Bach on the piano

[Mandryka]

Wonderful opinion. Will check the Erato disc.

And if you're interested in piano, be sure to give Peter Hill a try.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

And if you're interested in piano, be sure to give Peter Hill a try.

Ok I will buy the recording next month as I'm traveling this month.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Please allow me to post this French Suite by 9 years old. Usually I don't like kids performance, but I couldn't resist.

[prémont]

Please allow me to post this French Suite by 9 years old. Usually I don't like kids performance, but I couldn't resist.

Very understandable. If you didn't know who was playing you might well think it was one of the greater names.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

And Julian Perkins on clavichord - which is possibly the performance which means most to me. A real case of ars adeo latet arte sua.

What's your opinion of the piano version by Chinese lady Xiao?

[San Antone]

Some other options - which I am very happy with - are

Colin Tilney - clavichord (Music & Arts)
Wolfgang Rübsam - piano (Naxos)
Wolfgang Rübsam - lute harpsichord (Brilliant classics)

I'm also going to explore Peter Hill after recently having enjoyed his WTC I & II.

I really like Peter Hill.  I first was impressed with his recording of the solo piano music of the second Viennese school on Naxos.  This is still my go-to recording of this music.  It was only later that I heard his Bach, but I was equally impressed, and it is only because for some time now I prefer hearing Bach on the harpsichord that I don't listen to his Bach recordings more often.

[aukhawk]

What's your opinion of the piano version by Chinese lady Xiao?

This is the wrong thread - but Zhu Xiao-Mei is my favourite recording of the French Suites.  I think she is consistently good - middling but 'right' - for Bach on piano generally, but her French Suites is the standout.

[Mandryka]

What's your opinion of the piano version by Chinese lady Xiao?

I just listened to her 812 allemande. I thought it was egotistical, full of little piano tricks which are kind of saying "Look at me! Look how clever I am. Look at what I'm doing with this music." Things like changes to the timbre, to the loudness, and the balance of the voices.

There's a question which came to mind. If someone were hearing the music for the first time through Xiao's performance, would they be aware of her ego? I think so, but I don't know that I could argue for it. What do  you think?

[BWV 1080]

(cross posted from the harpsichord et al thread)

Some other options - which I am very happy with - are

Colin Tilney - clavichord (Music & Arts)
Wolfgang Rübsam - piano (Naxos)
Wolfgang Rübsam - lute harpsichord (Brilliant classics)

I'm also going to explore Peter Hill after recently having enjoyed his WTC I & II.

I don't care much for Hill & Rubsam's stille brise - muddles the rhythm too much for me.  Understand a wide degree of performance options exist in Baroque music, but their playing strikes me as a bit mannered.  Would be more interesting in someone who plays a stricter rhythm but with consistent notes inegales (more or less swung 8th notes), particularly on slow and mid-tempo dance movements

[BWV 1080]

[San Antone]

I just listened to her 812 allemande. I thought it was egotistical, full of little piano tricks which are kind of saying "Look at me! Look how clever I am. Look at what I'm doing with this music." Things like changes to the timbre, to the loudness, and the balance of the voices.

There's a question which came to mind. If someone were hearing the music for the first time through Xiao's performance, would they be aware of her ego? I think so, but I don't know that I could argue for it. What do  you think?

I did not perceive anything "egotistical" about Zhu Xiao-Mei's Bach recordings.  She's recorded the Goldberg Variations at least twice and the second time a documentary of her recording the work accompanied the recording. 

In this film she does not come across as egotistical, far from it.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I just listened to her 812 allemande. I thought it was egotistical, full of little piano tricks which are kind of saying "Look at me! Look how clever I am. Look at what I'm doing with this music." Things like changes to the timbre, to the loudness, and the balance of the voices.

There's a question which came to mind. If someone were hearing the music for the first time through Xiao's performance, would they be aware of her ego? I think so, but I don't know that I could argue for it. What do  you think?

That's Jean-Yves Thibaudet, imo. I like ZXM's French Suites. Her playing is not a "virtuoso" or "diva". Actually she doesn't show that she is very good. To me she is like a sensible and quiet waitress at your favorite restaurant.


Post ed: I think I like her non-romantic approach. I didn't know that she was that technical until I read your post.

[milk]

I just listened to her 812 allemande. I thought it was egotistical, full of little piano tricks which are kind of saying "Look at me! Look how clever I am. Look at what I'm doing with this music." Things like changes to the timbre, to the loudness, and the balance of the voices.

