Customer Reviews

Bach: Keyboard Concertos Nos. 3, 5, 6, 7

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The first thing one notices about Murray Perahia's latest recording of Bach keyboard concertos is the brisk tempo, the ebullient phrasing, and rhythmically incisive orchestral playing that carries the listener along from note to note in breathless anticipation. At the helm of the impeccable Academy of St. Martins in the Field, Murray Perahia's conducting skills are as impressively arrayed here as his keyboard virtuosity. Which brings us to the second thing: Murray Perahia as soloist, and the dawning awareness that we may quite possibly be hearing the greatest Bach interpreter of our day.

Both as piano soloist and conductor, Perahia deals elegantly with issues of balance that inevitably arise when performing early music on modern instruments. Concertos written for harpsichord take on a very different texture when played on a modern concert grand; the ringing tone and sheer volume of the piano can easily dominate the strings in ways not envisioned by the composer. But in these performances the relationship of strings to keyboard solo has been deftly re-calibrated. The piano and orchestra become equal partners, parts of an integrated whole, woven together as seamlessly as if this were chamber music.

As well, Perahia has edited the score with subtlety and wit. The moment that knocks me off my chair arrives in the finale of the Concerto No. 5 in F minor when the propulsive opening phrase, scored for keyboard and the full compliment of strings, is answered by a two note descending figure in the strings alone. Ordinarily these two notes are bowed, but on this disc they are played with a robust pizzicato, standing out in sharp relief against a momentary background of silence. The sound is so startling, so fresh and unexpected, one's ears are put on full alert. This device is used to great effect throughout the movement; many of the normally bowed phrasings are rendered as pizzicato, making the rhythms and texture of the piece sound newly minted. After repeated hearings, I began to wonder if this might not be a sly nod to the absent harpsichord, an instrument whose strings are plucked as the keys are depressed. Here, in a textural turn-about, the orchestra's plucked strings serve as counterpoint to the full, round, sustained tones of the Steinway concert grand.

Another suggestion of the harpsichord's coloration can be heard in the addition of a theorbo, a kind of 16th century bass lute, to the orchestra. At strategic moments its gentle, harpsichord-like twang provides a delicate crease at the edges of the tonal fabric that I haven't heard on any other recording of this music.

I like this disc even better than Perahia's pervious, and highly praised recording of Bach's keyboard concertos Nos. 1, 2, and 4 with the same orchestra. As good as that recording is, I find the playing on the new disc is freer and more invigorating. The collaboration between soloist and orchestra sounds here even more assured, more intimate, almost as if they had merged into one instrument. The sound on this recording is also more immediate, more alive.

The gold standard for these concertos - as played on a modern piano - has for decades been Glenn Gould's groundbreaking recordings of the late 1950's. Gould's Bach performances were a revelation. He blew the dust off scores nearly a quarter of a millennium old and made them sound - well - sexy. For the generation of listeners who cut their teeth on his recordings, Gould's iconoclastic interpretations, to say nothing of his personal eccentricities, raised him to the level of a cult hero whose mystique has barely diminished.

But Perahia has upped the ante. His performances have all the clarity of line, all the visceral excitement of Gould's, but with an added dimension of warmth and nuance. Gould's recordings are highly cerebral. With Perahia, we get not just the brain, but the whole body.

It is difficult to adequately praise Murray Perahia's piano playing. That he is currently hailed as the most important American pianist of his generation only begins to do him justice. His playing is at once lyrical and precise. Every note is perfectly weighted. Each detail has been thought through with great care, but the details never distract from the sweep of the music; embellishments are elegant and executed with great beauty - and always supportive of the broader musical ideas. Perahia draws us into the heart of the music with phrasing as natural as breathing, and a warmth of tone that wraps us in a cashmere blanket of sound.

These Bach keyboard concerti are staples for every classical music collection, and as performed by technical and traditional favorite Murray Perahia with the ever popular Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, at the current price of $8.98 are a steal! Newcomers or fans of any of the above, as well as classical musicians needing to replace or add these Bach keyboard concerti to their CD collections will love the crisp, clean, and lively interpretations of these classics. I doubt that a better quality for the price of CD can be found, and while Amazon currently has several other classics at similar prices under $10, buy a few CDs and get free shipping in the bargain.

Some Bach keyboard interpretations feel like they're lagging an infinitely small amount behind the intended tempo, and are like nails on a blackboard. This disk felt comfortable and rich -- received it as a gift and love it.

The older he gets, the better he gets. He must be a very passionate man.

I had the rare chance to listen to Murray Perahia performing - as soloist and conductor - along with his wonderful musicians from Academy St Martin in the Fields a year ago, in September 2009, during the XIXth edition of the "George Enescu" International Festival in Bucharest. I must confess that there is a magic fluid moving on stage when they play together, a special communion of thoughts and feelings translated masterfully into sound and finally into artistic joy. Perahia, as usual, is an accomplished pianist, but when he conducts from the keyboard he becomes a demiurge. He recreates worlds of uplifting and joyful consistency. Carefully with the smallest detail of the score, interested in the finest nuance of each instrument and devoted to the pure musical beauty, Perahia is very selective with regard to the repertory to be performed. He seems not attracted by arid musical abstractions, loving only the meaningful and heart-felted music. That's why he devoted a long time in his career to a fruitful foray into the realm simply named Johann Sebastian Bach. Of course, there are a lot of great composers such as Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Scarlatti, Schubert, Mendelssohn or Schumann in his repertory, but chiefly Bach. He returns time and again to this rich source of musical truths. Partitas, English Suites, Goldberg Variations, Italian Concerto - all stand in Perahia's recital programs (live or recorded), on equal footing with keyboard concertos, his subtle pianism ensuring both the reliable foundation of the proceedings and the robust bridge towards the orchestral textures.

This is the case here. A sparkling recording where Murray Perahia offers his inspired vision of no less than four masterpieces from Bach catalogue, namely the keyboard concertos in D major BWV 1054, in F minor BWX 1056, in F major BWX 1057 and in G minor BWX 1058, also known as nos. 3, 5, 6 and 7 respectively. Much gusto, vivacity, playfulness - in Allegros, lyrical meditation in Andante or Largo, much wit throughout! The response of his accomplished chamber players contributes to the unique perfume of a otherworldly interpretation. The high class of the performers shimmers with a noble delicacy also in their meekness in from of the Giant of the Baroque Music. Although the score is read with no complexes or humble hesitations, the dialogue with Bach permanently reassesses the proper positions.

Impressive Bach achievement under the masterful vision of Murray Perahia!

To hear Perahia's interpretations of Bach's keyboard concertos is shear joy for me. I love Bach's music so much that it goes right to my heart. During segments of the 3rd movement of concerto #7 on this cd I became emotionally overwhelmed. I plan on buying all of Perahia cd.

This is as good as any Perahia Bach disc and in one way even better... the sound, recording (well done Sony).

Academy of S. Martins has never sound so good so Perahia must be a good conductor too, making good muscicians do an extremly good work here.

This is a "forerunner" to Mozarts classical style but still of course baroque -but without harpsichord (you have to seek Hantai and Levine for that) and this is another winner for one of the worlds living best classical pianist.

Highly recommended

Very different from Gould, but worth having as it is a wonderful perfomance allowing a different light on these marvelous works

Bach is still alive. This is superb.