John Butt's 48

[Gordon]

This morning AM'G surprised me by playing a recording he didn't like!! BUT I have say I agreed with him. It used to be Glenn Gould that copped it for being wayward in this music but as soon as the C major P&F came on I thought this is not right!! The surprise was that AM'G agreed!! Well well.

Anyone else agree or did some of you like the wayward tempi?

BTW the Bm Mass excerpt was good - that natural horn in the Quoniam quite ripe and telling. Complement to the Eastop earlier.

[LeMartinPecheur]

In the current Gramophone Jed Distler likes much, though not all, of it greatly, and provides interesting thumb-nails of other performances to set it, and his own views/ tastes, in context:
straightforward/ leisurely - Gilbert (DG), Van Asperen (EMI)
straightforward/ moderate - Schornsheim (Capriccio), Moroney (HM)
straightforward-ish/ fast - Newman (903 Records),
agogic freedom/ often shapeless - Egarr (HM);

"and now John Butt's agogic freedom/ mostly fast and well shaped".

[MickyD]

I have just listened to CD Review and quite agree with you, Gordon...what a weird and annoying way of playing the C major Prelude, I couldn't live with it. And I was amazed to hear that it has been garnering rave reviews. For me, Kenneth Gilbert's sublime recording for Archiv reigns supreme.

[tigajen]

For me Edwin Fischer despite the sound.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I have just listened to CD Review and quite agree with you, Gordon...what a weird and annoying way of playing the C major Prelude, I couldn't live with it. And I was amazed to hear that it has been garnering rave reviews. For me, Kenneth Gilbert's sublime recording for Archiv reigns supreme.

If we're talking about the Book I C major prelude & fugue, this seems to be one of those that doesn't to go down well with Distler: "Harmonic tension and release govern [the prelude's] varying phrase-lengths, although its fugue's majestic stretto textures become congested at Butt's impatient pace." He has nicer things to say about Book II's C major prelude though.

[Gordon]

I got the impression from AM'G that the rest of the set was marred like the B1CP&F. I love these pieces and have a number of versions [including Fischer] but given the competition and range of approaches I doubt that I will add this set to my collection.

[Stanfordian]

I have just listened to CD Review and quite agree with you, Gordon...what a weird and annoying way of playing the C major Prelude, I couldn't live with it. And I was amazed to hear that it has been garnering rave reviews. For me, Kenneth Gilbert's sublime recording for Archiv reigns supreme.

Hiya MickyD, I full agree. Kenneth Gilbert's recording for Archiv certainly does reign supreme.

[Stanfordian]

This morning AM'G surprised me by playing a recording he didn't like!! BUT I have say I agreed with him. It used to be Glenn Gould that copped it for being wayward in this music but as soon as the C major P&F came on I thought this is not right!! The surprise was that AM'G agreed!! Well well.

Anyone else agree or did some of you like the wayward tempi?

BTW the Bm Mass excerpt was good - that natural horn in the Quoniam quite ripe and telling. Complement to the Eastop earlier.

Hiya Gordon,

John Butt's 48 is not to my taste at all.

[MickyD]

Hiya MickyD, I full agree. Kenneth Gilbert's recording for Archiv certainly does reign supreme.

Good! It's not just Gilbert's playing, it is also the wonderful instrument and the beautifully recorded sound which makes it such a winner for me.

[Gordon]

I don't have Gilbert's 48 but do have his Goldbergs which are very fine. Must sample his 48 then...

I think there is a BAL somewhere by Jon Swain - must look it up.

[MickyD]

Looks like you are in luck, Gordon...Archiv have just boxed up their Gilbert recordings into a budget set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-J-S-Keyboard-Kenneth-Gilbert/dp/B00OZ1QAGS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1420978845&sr=1-1&keywords=Kenneth+Gilbert

[BBMmk2]

A friend of mine has recorded the first book of the '48, on chamber organ/organ, (depending no9n the book number). His recording of The Goldberg has received rave reviews too! Please await further details.

[Gordon]

Looks like you are in luck, Gordon...Archiv have just boxed up their Gilbert recordings into a budget set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-J-S-Key...enneth+Gilbert

Thanks, missed that one. And it doesn't have the Goldbergs in it so no duplication!! They only have 3 left better get on....

[MickyD]

Thanks, missed that one. And it doesn't have the Goldbergs in it so no duplication!! They only have 3 left better get on....

No duplications of the Goldbergs as Gilbert recorded those for Harmonia Mundi. I also have his old set of the six Bach Partitas for the same company...very good, too.

[Dave2002]

I only heard the item at a distance yesterday, so will have to listen again. What I heard I thought I liked - but I need to give it another go.

In the meantime, there is more about the recordings(s) here - http://www.linnrecords.com/recording...e-klavier.aspx

http://open.spotify.com/album/7KmapFddfWaP3sd2JVX91j