"I first heard this same version of Art of the Fugue on an LP (showing my age unfortunately). It has been remastered and released along with several other selections. Astounding is one word that comes to mind. Magisterial is another. Authentic is yet another.
Helmut Walcha was the blind genius who recorded Bach's entire organ output FROM MEMORY. That feat in itself deserves a medal of some kind. I've heard the Art of the Fugue by string quartet, violin, harsichord, piano, guitar, and my favorite, organ. (Perveresly, I'd love to hear it on one of the French Cavaille-Coll "symphonic" instruments.) Despite all the hogwash about Bach's intentions that it was written without a particular instrument in mind, it is hard to believe that someone could hear this recording and not be absolutely convinced that the organ, HIS instrument, was the one he had in mind.
The phrasing, held notes, pedals - all point to an organistic setting. It is true that neither tempi nor registration accompanied the manuscript but Bach did not always include both for many of the "great" preludes and fugues. One of the best features of the LP version was the large pamphlet of notes including themes. In the sheet music edited by Walcha he "finishes" the final fugue and one wishes that were included here - even over the protests of purists.
My grade: A"
Fantastic!
Mark Twain | 01/06/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One other reviewer laments that this interpretation is not "jolly", but this is actually a serious and reverential interpretation of a serious work. Do I think Bach is interpreted too sternly some of the time? Sure, but if you take this work for what it is even on its face, as a de facto presentation of the fugal style, then you must understand that it is that academic and cerebral quality being most clearly expressed here by Helmut Walcha. Personally I like this kind of presentation. The fascinating thing about the Art of The Fugue has always been the astonishing precision of the patterning of the notes. For me the piece is virtually devoid of emotion, it is not happy (certainly not jolly), or sad, it is just patterned harmony, patterned so perfectly as to render emotion from the listener.
All artists who try too hard to interpret Art of The Fugue, or assign it a particular character, will be left with with something less, or perhaps just a mess. This piece is unassailable, the only real approach to Bach's genius here is through the notes on the page, Helmut takes this approach.
If you truly appreciate Bach as a master of the medium, as an incredibly devout Christian determined to speak directly to God, then you must appreciate the more sterile renditions of the music. It is what Bach wanted, to remove the human elements which he felt stained a direct communication with god.
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1