Tag: Keyboard

Yu Yashima harpsichord
TT
Baryton 201401

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is a debut CD from the Japanese-born harpsichordist who trained in Milan. She has recorded a mixed Frescobaldi programme taken from across the two books of Toccatas. It includes six toccatas in which she shows both stylistic awareness and technical fluency. The playing in these can be a bit formulaic, with somewhat exaggerated contrasts between sections and quite a lot of sudden accelerandos, but the rhetorical divisions are clear. The canzonas and gagliardas get lively performances, as does the centre-piece of the programme, the Cento Partite sopra Passacagli. There are two sets of variations which are played more reflectively and perhaps too slowly in the case of the Romanesca set. It is good to have the less-commonly recorded Capriccio sopra La Battaglia which is given a suitably bellicose performance. Yashima plays on a copy by Andrea Restelli of a harpsichord by Gregori of 1726 which is closely and richly recorded. There are informative liner notes by Marco Gaggini. This is a promising debut from a player from whom we can expect more in the future.

Noel O’Regan

Michel Bouvard, François Espinasse organs
65:20
lo dolce vita LDV26

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he French organist André Isoir, who died recently, was noted for his J.S. Bach recordings. Two of his former students, themselves organists of renown, have recorded this disc of his solo transcriptions made from a variety of well-known Bach works including cantata and Mass movements, orchestral suites and concertos. That there seems little or no difference between the two performers here is a tribute to their acknowledged debt to their teacher. Both play with rhythmic vitality and very sympathetic registrations on an organ by Georg Westenfelder in Fère-en-Tardenois, inaugurated by Isoir in 1991. It is ideally suited to these transcriptions and expertly recorded with great clarity. Transcriptions have long been an essential part of the organist’s stock in trade and these are very effective re-interpretations of works which were themselves refashioned and reimagined by the composer. As a collection it would probably be one to dip into from time to time, rather than listening right through, but it is certainly a very enjoyable disc.

Noel O’Regan

Richard Egarr harpsichord
105:33 (2 CDs in a jewel case in a cardboard sleeve)
harmonia mundi HMU 907583.84

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f Julian Perkins’ recent recording gives us the scaled-down soundworld of the clavichord for these suites, Richard Egarr takes full advantage of a large Couchet double-manual harpsichord copy by Joel Katzman to show that they don’t just have to be treated as domestic music. On this recording they emerge very much as public pieces. These are exhilarating performances, sometimes brash (especially in the Courantes), but always convincing.

Tempi can be a bit fast, but the listener is swept along by Egarr’s strong sense of drive and singing lines, and by some constantly innovative ornamentation. They are very personalised readings from a performer who clearly enjoys his playing and, as in his liner notes here, likes to be a bit provocative. Egarr adds in some variant versions of the Menuet and Courante from Suite no. 2 (though unfortunately on the other CD from the Suite itself). This is very stimulating recording and is highly recommended.

Noel O’Regan

Julian Perkins clavichord
125:37 (2 CDs in a jewel case)
Resonus RES10163
+Froberger: Partita No. 2 in d, FbWV 602, Telemann: Suite in A, TWV 32:14

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]aking his cue from the fact that the clavichord was by far the most common instrument for domestic music making and personal practice in Germany, Julian Perkins’ playing makes a persuasive case for recording the French Suites on the clavichord, following on from Thurston Dart’s historic 1961 recording on that instrument. This is impressive clavichord playing, highly intelligent and nuanced, with singing lines and rhythmic security. Voicing and counterpoint are beautifully controlled and repeated sections are judiciously ornamented. Perkins includes the Preludes to Suites 4 and 6 found in some sources. He also frames the suites with Froberger’s Partita no. 2 in D minor FbWV 602 and Telemann’s Suite in A major TWV 32:14 (long erroneously attributed to Bach as BWV 824), acknowledging and adeptly illustrating those composers’ influence on Bach. Perkins plays on two Peter Bavington clavichords, copies of a diatonically fretted c. 1785 instrument by Bodechtel in Nürnberg and an unfretted 18th-century German instrument, probably by Silbermann. In making this recording Perkins has done an important service to both the clavichord and to J. S. Bach. As a different take on these well-known works it can be highly recommended.

Noel O’Regan

Luca Oberti
62:55
Stradivarius STR 37025

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his 2014 recording was released in 2015 but has only just reached us. The instrument is a 1990 copy of a Goujon at A410, the resources of which are comprehensively, though tastefully, exploited and the 17th-century temperament used (the music was published in 1699 and 1702) makes a piquant contribution to the overall effect, especially in the minor key music.

Luca Oberti skilfully charts a route through the many minefields of this repertoire – the realisation of the ornaments within the musical lines and the préludes being particular strengths. Tempos are also very well chosen and executed – the quicker movements have life though never become a scramble. His essay (Italian/English) sets the music in its socio-historical context and also offers concise and pertinent comments on each piece.

David Hansell

English 18th-century music for the harpsichord
Sophie Yates
75:20
Chandos Chaconne CHAN0814
Music by Thomas Arne, J. C. Bach, Blow, Clarke, Croft, Greene & Jones

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]t a time when recordings incline towards ‘the complete’ this or that it is a pleasure to come across a themed but more varied recital. Sophie Yates’s survey of English keyboard music in the long 18th century is pretty much constant joy from start to finish. And the lack of Purcell and Handel is a real bonus. They are already ready well represented on disc anyway and their absence here makes space for the delights of others too often overshadowed. So let’s hear it for Blow, Clarke, Croft, Greene, Jones, Arne (especially Arne) and J. C. Bach. The booklet is an example of how to do it, the playing high-class and the instruments beautifully prepared, recorded and exploited. My only regret is that they are after French rather than English originals.

David Hansell