess what, I saw Book II a couple of months ago on ebay, and the seller shipped to the entire world!    

[FideLeo]

Guess what, I saw Book II a couple of months ago on ebay, and the seller shipped to the entire world!   

http://www.youtube.com/v/pWDZtckgkGU



The harpsichord sound gets rough in the more heavily textured fugue, but one simply shouldn't ask perfection from a recording  hastily done in 1980.  Scott Ross' 'objective' style of playing still appeals, though.

[czgirb]

Have yourself to take a tour and seen this:
* BWV 871a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-JK0Rk_UGY
* BWV 854b Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVa_mzn90F0
* BWV 850a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1G5ikwyhK0
* BWV 848 Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaWLWffUSsQ
It's a good reference.

[Bulldog]

Have yourself to take a tour and seen this:
* BWV 871a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-JK0Rk_UGY
* BWV 854b Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVa_mzn90F0
* BWV 850a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1G5ikwyhK0
* BWV 848 Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaWLWffUSsQ
It's a good reference.

Thanks for the tour.  Concerning the four versions of the BWV 871 Prelude, Gould easily tops the field.

[czgirb]

Thanks for the tour.  Concerning the four versions of the BWV 871 Prelude, Gould easily tops the field.

Maybe ... but I still prefer Rosalyn Tureck's

[FideLeo]

A nice way of presenting this music: with the composer's mss autograph!
(viewable in HD) The OP used Léon Berben's recording of the score.

BWV846 C major
http://www.youtube.com/v/_sktXHDv0Pk

BWV847 c minor
http://www.youtube.com/v/lzQT1tTLUME

People who like the OP's work please go to the page and show your appreciation.
The autograph (and tons of other Bach manuscript scores) can be viewed at bachdigital.de.

[czgirb]

@ Bulldog
Yesterday ... my WTC packages has come ... and I start listening Wilson's first.
Thank you for the recommendation ... now I have WTC in Harpsichord.

[Bulldog]

@ Bulldog
Yesterday ... my WTC packages has come ... and I start listening Wilson's first.
Thank you for the recommendation ... now I have WTC in Harpsichord.

I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[prémont]

Yesterday ... my WTC packages has come ... and I start listening Wilson's first.

Where did you get hold of the Wilson? Well, I own it since long- but I just wondered.

[czgirb]

Where did you get hold of the Wilson? Well, I own it since long- but I just wondered.

I don't know ... my friends who study aboard help me to buy it
I don't care if it 2nd or not ... the most important is ... it is Glen Wilson (Teldec's Bach 2000 cd-108 & cd-109)

[czgirb]

Yesterday ... my friend, used LP seller, call me to informed that he found used Gilbert's WTC set (Arkhiv) and ask me whether I still need it. And I answered ... absolutely, YES ... Thank you. So, it means I will have an Gilbert's WTC with it's beautiful cover. 
Thank you, Bulldog for recommend this records to me.

Forgot to report:
Yesterday I tried Dantone's WTC ... the sound is much more better than Wilson's.
And I find it's a WTC's album, which worth to be owning too.
Thank you for the person who recommend this records ...

[Sadko]

Being a WTC fan myself this thread caught my attention. When I had been reading through it half way, I thought, which recordings have I got, that have not been mentioned yet?

One of them was the set of Walter Gieseking on DG, with books I and II:

[ASIN]B00000E4IK[/ASIN]

When I had it newly I didn't like it at all, a bad sound quality with strong distortions, and superfast playing, that appeared like empty acrobatics to me, so I quickly put it away annoyedly.

Now I began playing it while going on reading this thread, but I found my attention so much drawn to it that I couldn't go on reading, so I put it off again, reserving it for the next day and my full concentrated attention.

Today I listened to the first of the three CDs, and - what a revelation! Yes, the tempi often are breathtaking, but anything but "empty acrobatics"! A touch so light that sometimes the key seems to fail to produce a sound, but not at all powerless, soft, or blurred. His sound is crisp like a harpsichord, but with the clarity of the piano, which makes even dense complex patterns transparent. He is not for the "equilibrium", he likes to push things to the limits, but he seems always in control. And equally as a listener I felt completely in the grasp of this, no wandering off of the thoughts into dreams, which I experience with some WTC interpretations. Nevertheless all this to me seems to come out of a deep  organic feeling for the compositions, there are no "loose ends", everything seems to make sense effortlessly.

