Bach: Well-tempered Clavier / Evelyne Crochet

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BACH The Well-Tempered Clavier ? Evelyn Crochet (pn) ? MUSIC & ARTS CD-1180 (4 CDs: 259:36)


The last I?d heard of Evelyn Crochet was on my turntable last year, when I listened once again to her cycle of Fauré?s piano music on Vox LPs issued during the 1960s. In their own quiet, understated way, I think they remain among the pleasures of that audio period, both for their sensitivity and core of robust strength. Now, Music & Arts has released a 2002 recording of the complete Well-Tempered Clavier featuring Crochet. When our beloved Editor mentioned it, I immediately requested a copy for review?despite knowing that present day disappointments from respected artists of yore do occur, and more often than we care to admit.


My concerns were largely unjustified, however. Crochet is in excellent form. She offers gracious playing, unsentimental but not without warmth when required, as the serenely smiling E?-Major Prelude (Book 2) demonstrates. Another Prelude, that of B? Major (Book 1), demonstrates the state of her current technique with fleet, perfectly even passagework. The chords that break and resolve the linear movement aren?t milked in the Romantic manner, but allowed to fall naturally in place.


So an informed style is a factor in these performances, as it was in Crochet?s Fauré. The C-Major Prelude, the one that leads off the entire set, is again luminous while avoiding anachronisms: the bass line makes its vital presence known without drawing undo attention, and discreet changes in dynamics between each repetition of the arpeggiated cell facilitate the music?s flow without drawing attention to themselves. It is an example the pianist gives repeatedly throughout the album.


If I find the fugues overall just slightly less good, it?s because of the more incisive voicing offered by Angela Hewitt in her recording (Hyperion CDA 67301/2, CDA 67303/4). Crochet?s approach seems more generalized in the slower, calmer fugues, including the one in C Minor (Book 2). These are subtle performances where minute changes in tempo, volume, articulation, or dominance between the hands create the final effect, and the fugal textures are downplayed a bit too much for my taste. That noted, those fugues that offer what we would consider a more expressive character are highly enjoyable under her hands. To the A-Major Fugue (Book 1), for example, Crochet supplies a puckish, almost truculent humor that results from the sharp accent given to the first note, contrasted against the delicate filigree work in the left hand.


The miking is close, always a good thing where the piano is concerned, but with a slightly glassy sound in loud passages, and a slightly dull one in quieter moments. The liner notes provided by Crochet appear aimed at musical novices, but would they really form the natural audience for this release? In any case, these are quibbles that shouldn?t stand in the way of purchasing this attractive set. It offers no revelations but solid, inspired music-making, and that?s enough for me.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal


Product Description:

  • Release Date: March 01, 2006


  • Catalog Number: MA CD-1180


  • UPC: 017685118029


  • Label: Music & Arts


  • Number of Discs: 4


  • Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach


  • Performer: Evelyne Crochet



Works:

  1. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 1 in C major, BWV 846

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  2. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 2 in C minor, BWV 847

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  3. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 3 in C sharp major, BWV 848

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  4. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 4 in C sharp minor, BWV 849

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  5. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 5 in D major, BWV 850

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  6. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 6 in D minor, BWV 851

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  7. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 7 in E flat major, BWV 852

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  8. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 8 in E flat minor, BWV 853

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  9. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 9 in E major, BWV 854

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  10. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 10 in E minor, BWV 855

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  11. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 11 in F major, BWV 856

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  12. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 12 in F minor, BWV 857

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  13. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 13 in F sharp major, BWV 858

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  14. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 14 in F sharp minor, BWV 859

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  15. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 15 in G major, BWV 860

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  16. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 16 in G minor, BWV 861

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  17. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 17 in A flat major, BWV 862

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  18. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 18 in G minor, BWV 863

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  19. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 19 in A major, BWV 864

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  20. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 20 in A minor, BWV 865

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  21. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 21 in B flat major, BWV 866

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  22. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 22 in B flat minor, BWV 867

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  23. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 23 in B major, BWV 868

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  24. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue no 24 in B minor, BWV 869

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  25. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 1 in C major, BWV 870

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  26. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 2 in C minor, BWV 871

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  27. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 3 in C sharp major, BWV 872

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  28. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 4 in C sharp minor, BWV 873

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  29. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 5 in D major, BWV 874

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  30. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 6 in D minor, BWV 875

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  31. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 7 in E flat major, BWV 876

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  32. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 8 in E flat minor, BWV 877

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  33. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 9 in E major, BWV 878

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  34. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 10 in E minor, BWV 879

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  35. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 11 in F major, BWV 880

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  36. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 12 in F minor, BWV 881

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  37. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 13 in F sharp major BWV 882

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  38. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 14 in F sharp minor, BWV 883

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  39. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 15 in G major, BWV 884

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  40. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 16 in G minor, BWV 885

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  41. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 17 in A flat major, BWV 886

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  42. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 18 in G sharp minor, BWV 887

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  43. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 19 in A major, BWV 888

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  44. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 20 in A minor, BWV 889

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  45. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 21 in B flat major, BWV 890

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  46. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 22 in B flat minor, BWV 891

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  47. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 23 in B major, BWV 892

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)


  48. Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue no 24 in B minor, BWV 893

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Performer: Evelyne Crochet (Piano)