Elizabeth Farr - harpsichord - J.S. Bach - Complete Concertos for Solo Harpsichord (2 CDs)
Àðòèñò: Elizabeth Farr - harpsichord
Àëüáîì: J.S. Bach - Complete Concertos for Solo Harpsichord (2 CDs), 2009
Èçäàòåëü: Naxos / 8.572006-07
Æàíð: Classical
Ôîðìàò ôàéëà: EAC / FLAC / CUE / LOG
Ññûëêà: CD
Íàõîæäåíèå: Torrent

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)

Complete Concertos for Solo Harpsichord (2CDs)

Label: Naxos, 8.572006-07
Year: 2009



Performer:


Elizabeth Farr - harpsichord


Tracklist:


Disc 1
Keyboard Concerto in D major, BWV 972 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in D major, RV 230
Keyboard Concerto in G major, BWV 973 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in G major, RV 299)
Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV 975 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in G minor, RV 316)
Keyboard Concerto in C major, BWV 976 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in E major, RV 265)
Keyboard Concerto in F major, BWV 978 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in G major, RV 310)
Keyboard Concerto in G major, BWV 980 (arr. of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in B flat major, RV 381)
Keyboard Concerto in C major, BWV 977
Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV 983
Keyboard Concerto in G major, BWV 986


Disc 2

Keyboard Concerto in B minor, BWV 979 (arr. of Torelli's Violin Concerto)
Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 974 (arr of A. Marcello's Oboe Concerto)
Keyboard Concerto in C minor, BWV 981 (arr. of B. Marcello's Concerto, Op. 1, No. 2)
Keyboard Concerto in B flat major, BWV 982 (arr. of Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar's Violin Concerto, Op. 1, No. 1)
Keyboard Concerto in C major, BWV 984 (arr. of Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar's Concerto)
Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 987 (arr. of Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar's Violin Concerto, Op. 1, No. 4)
Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV 985 (arr. of Telemann's Violin Concerto, TWV 51:g1)
Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 894


Why Bach transcribed a series of concertos by contemporaneous Italian and German composers has fascinated music historians, Elizabeth Farr setting out her thoughts with this new release. As they come from his younger years, they may well have been used to frequent himself with the Italian school, the physical task of copying music an accepted learning tool in those days. Yet the reason may have been more mundane, as the nephew of his employer, Duke Wilhelm, had travelled to Amsterdam where he apparently heard organists playing transcriptions, and Bach, anxious to please the Duke, performed the same task for his nephew’s use. All sixteen that are scored for solo keyboard are here included, together with an original Prelude and Fugue, BWV894, composed in the same era. They date from the early years of the 18th century, and would have also served the purpose of allowing people to hear concertos of Vivaldi, Torelli, Marcello, Telemann and Ernst in locations where no instrumental ensemble existed. Bach only used concertos where the solo was given to a stringed or woodwind instrument, and seems particularly taken by Vivaldi who accounts for six of the transcriptions-three lifted from L’estro armonico-Bach so skillfully marrying the solo role and the orchestra as to create seamless keyboard scores. There are three concertos where the originator is unknown, which is unfortunate as the one in G minor (BWV983) is a particularly attractive score. Played, as here, on a two-manual period reproduction harpsichord from Keith Hill, with the disposition 16’8’8’4’ and two buff stops, gives Farr the power that can almost equate to a small Baroque ensemble. Her playing is clearly articulated and tempos chosen to keep the music pressing admirably forward, while the Prelude and Fugue is an extended and welcome addition to the release.The sound is punchy, and as I like my harpsichord sound up-front and clinically clean, I find the discs admirable.


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