I believe that this CD of the inimitable Tureck playing Bach was recorded live during an historic and famous private concert at the home of William F. Buckley. The instrument is a fine one but, yes, it is a bit lifeless. Nonetheless, it's a GREAT concert and fairly well captured in decent stereo sound. It ranks up there in historic Bach interpretation importance along with Lipatti at Besancon, his last concert, and the 1955 Gould Goldberg Variations.
September 27, 2008 |  | Superb Performance; Don't worry about audience noise |  |
According to the Tureck Bach Research Institute, the performances on this disk were recorded in the mid-1980s. It is easy enough to tell from listening that these works were not recorded all from the same performance. There is no audience noise during or after the first prelude and fugue or the Aria with Variations. In both cases, contrary to another reviewer, I would say that both the instrument and the recording itself are exceptionally fine. From the Chromatic Fantasy onward, there is modest applause after the works, the audience must of have been very small. In no case does the applause intrude upon the music. From the Capriccio onward the recording quality is very slightly worse, occasionally becoming oversaturated in loud passages. The instrument itself sounds like a good one. In all cases the performances are exceptionally nuanced and characterful. Don't hesitate to buy this one!
July 19, 2008I'm one of the people who would rather listen to Roslyn Tureck play Bach than any other pianist. For well-deserved praise for this exceptional musician, read the reviews of her performance of the Goldberg Variations.
If you don't own any of her work, buy the Goldberg Variations first. Though she does her usual fine job on this recording, it is significantly less enjoyable because it the pieces are a scattered assortment without any common theme.
February 8, 2008 | | With a twinge of disappointment. . . | |
These are recordings of a live concert and performed on an inferior-sounding instrument. Nevertheless, the sound quality is acceptable but it is pervaded by a certain lifelessness.
What is not good is the applause beginning before a piece has ended. This was a singularly American, inane and irritating practice which, sadly, now has been adopted more or less universally. To have it on this CD is an annoyance but to edit it would lose at least the last bar so it has to stay.
Rosalyn Tureck, of course, plays impeccably. Much of the programme material is not to be found on her other recordings so possession of this CD is a must.
She alone deserves five stars but I should require a better instrument in a studio recording to award full marks.
January 16, 2008Tureck dispenses with reserve and gives an all or nothing, risk everything performance of spectacular depth and joy. She draws out the pieces' modernist traits and reveals an expansive majesty more normally heard in Liszt and later composers. Now and then, I had to remind myself that this is Baroque keyboard, not late Romantic or 20th Century! Passionate, brilliant and truly memorable.
July 15, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(6 reviews)