Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

[Bulldog]

There are wet piano recordings too?

Sure, any instrument/voice is potentially in the "wet zone".

[Leo K.]

So far, I like the set.  Stadtfeld displays plenty of exuberance when needed as well as a very dark character in the slow and remorseful pieces.  Nothing eccentric goes on, although the very quick last prelude/fugue set did surprise me, especially the "power-up" fugue performance.

Just two negatives from my end.  I would have liked stronger accenting in the fast pieces; some of the "runs" are not well detailed.  As usual with me, I found the sound rather wet; the Prelude in C major was dripping with moisture.

Much thanks! I will go ahead and get this recording.

[Feijenoord]

I recently tried (for maybe the fourth or fifth time) to listen to Leonhardt on the WTC. Again, I had to stop and suffered from a terrible headache afterwards. I still don't understand why would one play, and even less listen, to such a barbaric instrument as the harpsichord. The piano is so much more poetic, technically superior, had he known it certainly Bach would never have played the harpsichord again ! I love the WTC by great pianist Andras Schiff, it must be my favourite (I never really liked Gould). You don't know anything about Bach if you don't know this interpretation.

[Antoine Marchand]

We hadn't had one of these for some time. I had even forgotten how they look. Anyway, this one is particularly unrefined. 

[Gurn Blanston]

We hadn't had one of these for some time. I had even forgotten how they look. Anyway, this one is particularly unrefined. 

Didn't there used to be a nest of them around here somewhere?

Actually, Bach did have a go at a piano. He wasn't impressed. Nor am I, actually. He might have written his music differently for a different instrument, but one can hardly call that an improvement. If Robin Hood had a machine gun, he would have never used the bow and arrow again...   

[DavidW]

I think that Leonhardt is awesome in the WTC and Art of the Fugue, but that's just me.

I understand that the sound of the harpsichord is not for everyone, I prefer the piano also, but I think that Leonhardt's artistry really shines.

[Bulldog]

I recently tried (for maybe the fourth or fifth time) to listen to Leonhardt on the WTC. Again, I had to stop and suffered from a terrible headache afterwards. I still don't understand why would one play, and even less listen, to such a barbaric instrument as the harpsichord. The piano is so much more poetic, technically superior, had he known it certainly Bach would never have played the harpsichord again ! I love the WTC by great pianist Andras Schiff, it must be my favourite (I never really liked Gould). You don't know anything about Bach if you don't know this interpretation.

You must be new in these parts.  Try not to be so highly opinionated and unreasonable.

I do have sympathy for your low pain threshold, but you need to understand that many Bach enthusiasts have no problem listening to a harpsichord for hours on end.  Put another way, your personal preferences do not define how Bach should be played; mine do (kidding).

[Clever Hans]

You must be new in these parts.  Try not to be so highly opinionated and unreasonable.

I do have sympathy for your low pain threshold, but you need to understand that many Bach enthusiasts have no problem listening to a harpsichord for hours on end.  Put another way, your personal preferences do not define how Bach should be played; mine do (kidding).

Well, the sound of that Leonhardt WTC release is a little "hot" and piercing, particularly Book II. Not so bad on speakers though.
That's a good rule of thumb for any harpsichord recordings or mono recordings especially, no? They always sound better on speakers than headphones.

Incidentally, there's a Japanese DSD remaster that's noticeably better.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B001IZ5B2I/
also apparently in non hybrid sacd form in this box set, which is the same price. But only the Goldberg Variations are also similarly remastered, it would appear.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/バッハ-鍵盤作品集成-レオンハルト-グスタフ/dp/B001TGU7BQ/

[Bulldog]

Well, the sound of that Leonhardt WTC release is a little "hot" and piercing, particularly Book II. Not so bad on speakers though.
That's a good rule of thumb for any harpsichord recordings or mono recordings especially, no? They always sound better on speakers than headphones.

These are personal things.  Can't say I prefer harpsichord or mono recordings on speakers.  For me, the speaker preference is with orchestral music.

[Bulldog]

If Robin Hood had a machine gun, he would have never used the bow and arrow again...   

I laugh every time I read this sentence.

[Clever Hans]

These are personal things.  Can't say I prefer harpsichord or mono recordings on speakers.  For me, the speaker preference is with orchestral music.

