BaL 28.9.24 - JS Bach: English suites (BVW 806–811) [piano]

[LMcD]

Oops!

Mind you, Glenn was quite the actor too, I suspect.

... and perhaps actor Glen could tickle the ivories a little.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Somewhat to my surprise I’m liking the Angela Hewitt A minor Prelude English Suite most of all the excerpts played so far . The first that avoids the sewing machine effect - lovely ebb and flow to the playing.

[Mandryka]

Somewhat to my surprise I’m liking the Angela Hewitt A minor Prelude English Suite most of all the excerpts played so far . The first that avoids the sewing machine effect - lovely ebb and flow to the playing.

There's a recording by Hewitt which has a good English Suite 6 - the first recording she ever made I think, this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KX7XZHN/ref=sr_1_2?crid=EU4AQTJAWTKX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.PyPKeMMkby7AiwuHFAEzSno2XnQNyY6h6lbxUSI0L7KHA3vg_QpVwfwbS6LSnvAiw5O09O0YPLTfLA5Eb9kwyxr13RZBQP-OoQSu5cdY5gVnVjIZWK8AuM6cEa5CgO_Q0Y_r2oy2XfYkVxT4dvpcQp6N3__DCdB98iZ1CVJVlVghiovUfi1N3TCtPbJITjCTsgNwSgo7ObJQpfo81EU-vwSWuq7PYeCpL1IcIi7E3yc.P1pa15dVpsBWITLGDN2NobVh8eQH2vcAlTxCpOcqDlI&dib_tag=se&keywords=Hewitt+dg&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1727535015&s=music&sprefix=hewitt+dg%2Cpopular%2C92&sr=1-2

[Darloboy]

Can we expect a second programme with harpsichord versions? I bet we can't. Anyone else up for contributing to such a thread?

At one time BaL would have been much more likely to focus on harpsichord rather than piano versions...

[Darloboy]

These suites have only been covered by BaL once before, in Jan 04, when Simon Heighes chose Angela Hewitt (2002-3) and Leonhardt (1973) as his piano and harpsichord first choices respectively. Levin was mid-price choice on piano.

[Retune]

Schiff finishes just ahead in a tight race with Perahia.

Not entirely coincidentally, a copy of the Schiff turned up in my letter box this morning. I like his Bach and was prompted to check out this recording by the upcoming BaL (I already had Perahia in a megabox).

[silvestrione]

Was Lucy Parham just slightly bland? I felt A McG trying to push her to be more incisive and insightful at times, e.g. the characterisation of Gould's playing was vague, more about his singing along than his eschewal of legato or clarity of counterpoint or absence of pedal.

The long view, the balancing of character and tempi across a suite, didn't come up.

I don't think I'd want a piano recording of these pieces, but of the final two I thought Perahia won hands down (literally!), with a much more characterful touch and colour.

[Retune]

I look forward to comparing Schiff and Perahia properly. Schiff was great in that last Gigue from #6 though, which sounded strikingly 'modern'. He might almost have been playing something like Ligeti's Devil's Staircase étude.

[Mandryka]

I look forward to comparing Schiff and Perahia properly. Schiff was great in that last Gigue from #6 though, which sounded strikingly 'modern'. He might almost have been playing something like Ligeti's Devil's Staircase étude.

I think I'd take Perahia over Schiff in that gigue - in truth, I don't feel as though you can do justice to the music on a piano really - if you have time try my favourite, Marie Nishyama.

[Pulcinella]

From the updated website (also added to original post):

Lucy's choice:
András Schiff (piano)
Decca 4216402

[Retune]

I wonder if Schiff has any plans to revisit the Suites, as he has already done with the Goldbergs, Partitas and the WTC in recent years? I suppose his next Bach release will be the Art of Fugue (which reminds me - I hope he's recovering well from the broken leg that stopped him playing it at the Proms).

[Nick Armstrong]

…of the final two I thought Perahia won hands down (literally!), with a much more characterful touch and colour.

The French radio critics agreed with you, as referenced in my #28 above. I think the piano and recording quality are preferable in the Perahia too.

Being familiar with the two ‘finalists’, the discovery for me in this BAL was the Feltsman which I intend to explore further.

[Barbirollians]

Too much character probably for Lucy Parham - whose dismissal of Richter's Rachmaninov PC 2 recording many years ago I think on her very first BAL - made me very sceptical of her judgment .