Customer Reviews

Bach: Little Notebook for Anna-Magdalena Bach (selections)

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What a pleasant surprise this disc was! Realizing that I had no copy of the "Anna Magdalena Notebook" in my collection, I browsed around until I selected this particular recording, mainly because of the number of selections it offered. I had not heard of any of the performers before, but am glad I took the chance.

Karina Gauvin sings the arias with a full, flutey timbre, eschewing the "white" sound favored by many sopranos in this repertoire. Her account of the lovely "Bist du bei mir" is particularly good: exalted, grave, and ethereal all at once. There were times when she struck me as sounding remarkably akin to the late Arleen Auger, and that can only be to the good. I really hope to hear more from her.

Luc Beausejour plays with a delicacy and refinement that are most welcome, and embellishes tastefully. The simplicity of many of the selections bring playing that is clear and alive; Beausejour fills these old chestnuts with charm and individuality. The recording engineers have done a superb job in making the harpsichord sound full and rich -- too often, the harpsichord can sound tinny, even abrasive on recordings.

I heartily recommend this disc.

This recording of The Little Notebook of Anna Magdalena by three French-Canadiens on the Quebec-based Analektra label is still available in CD mode, just note here. Analketra rereleased it on CD in 2008. Amazon makes the download available and will in time, I'm sure, make the CD available.

In this music, with only one voice and two instruments, the download should be adequate for most people other than those that desire the absolute best frequency response. I don't imagine that's most people seeking a recording of this music, however.

The Little Notebook for Anna Magdelena was the book of music J.S. Bach put together for his second wife, Anna. It is a collection of works by Johann Sebastian as well as other composers including Couperin, Hasse and even Bach's son Christoff, the so-called "English" Bach. The notes to this issue tell us there was more than one little notebook for Anna Magdelena, who may have given up a burgeoning career in Italian opera to marry Sebastian Bach and take care of his, then, 4 children. That was 1720 when Bach was 35, a year before he would become cantor at St. Thomas in Leipzig.

This notebook includes the famous arias Ich habe genug and Schlummert ein and the aria Sebastian used to begin the Goldberg variations. It does not include the French suites that come on some other recordings of the littel notebook including the famous one by Hunt-Lieberson and McGegan Bach - Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook (highlights) / Hunt-Liberson, McGegan. The notes to this say this may have been used for Wilhelm Freidemann's musical education.

No matter the authenticity of history of the music, no extant version is better than this one. Soprano Karina Gauvin sings with a bell-like tone and is spectacular throughout. Harpsichordist Luc Beausejour is equally fantastic, playing with elan and grace throughout these miniatures yet somehow making them seem more important than they are. Baroque cellist Sergei Istomin gets no chance to shine in this music, always subordinating his will and instrument to the other leads. His Baroque instrument should not be considered a metaphor for a period approach to this music, for the players are full throated and Ms. Gauvin is neither white nor sans vibrato in her singing. This is an eminently musical performance in staggeringly good sound.

I've owned a half-dozen versions of this music going back to my first hearing of soprano Benita Valente's album in college. The last one I owned before this -- Bach: Aus dem Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach -- was a German production from 1969 reinvented in the digital age. This one clearly surpasses that in style more attributable to this century. It is, in my view, a better collection than that put together by Hunt-Lieberson and McGegan, the other recording available most places with Igor Kipnis -- The Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach, or this one from Brilliant although I can't vouch for it Bach: Notenbuchlein fur Anna Magdalena. This one is quite a sparkling album that makes this inconsequential music a fine hour spent.

Pure angel soudlike soprano, showing perfect technique and outstanding musicality. J-S Bach and Anna Magdalena must be happy.

By it for the music of the Bach family and friends, treasure it for Karina Gauvin.