Customer Reviews

Bach: Art of the Fugue

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a unique and interesting performance of Die Kunst der Fuge. The Canadian Brass consulted with Glenn Gould before recording, and it shows: as his were in his organ recording of the work, the tempi they use are breathtakingly fast. While their performance is more... er... nuanced than his, the speed sometimes seems to steamroll over the musical development of some of the pieces.

To put this in context: in my favorite version of the work, Jordi Savall and Hesperion XX develop it over more than 120 minutes, on two discs. Neville Marriner and the ASMF take around 90 minutes in their interestingly orchestrated but rather mediocre interpretation. This disc, though, is *56* minutes long -- including the 4+ minute choral prelude! Granted, the Canadian Brass, like Gould, do not perform the "completed" 14th contrapunctus, but rather the original unfinished version. Nevertheless, the tempi are very, very fast.

I must say, though, that for a fair number of the exercises, it works. The mirror fugues are particularly stunning with the brass instrumentation and blazing speed, and the final fugue is memorable. The choral prelude, another of Bach's final works, is a worthy addition to the disc, but after the mathematical rigor of what came before it, the transition is a little jarring.

While I can't recommend this as an introduction to the work, it's an excellent second or third recording and complements a slower, more reflective version nicely.

In the opinion of many people, The Art Of Fugue is on of Bach's most classic and legendary works. This was one of Bach's final projects before his death, an in fact, was never completed. The entire work is performed, right up to the final notes written in the last fugue. Also included is Bach's final work, a choral piece,that when loosely translated from German, means "I step to your throne with this." A timeless piece played by a timeless ensamble.

This is a uptempo version of Art of Fugue, no doubt about that. Yet, contrary to one other reviewer, there are other versions that fit the length of one CD, albeit still taking more than 60 minutes. (Fretwork's version for a consort of viols comes in just under the 80-minute mark, for example.)

That said, at this speed, some movements just don't "breathe" enough, even if Bach may have had fast tempos in his own time. But, the sounds of brass quintet on a piece like this, in addition to the tempos, make this a welcome addition to a collections of multiple Arts.

I have been fan of the Canadian Brass for over 25 years. I appreciate their excellent musicianship, their fine ensemble playing and the wonderful interpretation of the music they present. I have several of their CDs . Several months ago, I purchased the Goldberg Variations and found this to be a very delightful album. So I Purchased the Bach, "Art of the Fugue." I had read the reviews on Amazon, and one reviewer recommended getting a copy of the original1988 recording rather than the remastered version. I was able to obtain a copy from one of Amazon's business partner. This is a wonderful album. Perhaps one of the Canadian Brass's best. Gene Watts plays his euphonium instead of his trombone which results in a much better blending of the instruments. The fact that different instruments are playing various parts of the fugue adds to the enjoyment. This is a must have album especially for those who love brass munic.