Customer Reviews

Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier 48 Preludes and Fugues / Hewitt, MacGregor, Demidenko, Gavrilow

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

 

 

I felt the need to offer a counter opinion to the review of this DVD by Mr.Nicholas. As an amatuer pianist, he obviously approached this DVD with certain expectations of what he wanted to experience (perhaps he should have purchased an instructional video instead). He makes no commentary on the splendid performances, wonderful sound, or interesting-to-stunning architectural surroundings the performers are placed in. The commenteries before each performance are entertaining, giving insight into the mind of the player, as well as often providing information on the piece of music about to be played. The commentary sections are no longer than 10-20 seconds in length.

If you love Bach's music, you will be thoroughly delighted with this collection.

You can't please everyone. The various reviews below show that. But having read them and seen the entire 2-DVD set I'd make the following reactions to previous comments.

1) The four artists represent diversity. If you like laid-back sneekers and Blue Jeans you'll have that. If you like an artist to dress with class, its here as well.

2) There is a perfect balance of showing hands, faces, interior/exterior room/building shots. Fluid and imaginative camera work enhance this production. Those who want nothing but "show me the fingers" should go to the artist's workshop or masterclass and hold a camcorder over their shoulder. This production is completely well-balanced in showing hands, fading to facial expressions, room interiors etc.

3) The performances are inpeccable. But I have to admit that I was surprised that the first artist, and some of the 2nd, read from the music. So the first artist seems to be "playing" the pieces as he reads the music. There's none of that from the 2nd DVD (Book 2) and so these two are actually "performing" the pieces which leads to a much more free and expresive rendition.

4) The contraversal comments/credits between each piece:
It's good to have the break between pieces. But whether you agree with that format or not should in no way keep you from purchasing this extrordinary collection.

This DVD was probably made to show in small segments on TV, but must we have the annoying and repetitious credits between each section? I also didn't like the camera work which showed the performers from many angles, alas, their fingers not often enough. The comments of some of the performers....well, let's just say that they are not gifted in public speaking and their music should have been left to speak for itself. I did enjoy their performances, with their individual interpretations. The overall result, however, was not up to BBC standards. I look forward to someone else making a DVD of this excellent repertoire without all the boring and unhelpful comments and with more opportunity to see the hands of the pianists, not the dark and dreary rooms in which they played.

Those who love Bach and possibly the greatest masterpiece
for the pianoforte, the Well Tempered Clavier will find this to be a gem. 4 different players each with different
styles, contrasting each other. There was good
balance of focus on the hands and other parts
of the body. Personally I found Demidenko's
and Hewitt's performances to be superb. Hewitt's
interpretation of the P&F #14 in F# minor worth
listening to...

The pianists' comments before each piece helped to diffuse a little of the mystery that typically surrounds such musicians. Often, when listening to a musician play, I wonder what goes on in her mind. Is it some arcane thought process that produces this beautiful rendition? Or does she have the same ideas that I do (and I just don't have the skill to
translate it through the instrument)?
I thought that there was just the right balance between showing the pianists' hands and their surroundings. I don't need to see musicians' hands 100 percent of the time. Often
the music is enough.

Having previously heard these recordings, I felt forced to buy this DVD for the sole purpose of experiencing the brllliance of of the Macgregor interpretations.(she does not yet have her own recordings of the WTC yet). I felt that there was nothing memorable in the other artist's recordings. But I reckon that her interpretations of the fugues in a minor,b major and b minor are unsurpassed. It is a pity that this is not on CD (yet).

Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier 48 Preludes and Fugues / Hewitt, MacGregor, Demidenko, Gavrilow is a dvd recording that has great picture quality and the sound is right on par also. Here we get four pianists playing Bach's famous Das wohltemperirte Clavier I & II. To see these world famous pianists in action is indeed a treat. The DVD comes with a very nice booklet that contains music notes in English, French and German. Being a huge fan of J.S. Bach I enjoyed every second of this amazing DVD recording. Highly recommended. 5/5.

Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier is one of my favorite pieces and I was elated when I found this DVD. Each of the artists plays 12 of the Preludes and Fugues. For Book 1, Gavrilov plays the first 12 and MacGregor the second 12. For Book 2, Demidenko plays the first 12, and Hewitt plays the remaining pieces. I was very impressed by the female pianists (Joanna MacGregor and Angela Hewitt), whose performances were a lot more graceful, colorful, and musical than the male artists. I especially enjoyed MacGregor for her concise yet insightful comments on each piece she plays and each of her performances sparkled with colorful intonation and displayed her outstanding musicianship. The same could be said of Angela Hewitt's comments and performances. Demidenko's performance was competent but a bit on the mechanical side. It was really hard to hear what he was saying in his comments. Gavrilov's performance was adequate. His performance was the least impressive of the four. Even worse were his comments, much of which was jibberish and nonsensical (he even uses the word "crap" -- how classy of him). I often fast-forwarded his comments. I agree with some of the reviewers that the formatting could have been a lot better. Instead of dividing each prelude and fugue with a caption of Bach 48 Preludes and Fugues, it would have been better for each artist to play the pieces straight through. Also, get rid of Gavrilov's comments. Even better, replace him with a great Bach interpreter like Andras Schiff or Murray Perahia.

Both the picture and sound quality were excellent. I liked how the four pianists were in different locations and different settings. That made it more interesting.

I recommend this DVD, especially for MacGregor and Hewitt. You won't be disappointed by their playing.

I'm disappointed by the production. Besides annoying comments before each piece, the camera focus too much on "interior design" or colorful graphics, I do not get much change to see pianist's fingers. It might be better in Audio CD format.

These Preludes and fugues are played by 4 different pianists, each with a different style, each with a different approach. Furthermore, the pieces are played in different settings at different hours of the day, with each pianist in different costumes in different pieces. The recording as well as the picture, as a norm of BBC productions, are good and should satisfy even the fastidious viewers.

But with BBC's resources, one wonders why some of the more prominent Bach players got left out, notably Andras Schiff-- like Joanna Macgregor, he was also one of the contributors in the other BBC Composers series! Even amongst Russian pianists, there are plenty other choices, young and old, men and ladies.

Garilov is not much of a Bach player, despite the lip service he paid to Bach: he clued his eyes to the score, even though his technique is so awesome. Demidenko's command of the keyboard is amazing but his playing is at extremities with Hewitt: the former is so down to the earth, one almost forget this is Bach or even Barogue music; whereas Hewitt sees things too much from the feminine point of view. Yes, she is imaginary. If that is the kind of tone she has in mind, why bother using a Steinway, or even a piano at all? One just has to listen to Gould to see what might have been missing from her.

But all these are much mitigated by the art of Joanna Macgregor. Like Schiff, she has made quite an impression on the viewers of BBC's Great Composers series on Bach by her brief appearance. Like what she had done in that series, her remarks are very much to the point and yet never boring, however pedantic the point would otherwise be. Viewers have to hear for themselves how appealing her playing is, not just he way she spoke. She certainly deserves a more thorough check-out. Her hand position is however, quite unique.

The biggest objection however, is the chopping up of the production into 48 pieces, each starts with the same striking logo : "BBC Production" in black and white, occupying the whole screen for a minute ot two, to be followed by the name of the director, so big and so long that it totally eclipsed the name of the artists themselves! For those viewers so are not so familiar with them, they would easily mistake them for the artists themselves.

Furthermore, for those serious viewers desirous of seeing the pianists' hands will be disappointed: these are sacrificed to some pseudo-photographic esthetics. Only about 1/10 of the time is dedicated to their hands only. More often we see their backs only, if not their faces.