Bach, CPE: Solo Keyboard Music, Vol 16

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: Great piano playing of a great Bach composition.
Disadvantages: None

...One of Gould's final recordings, this is probably the definitive piano version of Bach's keyboard masterpiece. Gould runs the theme & thirty variations as a unified whole. His playing is characterised by clear fast passages, crisp ornaments and controlled, intense playing of the slow variations (nos.15 & 26). Even his humming along to the music does not detract from a joyous performance. The final section from variation 27 to the slow return to the theme is pianism at its most uplifting. The piano sound is clear without being dry & compares favourably with most up to date piano recordings. This is a disc to convert anyone to Bach & indeed to Gould's pianistic genius.... Read review

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Advantages: Wonderful transcriptions of JS Bach's majestic music; sensitive, tender, vivacious, effortless and fluid playing.
Disadvantages: Nil.

...Her latest CD from EMI Classics, ‘Bach/Works for Trumpet’, already tops zerbine28's list for Classical CD of the Year. (I know, I know, it's only April as I post this, but that's how strongly I feel about this recording.) Readers, if you please, do welcome young British trumpet player Alison Balsom, who now joins the ranks of Mssrs Miles Davis and Herb Alpert in my teeny-tiny list of favourite trumpeters. No, I never heard of her, either, before yesterday, when I first sampled her CD at the local Borders book and music shop. Released just this past January, the CD is an absolute stunner. The title is a little misleading, because Johann Sebastian Bach never wrote pieces specifically for the instrument (discounting the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, of course). Besides which, the ‘trumpet’ in Bach’s time... Read review

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