I don't think it's as simple as personal preference.

Granted there is the intellectual intimacy of headphones, which may be preferred.

But not in terms of a recording sounding more "natural", i.e. with greater depth and acoustic presence. I think one can say there is a fundamental physical difference with speakers. Orchestras have very limited resonance on headphones, even if parts could potentially be more clearly heard.

Old mono recordings, like Schnabel's, sound small on headphones but take on new life when they have an actual room in which to breathe.
I find this also applies to harpsichord harmonics.

And rock and roll, forget about it, no contest.

Besides what kind of nerd enjoys a drink and reposes with headphones on? 

[Scion7]

Don't understand how the harpsichord can give you a headache - unless you had the volume up to high.
"Barbaric" instrument?  Wha?

The only barbaric instrument I know is a "turntable" - when some idiot thought that moving a record back/forth with his hand - resulting in the obvious noise - constituted music a la hip-hop.

[Mandryka]

The border between organ- and harpsichord/clavichord music was not fixed that clear in these days. Many pieces fall in the grey zone e.g. the manualiter pieces of CÜ III, the manualiter toccatas, the concerto transcriptions manualiter, the WTC to mention a few, which just being keyboard music work well on both instruments. So there was no need for transcription.

Can you recommend an organ recording of WTC?

[Opus106]

Can you recommend an organ recording of WTC?

I'm not premont, but I asked the same question some time ago, and his reply is included there for your convenience.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,768.msg599453.html#msg599453

[Mandryka]

I'm not premont, but I asked the same question some time ago, and his reply is included there for your convenience.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,768.msg599453.html#msg599453

Cool. Desenclos is on Spotify so it's easy to try out.

[prémont]

Can you recommend an organ recording of WTC?

I know three and a half complete recordings on organ of Book I and II:

Louis Thiery (Arion).
A symphatic somewhat pure sounding version with nice part playing in the fugues.

Bernard Lagacé (Analecta).
A fair and relative non interventionalist version on a rather unsensational organ.

Frédéric Desenclos (Triton).
A somewhat strict version, spiritually it reminds me of Walcha´s WTC, but it is more informed.

Christoph Bossert (Ars Musici - only Book II).
More non interventionalist than Lagacé and not that exiting.

Which one I prefer?

1) Desenclos
2) Thiery
3) Lagacé
4) Bossert

[milk]

I know three and a half complete recordings on organ of Book I and II:

Louis Thiery (Arion).
A symphatic somewhat pure sounding version with nice part playing in the fugues.

Bernard Lagacé (Analecta).
A fair and relative non interventionalist version on a rather unsensational organ.

Frédéric Desenclos (Triton).
A somewhat strict version, spiritually it reminds me of Walcha´s WTC, but it is more informed.

Christoph Bossert (Ars Musici - only Book II).
More non interventionalist than Lagacé and not that exiting.

Which one I prefer?

1) Desenclos
2) Thiery
3) Lagacé
4) Bossert

Interesting. I was just sampling the Frédéric Desenclos (after reading your post). I'm wondering, how drawn are you to this music played on organ?
Does it all work well this way? Does it add to your enjoyment of the WTC? I love Levin's limited use of organ on his recording (but I also love the variety of instruments therein).

[prémont]

Interesting. I was just sampling the Frédéric Desenclos (after reading your post). I'm wondering, how drawn are you to this music played on organ?
Does it all work well this way? Does it add to your enjoyment of the WTC? I love Levin's limited use of organ on his recording (but I also love the variety of instruments therein).

I think it generally works well on organ, but some of the P&F´s work better than others (e.g. a-minor form Book I, E-major and  B flat-minor from Book II). All in all though I prefer the work played on harpsichord. Being fed up with the work on harpsichord I may however be biased. In Bach´s time it was natural to play keyboard works like this on the keyboard instrument one had at hand. Levin and Chorzempa play only some of the P&F´s on organ - obviously the ones they think are suited for organ. If you want, I can make a small survey of their recordings as to which instrument they use in which pieces.

[DavidRoss]

What happened to Don? I see he quit the site recently.

[Sammy]

What happened to Don? I see he quit the site recently.

I'm still here; just changed my name.  Being in the Witness Protection Program has its disadvantages.