Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Rosalyn Tureck :: Bach: The Great Solo Works, Vol. 2

The Standard for Bach

M. Levitt - classical music buff | Philadelphia, PA | 04/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains four of the Preludes and Fugues from the Well Tempered Clavier, Books I and II; The English Suite #3 in G Minor, BWV 808; the Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964; and the Italian Concerto.



The English Suite #3 is staggering, the most electrifying performance I've ever heard of this wonderful piece: By comparison, Angela Hewitt, in her complete set of the English Suites, seems almost perfunctory. Murray Perahia's performance (on Sony) is very good. Unfortunately, this is the only one of the six English Suites that Tureck recorded that I know of. Sensational. In the Italian Concerto, it is a tossup between Tureck's performance here, and her performance in the double CD on Sony with Charles Rosen playing the Art of the Fugue as to which is better. The excerpts from the Well Tempered Clavier tempt one to want to hear Tureck in the complete WTC. (I bought her complete set on BBC after hearing much of Book II; it is wonderful.) The Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964 is good.



Tureck's Bach was legendary, and this CD is just one of four VAI CDs that demonstrate why her Bach was so special. The others are of the Goldberg Variations (VAIA 1029); Partitas 1,2 and 6 (VAIA 1050); and Rosalyn Tureck Plays Bach: the Great Solo Works, Volume 1 (VAIA 1040). Glenn Gould is said to have admired Tureck's Bach. While I am always on the lookout for fine Bach performers (Murray Perahia, Angela Hewitt, Martha Agerich, Piotr Anderszewski, among others), Rosalyn Tureck takes Bach to another level.



The sound quality is very good.











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Did you ever see a dream walking?

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 07/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
November 24 1979. Rosalyn Tureck is in the eve to play this inspiring performances at William F. Buckley' s home as part of a surprise present.



None of the invited could imagine such present would become in one the most gratifying life experiences for all of them. Thanks to the infinite kindness of this marriage we could become exception witnesses of such magisterial recital.



In case you acquire this superb CD, you may boast you have the best version of the English Suite No. 3 ever recorded.



It will always be a rewarding experience to listen Madame Tureck playing Bach. She possesses that touch of genius, every time her splendid fingers produce such eloquent and pure sound. It's like she played the harpsichord, there is a minimum use of the pedal and an infinite spirit of grandness and solemnity around these works she knows so well.



You should not miss this treasures recordings that reflect a sidereal Bach. Perfection, conviction, expression, temperament, musicality and eloquence: that is in just few words, the essence of the musical genius of this Goddess of the piano.

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