There's a question which came to mind. If someone were hearing the music for the first time through Xiao's performance, would they be aware of her ego? I think so, but I don't know that I could argue for it. What do  you think?

This is a strong reaction. I probably would have liked this playing at another point in my life and I might like it still. She's mannered in a way but I wouldn't want to say it's egotistical but maybe it is. I'd want to compare it a bit. She's putting a lot of something into it. Accenting and using dynamics in little ways? It could bring out something interesting or it could just be her habits. I think she's considered (or considers herself?) a kind of Bach specialist. I'm so into Peter Hill lately who is lighter, easier, quieter. It's a big shift in my listening tastes. It seems to me like it's much easier to use the piano is negative ways when it comes to baroque or to cause strong reactions. Perhaps. When it comes to ego, she can't be worse than Glenn Gould and people love him.

[Mandryka]

This is a strong reaction. I probably would have liked this playing at another point in my life and I might like it still. She's mannered in a way but I wouldn't want to say it's egotistical but maybe it is. I'd want to compare it a bit. She's putting a lot of something into it. Accenting and using dynamics in little ways? It could bring out something interesting or it could just be her habits. I think she's considered (or considers herself?) a kind of Bach specialist. I'm so into Peter Hill lately who is lighter, easier, quieter. It's a big shift in my listening tastes. It seems to me like it's much easier to use the piano is negative ways when it comes to baroque or to cause strong reactions. Perhaps. When it comes to ego, she can't be worse than Glenn Gould and people love him.

As far as "people love her" goes, that's obviously a complex thing to explain. Part of the explanation will no doubt involve her backstory and cultivated media image. But another part is that Hill's type of musianship really needs close listening to be appreciated. Xiao, with all her underlining, doesn't. So it's kind of an easier experience.

[milk]

As far as "people love her" goes, that's obviously a complex thing to explain. Part of the explanation will no doubt involve her backstory and cultivated media image. But another part is that Hill's type of musianship really needs close listening to be appreciated. Xiao, with all her underlining, doesn't. So it's kind of an easier experience.

I think that's true. I don't want to pat myself on the back but I think it took me a long time to appreciate someone like Hill. You can hear right away what Xiao is doing and it's impressive. I always wonder how some of these musicians would get along on a harpsichord, maybe if you left them alone with one for a few days. Would they make a go of it? Didn't Gould try to play one? ETA I like the sound of the piano by the way. I like listening to Hill a lot.

[Verena]

I think that's true. I don't want to pat myself on the back but I think it took me a long time to appreciate someone like Hill. You can hear right away what Xiao is doing and it's impressive. I always wonder how some of these musicians would get along on a harpsichord, maybe if you left them alone with one for a few days. Would they make a go of it? Didn't Gould try to play one? ETA I like the sound of the piano by the way. I like listening to Hill a lot.

Gould played Handel Suites (and I think also some other works) on the harpsichord. I guess the harpsichord is easier to play for a pianist like Gould, who imitated the sound of a harpsichord (to some extent) even when playing the piano. Can't think of many pianists who are equally good at the harpsichord and the piano, but Lubimov might be a candidate.

[Verena]

I just listened to her 812 allemande. I thought it was egotistical, full of little piano tricks which are kind of saying "Look at me! Look how clever I am. Look at what I'm doing with this music." Things like changes to the timbre, to the loudness, and the balance of the voices.

There's a question which came to mind. If someone were hearing the music for the first time through Xiao's performance, would they be aware of her ego? I think so, but I don't know that I could argue for it. What do  you think?

After listening to just this movement played by several pianists I now think I prefer Hill's version among those I listened to, in addition to the early version by Gavrilov (who plays it considerably faster). Didn't listen to some old favorites though. Would you say that these changes to the timbre, loudness of individual notes, etc , are quite generally out of place with this kind of music?

[Mandryka]

Would you say that these changes to the timbre, loudness of individual notes, etc , are quite generally out of place with this kind of music?

No, I wouldn't go that far. But I can say that for me these suites work best if played very modestly, with only the most delicate embellishments.

This is just a matter of taste I think.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Recently I enjoyed listening to the English Suites performed by Soraci. Nice playing whereas the recording sound is average/acceptable. While the performance is likable, personally I wanted a little more darkness and vigor. Nice effort.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

It's more difficult for me to find a set of the English Suites which I find completely compelling.

To me, Ivo Janssen sounds good on some movements but he doesn't on some others. Since there are some nice cembalo recordings, it's difficult to appreciate piano performances of the English Suites.