Customer Reviews

Keyboard Concertos 3 5 6 & 7

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

 

 

Perahia doing Bach, as Perahia does Bach: very clean and very smooth. Very un-Gould. If Gould uses the piano to try and emulate the detached sound of a harpsichord (always sans pedal), Perahia is almost the opposite. Having said so, the sound Perahia achieves in the second movement (largo) of Concerto No. 5 (BWV 1056) is simply fabulous ... one of my favourite piano sounds on SACD (after the Tchetuev Schnittke SACD on Caro Mitis). Beautifully recorded.

I may be wrong, but it does sound to my ear as though the piano has been tuned below A = 440 Hz. The sound is slightly flat to my ear, though not to the extent that one would find in an authentic instrument recording. There is no mention in the programme notes to this effect.

Perahia's Goldberg variations on SACD is now almost impossible to find, and this SACD seems to be heading the same way, so grab it while you can. Highly recommended.

End-notes:
1.The so-called Concerto No. 6 is derived from the harpsichord continuo part in Brandenburg No.4 ... and I think it is the first time I have actually heard this played on the piano rather than the harpsichord. In this instance alone, I am not sure that the transition to pianoforte is successful.

Some reviewers are panning the CD because their players will not play a CD in the non-hybrid SACD format. That is nonsense. This CD is glorious in both sound quality and performance. Just make sure that your CD or DVD player can play an SACD non-hybrid recording. Hybrid simply means that the CD can be played on any CD or DVD player. If it is not hybrid, then it can only be played on a player with the SACD function. Highly recommended.

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!

I was not warned by Amazon beforehand that this item cannot be played on a regular CD or DVD player so I am warning you, do not buy this item.

The fine print says "requires SACD hardware". That means it won't play on a regular CD player.