Art of the Fugue

J.S. Bach (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 4, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capriccio
• ASIN: B000001WJ0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #559,759 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUBLIME MASTERPIECE...EASILY GREATEST CONTRAPUNTAL WORK, June 15, 2006

By 

Brucknerian2006 "josh" (florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art of the Fugue (Audio CD)

Before reviewing the performance I must mention my feelings towards this superlative work.

This performance has introduced me to Die Kunst Der Fuge, and I have not yet heard other recordings. Words cannot describe what I felt while first listening to this Heavenly music. It is at once sublime and monumental, personal and universal, melancholic and ecstatic. This work shows the master at his finest. Indeed music as a pure art form has its apotheosis in this work. I believe nothing can surpass its beauty and mastery. Again words cannot describe it, so all I can say is listen,ponder, listen...

As I have not heard other recordings, I cannot compare. I love how the Collegium uses period instruments and combines instruments, the voices come through clear and it is fairly easy to follow the contrapuntal lines. I have never heard Bach on an organ....after hearing the canons I immediately bought the Walcha Organ Works recording. The playing on this album is full of pathos but not overt sentimentality, each contrapunctus is played with such tenderness. The tempos are never too fast or too slow. As I am a poor critic I can only say that I love this recording. Do yourself a favor and buy...the liner notes are great as well.

THANK YOU BACH AND THANK YOU GOD FOR INSPIRING HIM.

5.0 out of 5 stars Actually, modern instruments in period style., September 9, 2011

By 

Stephen Grabow (Lawrence, Kansas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Art of the Fugue (Audio CD)

This is a superb orchestration and interpretation of Bach's Art of Fugue. The New Bach Collegium Musicum under Max Pommer do not actually play with period instruments (as a previous reviewere thought) but they do respect period style. Like Marriner on Pentatone's reissue in SACD, this is a carefully thought-out orchestration with a variety of instruments playing sometimes alone and sometimes in combination -- an endlessly fascinating interpretation that makes a nice complement to solo keyboard versions.