Bach : Die Kunst Der Fuge / The Art of the Fugue [Box set]

Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Robert Mann (Performer), Joel Smirnoff (Performer), Samuel Rhodes (Performer), Joel Krosnick (Performer), Juilliard String Quartet (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Robert Mann, Joel Smirnoff, Samuel Rhodes, Joel Krosnick, Juilliard String Quartet
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Audio CD (April 21, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony Classical
• ASIN: B00000270V
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,578 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #11 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Fugues
  • #18 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Improvisation

Editorial Reviews

Julliard String Quartet recorded at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, May 25-27, 1987.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderous recording of this complex fugue., January 11, 2000

By 

Charlise Tiee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bach : Die Kunst Der Fuge / The Art of the Fugue (Audio CD)

Bach's unfinished fugue is incredible. I have heard different recordings of it, but this one is by far the best. Since Bach did not notate what instruments are to play the parts, recordings can really vary as far what instruments they use, which in turn quite changes the sound of the piece. A string quartet is a lovely choice for this piece, and the Juilliard String Quartet does an excellent job. By the by, if you are partial to Cognitive Science, and liked <<Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid>>, this recording may be of interest to you.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, January 18, 2005

By 

Michael Newman (Long Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bach : Die Kunst Der Fuge / The Art of the Fugue (Audio CD)

Bach's music presents the epitome of the craft of fugue-writing. Fugal forms permeate every part of Bach's writing -- from the most lyrical of the French Suites to the Brandenburg Concertos, to the Musical Offering and the Goldberg Variations, not to mention the Well-Tempered Clavier and the organ fugues. In many ways, all of Bach's work is an "art of fugue." But here we have Bach's genius distilled to its essence. No flowery melodies, no lyricism -- just the pure interaction of interlocking melodies; often dissonant, often disquieting, always incredible. While the Art of Fugue can be played on any arrangement of instruments (several very nice harpsichord and piano versions exist), the quartet arrangement of these pieces allows one to most clearly discern the various voices in these extraordinary fugues (and canons). The Juilliard Quartet provides remarkable performance of this landmark piece. Their style is spare and dry (though not as spare and dry as Emerson SQ's more recent recording). But real beauty bubbles up throughout these learned performances. The final fugue, which although unfinished is among Bach's longest, and which features the theme of Bach's name (Bb, A, C, and B), is played brilliantly and will be savored over again and again. If you have one recording of the Art of Fugue, this should be it.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Juilliard Illuminates Bach's Art of Fugue, December 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bach : Die Kunst Der Fuge / The Art of the Fugue (Audio CD)

In this amazing recording of Bach's Art of Fugue, the Juilliard String Quartet truly defines itself as one of the 20th Century's leading string quartets. While the Fugues were not originally composed for string quartet, the Juilliardians make it sound as though it couldn't be performed any other way! From start to finish, this is a must for every Bach-lover's AND string-quartet-lover's library!