BACH: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol. 1 (Preludes & Fugues I – XXIV) – Richard Egarr, harpsichord – Harmonia mundi

by | Sep 20, 2007 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

BACH: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol. 1 (Preludes & Fugues I – XXIV) – Richard Egarr, harpsichord – Harmonia mundi 907431.32, (2 CDs: 2 hr. 5 min. total) *****:

Ever since the reevaluation of J.S. Bach, courtesy of Mendelssohn, The Well-Tempered Clavier has become the foundation work of keyboard music.  It was the world’s first cycle of works to climb steadily thru all the major and minor keys in a series of preludes and fugues.  Using the term Clavier was nonspecific, as was the slant of most music up until the Romantic period.  Any keyboard instrument may be used, and has been.  There are many versions employing the modern grand piano, but since I’m partial to the harpsichord and to my ears it most clearly  delineates the various voices in Bach’s contrapuntal writing, I didn’t compare this entry to the piano versions.

A standard on the harpsichord has for many decades now been Wanda Landowska’s recordings of both WTC books.  What a contrast Egarr’s version provides!  Using a recent copy of a 1638 Ruckers harpsichord, the sound is worlds more pleasant, rich, and melodious – without the clangorous timbre of Landowa’s instrument, which was really closer to a piano with plucked strings than a harpsichord, and without the now-dated sonics.  How could Beecham possibly have made his observation about the two skeletons doing the nasty on a tin roof when listening to this glorious harpsichordal sound?  The pairs of works just flow along, without any odd distortions a la Glenn Gould, and build very gradually and continually from the super-simple two voices of the first prelude to the immense chromatically-overloaded final fugue of the series.  Egarr’s notes are short and sweet; just sit back and listen.  Most highly recommended!

 – John Sunier

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