Something for a Friday: All of Bach

[Padraig]

https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-97

JSB and the Netherlands Bach Society never fail. Well, hardly ever. Somebody left Lucia Swarts out of the credits, and such a good cello part - and cellist.

[Padraig]

Christine Schornsheim continuing Well Tempered Clavier II Nos 19,20 in A Major, A Minor.

https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-889

https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-889

[Padraig]

Christine Schornsheim continuing Well Tempered Clavier II Nos 19,20 in A Major, A Minor.

Today a rousing Cantata, Tue Rechnung! Donnwewort.* Account for yourself! Thunderous words indeed.

After some breastbeating and comforting assurances, there comes the advice to Mammon to account for himself as well. I take it that he should redistributed his riches fairly. Some hope
* correct title

O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort – Bach

[Padraig]

The music of dread, as of a passenger on Charon's ferry across the Styx.

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir – Bach

[oddoneout]

It has worked again! Hope this continues. I have been to a lunchtime organ recital so shall delay listening for now.

[Mandryka]

The music of dread, as of a passenger on Charon's ferry across the Styx.

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir – Bach

“Bach envelops us in a sonorous six-part hair shirt – interwoven with successive parts of a chorale melody, and embroidered with plaintive motifs and moments of harmonic despair.”


(Never got on with this prelude in nearly every performance I’ve heard, I find it overbearing. )

[Padraig]

Lovely performance, great ensemble, beautiful Bach.

O Herzensangst, o Bangigkeit und Zagen! – Bach

[Padraig]

Belated reminders


Partita no. 4 in D major – Bach Elina Albach, harpsichord

Partita no. 6 in E minor – Bach Diego Ares, harpsichord

[Pulcinella]

Not to steal Padraig's thunder, but this has just been released (cross posted from New releases thread, though it doesn't look the same: apologies for jumbo picture!!) and might be of interest to readers of this thread;

Released today, and lined up for streaming later:

JSB: Goldberg variations
Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)


Bach: Goldberg Variations

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9506827--bach-goldberg-variations

Bach: Goldberg Variations. Deutsche Grammophon: 4864553. Buy CD or download online. Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)


‘An encyclopedia of how to think and dream on the piano’: Víkingur Ólafsson on Bach’s Goldberg Variations

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/06/vikingur-olafsson-pianist-on-bach-goldberg-variations

The star Icelandic pianist is having an extraordinary year – recording, and now performing, Bach’s epic work 88 times around the world. He explains why it gripped his imagination, and pushed him beyond the limit

---

[Pianorak]

https://youtu.be/E9M7pApJMbk

[Beresford]

Belated reminders


Partita no. 4 in D major – Bach Elina Albach, harpsichord

Partita no. 6 in E minor – Bach Diego Ares, harpsichord

There is now also Partita no. 5 by Elina Albach.
I caught up with these yesterday - I think they are both excellent performers in these majestic partitas, albeit very different to each other in style. Ares is more edgy, more like the traditional harpsichordists of the last 50 years, but without any annoyances. Albach is interestingly mellifluous, but she does not smooth over things (cf. Hewitt), and every small phrase is a shaped gesture, not just a gesture like running your figernail over the strings, like many pianists. Both are up there with the best!

[Padraig]

Thanks, Beresford. Interesting observations (though 'above my pay grade') Hewitt more my thing. Can't find the no.5.

Today a great performance of Nun danket, which I knew as Now Thank We All Our God. I'm partial to the Cantatas, and am presently engaged in much belated listening methodically to all of them in the two boxes from The Bach Edition which I acquired when it first came out. It's a slow process but each one still impresses and I get some satisfaction when I frequently recognise one or other from previous listening. I'm at a great disadvantage in not knowing any German and in not having any background in a church choral tradition; but the music speaks to me. And please don't suggest that I go and learn German.

Nun danket alle Gott – Bach

[Mandryka]

There is now also Partita no. 5 by Elina Albach.
I caught up with these yesterday - I think they are both excellent performers in these majestic partitas, albeit very different to each other in style. Ares is more edgy, more like the traditional harpsichordists of the last 50 years, but without any annoyances. Albach is interestingly mellifluous, but she does not smooth over things (cf. Hewitt), and every small phrase is a shaped gesture, not just a gesture like running your figernail over the strings, like many pianists. Both are up there with the best!

Diego Ares’s Goldberg Variations gives food for thought.

It must be really hard to play contrapuntal music - to make the voices sound like independent singers in an Italian madrigal and yet make the music sound coherent. Ares has a good feel for how to do this in the Goldbergs IMO.

[Padraig]

It must be really hard to play contrapuntal music - to make the voices sound like independent singers in an Italian madrigal and yet make the music sound coherent. .

Impressive teamwork here as well as individual expertise from soprano and instrumental soloists to 'make the music sound coherent'. Lovely.

Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten – Bach

[RichardB]

Ares is more edgy, more like the traditional harpsichordists of the last 50 years, but without any annoyances.

I'm very fond of Ares' recordings of Soler and Scarlatti, but haven't heard him play Bach. I'm excited to hear what he does with that music.