Judging from this first CD I would say: In a collection of the top Welltempered Claviers this set must have a place.

And thanks to the contributors of this thread for letting me discover a neglected treasure of my collection.

[Bulldog]

Being a WTC fan myself this thread caught my attention. When I had been reading through it half way, I thought, which recordings have I got, that have not been mentioned yet?

One of them was the set of Walter Gieseking on DG, with books I and II:

[ASIN]B00000E4IK[/ASIN]

When I had it newly I didn't like it at all, a bad sound quality with strong distortions, and superfast playing, that appeared like empty acrobatics to me, so I quickly put it away annoyedly.

Now I began playing it while going on reading this thread, but I found my attention so much drawn to it that I couldn't go on reading, so I put it off again, reserving it for the next day and my full concentrated attention.

Today I listened to the first of the three CDs, and - what a revelation! Yes, the tempi often are breathtaking, but anything but "empty acrobatics"! A touch so light that sometimes the key seems to fail to produce a sound, but not at all powerless, soft, or blurred. His sound is crisp like a harpsichord, but with the clarity of the piano, which makes even dense complex patterns transparent. He is not for the "equilibrium", he likes to push things to the limits, but he seems always in control. And equally as a listener I felt completely in the grasp of this, no wandering off of the thoughts into dreams, which I experience with some WTC interpretations. Nevertheless all this to me seems to come out of a deep  organic feeling for the compositions, there are no "loose ends", everything seems to make sense effortlessly.

I've been close to acquiring the Gieseking, but it just never happened.  I will order it right after writing this post; its availability on Newton Classics at a low price makes this an easy choice.

[mc ukrneal]

Have yourself to take a tour and seen this:
* BWV 871a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-JK0Rk_UGY
* BWV 854b Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVa_mzn90F0
* BWV 850a Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1G5ikwyhK0
* BWV 848 Comparison ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaWLWffUSsQ
It's a good reference.

Sorry - a little late to the party. I love these sorts of things!

871a - No 'winner'
Gould - quite nice. Not too pingy. Perhaps a little too straight. Slows down at the end, which disappointed me. But a nice version.
Hewitt - Also good. Less pingy and smoother than Gould. I think I preferred Gould's speed, but this is enrapturing. I feel I hear more here though.
Richter - More or less a speed demon throughout, defintiely more dynamic this way. Too many details are lost, but exciting.
Tureck - This is precisely the type of Bach I dislike in terms of pingyness. I do like that she is bit more dynamic throughout and doesn't play it mono-chromatically. This part is exacctly what I like in Bach. So interesting mix from her.

854b- No Winner.
Fischer - Nicely dynamic. Loses some details though. And a bit too much stress on a few notes here and there that distract.
Gould - A bit more dynamic than the previous. ok!
Hewitt - Great flow. I really feel the arc of this short piece better here. Softer touch - could see this not being to everyone's taste.
Richter -Pingy due to sound quality, but again a speed demon. Exciting, but I feel mostly the top line.
Schiff - Better mix of dynamics, flow and detial. But he pings the notes sometimes, which is all the more jarring, because it is in a few spots in particular, not everywhere.
Tureck - Oi! Too clipped. I couldn't live with this.

850a - Winner:  Tureck (amazing - because I hated her 854b)
Fischer - Like gentle rain in some ways. Nice. But left hand was uneven in tempo a bit in the middle. (shame about the sound, but not his fault)
Gould - Nice. Perhaps a bit too peckish on the bottom/left hand at times (a softer touch at times would have been welcome). Nice ending though - good touch.
Richter - Fast again. Some detail lost, and a bit monochromatic. But still holds the interest with the excitement and thrill he generates. Holds the line well, perhaps because he does go fast.
Schiff - Every note is heard. A couple bobbles in tempo early, but minor. Not dynamic enough until the middle. Pretty ending.
Tureck - Stable tempo. Ping is muted and so this is more listenable for me. Nicely dynamic (loved how she quieter at 5.50 or so). This would hold my interest in repeated listening.

