J.s. Bach: Six French Suites Bwv 812-817; Little Preludes

$25.99
Label
Musica Omnia
Release Date
October 10, 2011
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BACH, JOHANN SEBASTIAN
    • PERFORMER
      Peter Watchorn (Harpsichord)
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      October 10, 2011
    • UPC
      801890040226
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      MO0402
    • LABEL
      Musica Omnia
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      3
    • GENRE
      Instrumental
    Works ⌄

    1. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 875a

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    2. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    3. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    4. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    5. IV. Menuet I-II

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    6. V. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    7. Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    8. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    9. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    10. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    11. IV. Air

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    12. V. Menuet I-II

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    13. VI. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    14. Prelude in B Minor, BWV 923

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    15. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    16. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    17. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    18. IV. Anglaise

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    19. V. Menuet I-II

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    20. VI. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    21. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815a (variante): I. Prelude

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    22. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    23. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    24. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    25. IV. Gavotte

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    26. V. Menuet

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    27. VI. Air

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    28. VII. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    29. Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 902a: Prelude

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    30. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    31. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    32. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    33. IV. Gavotte

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    34. V. Bourree

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    35. VI. Loure

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    36. VII. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    37. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude No. 10 in E Major, BWV 855/i

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    38. I. Allemande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    39. II. Courante

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    40. III. Sarabande

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    41. IV. Gavotte

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    42. V. Polonaise

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    43. VI. Bourree

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    44. VII. Gigue

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    45. VIII. Menuet

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    46. Prelude in C Major, BWV 924

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    47. Prelude in D Major, BWV 925

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    48. Prelude in D Minor, BWV 926

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    49. Prelude in F Major, BWV 927

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    50. Prelude in F Major, BWV 928

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    51. Trio in G Minor, BWV 929

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    52. Prelude in G Minor, BWV 930

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    53. Prelude in A Minor, BWV 931

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    54. Prelude in E Minor, BWV 932 (completed by P. Watchorn)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    55. Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 933

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    56. Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 934

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    57. Prelude No. 3 in D Minor, BWV 935

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    58. Prelude No. 4 in D Major, BWV 936

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    59. Prelude No. 5 in E Major, BWV 937

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    60. Prelude No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 938

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    61. Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 939

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    62. Prelude No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 940

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    63. Prelude No. 3 in E Minor, BWV 941

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    64. Prelude No. 4 in A Minor, BWV 942

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn

    65. Prelude No. 5 in C Major, BWV 943

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Peter Watchorn


Bach's French Suites are pieces that underwent many revisions. Unlike Bach's Partitas, which were published and therefore frozen in their state at the time of publication, the French Suites were didactic pieces, with many variants. Some early versions appear in the 1722 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, which contains two full suites (BWV 815 and 816) together with parts of the first two suites. Peter Watchorn discusses how Bach used these suites for teaching in his interesting liner-notes. These take the form of an imaginary interview with Johann Sebastian Bach.

The first thing that strikes the listener is the clear, rich sound of the harpsichord, a Zuckerman copy of a Christian Vater instrument from 1738. Not only does this harpsichord offer an extremely balanced sound from the low end to the treble, but the recording itself enhances the musicality of the instrument. It sounds warm and full, without the sometimes harsh high end that can be tiring to listen to. Also, it is worth noting that Watchorn uses Bradley Lehman's tuning scheme, described here.

Watchorn's performances here are delightful. His playing ranges from dainty to powerful according to the needs of each specific movement. He takes full advantage of the wide spectrum of sounds his harpsichord can voice, offering tasteful ornamentation and subtle accents when desirable.

One thing that Watchorn does here that sets this recording apart from others involves interpolating preludes into those suites that lack a prelude. He has restored the prelude to the 4th suite, and plays other preludes before the suites that do not contain any. His reasoning, laid out in the liner-notes, is in part due to the fact that Bach and his sons would "improvise" preludes when playing these suites. To this end, he uses preludes from a variety of sources: The Well-Tempered Clavier, other uncollected preludes, and even BWV 999, a prelude that Bach wrote for the lute, and which is well-known.

I am very familiar with the French Suites, having long appreciated these beautiful works. Adding preludes to them is interesting, but when one has listened to them without these preludes for so long, it can be jarring to hear them with what seem like "intruders", especially those preludes that are familiar from The Well-Tempered Clavier, or the prelude for lute. I admire the research that has gone into this choice, but I will choose to listen to the French Suites without these additional movements. It is like Bach's Art of Fugue. For a long time, it was thought that the unfinished fugue was the final part of the work; it certainly sounds like a summation of the rest of the fugues, and its ending in suspension is a fitting ending for the entire work. But musicologists have shown us that its position in the work was much earlier. Nevertheless, I simply cannot listen to it in its proper position.

This set also contains the twenty "Little Preludes", other didactic works from the Clavierbüchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. Among these works, Watchorn "completed" the prelude BWV 932, which existed as a fragment. I find the Little Preludes interesting, but they certainly don't stand up to the French Suites. These are not works I return to often, though Watchorn's recordings are up to the same standards as the French Suites.

To sum up, this is a fine recording of the French Suites, with the odd aspect of the additional preludes. It is up to the listener to decide whether or not he or she wishes to hear the suites in this manner. Given the quality of the performances and especially the excellent recording, this set is among the best harpsichord recordings of these works.

-- Kirk McElhearn, MusicWeb International