Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, András Schiff :: Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1

Music From Heaven

Örn Leifsson | Reykjavik Iceland. | 06/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think the Well Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach is THE best music ever written by anyone ever! It's just perfect, I've been listening to and playing some of this music for about 15 years now and I never get tired of it, there is so much variety and so many brilliant musical ideas here that you never really understand all of it and so it is constantly surprising you, on the surface this music may not be complex it is just a prelude and a fugue in all the major and minor keys, but it has the same kind of perfection as you find in nature it is like looking at water or a fire or a beautiful tree, the basic form is simple but it has an endless variety to it so you never get bored.But when I first herd this music I was a bit dissapointed it all sounded the same, but after a few more listenings I slowly discovered it's beauty and perfection.I have many recordings of the WTC (Richter, Jarrett, Gould, Jando) all good but this recording by Andras Schiff is my favorite, his playing is deep and smooth and he brings out the calmness and the spiritual side of this masterpiece, just perfect.For those who would like to play this Masterpiece check out the books by Siglind Bruhn which cover both books one and two of the WTC, they are realy good and go deeply into the work covering technical formal and performing aspect of the work."

A Natural wonder..

Örn Leifsson | 11/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Schiff plays Bach in the most wonderfully natural manner there could possibly is.... the voicing is incredible as each voice in J.S. Bach is brought out, as if it were really 4 or 5 voices singing. The natural beauty of the melody is truly unparalleled. Schiff recently performed both Book I and II in Carnegie Hall, and this CD (book I), although not as good as his live performances (as they were recorded over a decade ago), still show a very mature and musical performance that cannot be missed. As for people who are more of a Glenn Gould fan, I think that is a very subjective opinion and by no manner should one discriminate one over another. After all, Gould was playing about 30 years before this CD recording.... and if Gould fans ever realised that even Mr. G himself played many versions of the each (Bach) piece, then one should really have no excuse putting Schiff's version down. Schiff brings out a version of Bach's pieces which I'm sure J.S. Bach would most adore for its natural beauty....."

It's Time for a Second Go

BLee | HK | 11/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have just revisited Schiff's Well-tempered Clavier and it is as fresh as always. Nonetheless, it occurs to me that:



(i) Schiff has captured Bach's spirit very well-- he has Bach in his soul above all;



(ii) nonetheless it was recorded over twenty years ago when Schiff was comparatively young;



(iii) he keeps listening to and referring to Edwin Fischer's Well-tempered Clavier all the time;



(iv) he has been playing these Preludes/Fugues as morning showers all these years, so, he must have a deeper understanding of these pieces as by now he has become a more sophisticated Master Musician;



(v) the recording of these CDs however good they were, still leaves something more to be desired, note for example the difference between the left hand and the right hand-- due most likely to the accoustics of the place where the pieces were recorded-- so that the unity some of these pieces were in check. So it is perhaps time that Schiff should record them for a second time, for the benefit of all the piano students and the enjoyment of all audiences.



Until that happens, and for the more curious and ardent audience, other than Edwin Fischer and Glenn Gould, they could perhaps also try the more outspoken versions from Gulda and Richter. As for the students preparing these works, they could also refer to the lyrical and soulful rendition of Horszowski and the equally impeccable version by Nikolayeva."