848 - Richter (mostly for the prelude, which shines in my opinion)
Gould - Nice start. good balance and detail. Fugue is very good. This is wonderful. A little more dynamics would have been nice, but still very good. Holds tempo like a brick wall here - excellent.
Richter - One feels the drive and energy (and as a result, the line) much better here in the prelude. The fugue is also quite nicely done. Totally different from Gould, but like this too. I think I prefer his warmer (and a bit more dynamic) approach. 
Schiff - Too slow. Something is off in the prelude - can't quite put my finger on it (unless the tempo is it). I just find this uninteresting (too pretty perhaps?).  A bit clipped on occassion.

[Bulldog]

Sorry - a little late to the party. I love these sorts of things!

854b- No Winner.
Fischer - Nicely dynamic. Loses some details though. And a bit too much stress on a few notes here and there that distract.
Gould - A bit more dynamic than the previous. ok!
Hewitt - Great flow. I really feel the arc of this short piece better here. Softer touch - could see this not being to everyone's taste.
Richter -Pingy due to sound quality, but again a speed demon. Exciting, but I feel mostly the top line.
Schiff - Better mix of dynamics, flow and detial. But he pings the notes sometimes, which is all the more jarring, because it is in a few spots in particular, not everywhere.
Tureck - Oi! Too clipped. I couldn't live with this.

I hear it differently. 

Winners:  The speedy Gould and Richter with all the technical command needed.  Tureck's rather slow but her clarity and detached playing wins the day.

Losers:  Fischer and Hewitt.  Fischer can't handle the speed and messes up frequently.  Hewitt's just too "pretty" for my tastes.

[mc ukrneal]

I hear it differently. 

Winners:  The speedy Gould and Richter with all the technical command needed.  Tureck's rather slow but her clarity and detached playing wins the day.

Losers:  Fischer and Hewitt.  Fischer can't handle the speed and messes up frequently.  Hewitt's just too "pretty" for my tastes.

Actually, our comments are pretty similar in that I think we are hearing much the same things. What we like or dislike in the playing is where we really diverge. You like the Tureck for the same reason I dislike it. On Hewitt, we both agree it is pretty (but disagree on whether that is good or bad), though I really liked that hers was a bit different. I also wouldn't disagree with your comments on Gould and Richter, where I thought their technical command just fine too.  If forced to choose a favorite among these, those would probably be the two I would choose from. But none of them were ideal for me (just quite good).

It's interesting how we can hear exactly the same things and come to a different conclusion on them.

[PaulSC]

I'll play! (And if I don't get too busy with other things today I'll post another set of performances of the same fugue in case anyone wants to comment...)
854b- 
Fischer - doesn't seem fully in control, groups of 16th notes get "mashed together" esp. in the LH
Gould - I generally like this for its transparency and vitality. But I HATE the long, drawn-out final ritardando. (And that's how it almost always goes with Gould for me: so much promise but he nearly always injects some unwelcome mannerism to spoil it all.)
Hewitt - I liked this more than I expected to. The "prettiness" here doesn't render the music spineless, and she doesn't rush as I find her doing in other recordings.
Richter - I appreciate the excitement, but the tempo is a bit unsteady and the ending seems to arrive unprepared.
Schiff - As usual I find Schiff a bit "fussy" with articulation and motivic structure. But it's not a major problem here (or in his WTC overall).
Tureck - My favorite of the bunch, in spite of the poor sound quality. Clear, graceful, and unmannered -- although I do realize the persistent staccato articulation will strike some listeners as a mannerism after all!

[Bulldog]

Actually, our comments are pretty similar in that I think we are hearing much the same things. What we like or dislike in the playing is where we really diverge. You like the Tureck for the same reason I dislike it. On Hewitt, we both agree it is pretty (but disagree on whether that is good or bad), though I really liked that hers was a bit different. I also wouldn't disagree with your comments on Gould and Richter, where I thought their technical command just fine too.  If forced to choose a favorite among these, those would probably be the two I would choose from. But none of them were ideal for me (just quite good).

It's interesting how we can hear exactly the same things and come to a different conclusion on them.

That's for sure.  By the way, the best BWV 854 Fugue I've ever heard comes from Schepkin on his Ongaku set; the exuberance leaps out of the speakers.

[PaulSC]

(And if I don't get too busy with other things today I'll post another set of performances of the same fugue in case anyone wants to comment...)

I'm going to do this. Does anyone prefer if the performers are identified or unidentified (to be revealed later)?