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Rating: When writing any article or review concerning one of the pillars of music history, it's always challenging not to be repetitive or clichéd. Indeed, Bach's work has been studied, discussed, played, and analyzed by both great and legendary performers. However, one thing has never entirely convinced me. The musical interpretations performed on the piano. This thesis is not only mine, but also endorsed by others, one of whom was a great pianist, a certain Claudio Arrau.
For those not informed, Arrau was one of the greatest interpreters of the last century. He believed it was more appropriate to perform those pieces with the instruments the composer used to compose the scores. A prime example concerns the "Goldberg Variations." For years, part of the criticism has mainly praised and cited the two interpretations by Glenn Gould. Let’s be clear, I also find those two interpretations magnificent (particularly the 1981 performance) but putting the solo performances on the piano in the spotlight, forgetting that those pieces were actually written to be played on another instrument, I think was a mistake. Of course, this mistake often also fell on many music enthusiasts who stopped at the piano's magnificent interpretations, forgetting those performed on the harpsichord.
Because, it must be said, the historically most "correct" instrument is the harpsichord. Fortunately, one later discovers that there were and are great harpsichordists who still interpret these compositions today.
In 2005, Decca released this beautiful execution (the recording is from 2003) of the Variations. The recording I will now mention was entrusted to Ottavio Dantone. The young and talented Italian harpsichordist and conductor (but not only), has for years been one of the most established interpreters of baroque music.
Exactly two years ago I bought this album. After listening to it, I was struck by such beauty. In this long recording (which lasts almost 80 minutes) one is literally left breathless. Everything is intense. The sound of the harpsichord is musically fascinating. The sound nuances that the instrument emits are pure joy to the ears. To realize the quality of the interpretation, it is enough to listen to the opening Aria. In these 4 minutes and 31 seconds, you are left in awe. The recording is magnificent. After all, we are talking about a production by Decca. Dantone is excellent, exciting, poetic, expressive. Even the instrument used enhances everything. This is a harpsichord built in 1999. A copy of the Christian Zell (Hamburg 1728), made by the Italian Andrea Restelli, known builder of ancient instruments. One last piece of information: the booklet also contains notes in Italian.
A piece of advice: listen to it, you won't be able to do without it anymore.
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By Mullah
"It was as if someone had suddenly flung open the window in a room that had not been aired for a hundred or more years, letting in the fresh morning air."
"In three-quarters of an hour of white-hot intensity, Gould gives an astounding performance: superhuman virtuosity combined with an astonishing sense of rhythm, a fascinating sonority linked to total expressiveness."
