Bach, CPE: Character Pieces for Harpsichord

Advantages: Light, clear, could be played over and again
Disadvantages: Perhaps lacks a bit of magic or sparkle

...If I was to think of performers I would choose to play my favourite pieces of music, then I would not readily think of the Oregon Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra. But a friend of mine who played in the orchestra tipped me off that this was a good one. So I got hold of the CD, opened a bottle of red and sat back with an open mind. Surprise surprise, it's good. Enthusiastic playing for sure, with plenty of joie de vivre. The typical American attention to detail slightly grates with my British sense of spontaneity, but the flawless phrasing, breathing (and no doubt bowing too) and dynamics work in the overall performances because of the lack of indulgence in the tempi. Bach can all too easily sound like a mathematical exercise written out in notes, but there is a lightness and deftness of touch here in the conducting that lifts this out... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Romantic orchestral music
Disadvantages: Only 1 hour - eat quickly for a romantic dinner

...Johann Sebastian Bach, giant among Baroque composers, was a prolific writer whose versatility and creativity resulted in a wealth of musical works with a diversity ranging from sacred choral works, keyboard music to orchestra music. The CD, Concerto for Two Violins in D minor / Violin Concertos in A minor & E minor, is an orchestral recording conducted by Salvatore Accardo, in which two violins (Anne-Sophie Mutter and Salvatore Accardo) / solo violin (Anne-Sophie Mutter) are contrasted with a larger orchestra (English Chamber Orchestra) of strings and bass continuo instrument the harpsichord. Bach is often criticized for his strict attention to form. Whilst, I greatly admire Bach for his intellectual and methodical approach to composition, what I enjoy most is the harmonious and melodic music that results. This CD is a superb example... Read review

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Advantages: Elegant, refreshingly stimulating, articulate Goldberg Variations.
Disadvantages: (For US residents) Import CD from British Hyperion label costs more than the average.

...the way to the final bar of Variation 13, while Perahia’s tends toward a rather dreary sameness throughout. When Hewitt returns with the thematic passage it is in hushed tones, giving it a slightly different hue from its first appearance. Similarly, she renders a more nuanced, less uniform and dull description of Variation 20 with mere changes in volume. Hewitt's Goldberg Variations are some of the most stimulating I have yet encountered--an impressive achievement given the strong competition out there, and the inherently mathematically rigid structure of Bach's work. It is a piece that relies heavily on the interpreter to bring forth its beauty. Without this sensitivity in the pianist, a soporific and mechanical rendering results. Although Bach had only the harpsichord and no concert grand to play or compose on during his lifetime (he may... Read review

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