Search - Igor Kipnis :: Works For Harpsichord And Clavichord

As The Master Himself would have played it

rikkus2 | Guerneville, CA United States | 06/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is one of the treasures in the catalog, pure and simple. I admit that I rarely listen to the harpsichord pieces anymore, but that is not due to any defiency in their artistry or recording, but rather the (to me) greatly superior intimacy and sonority of the clavichord. It was this very disc that introduced me to the clavichord, back in the late 60's, and it has never been surpassed in the decades since, despite the noble efforts of Messrs. Pinnock and Troeger, et al. The Little Preludes and the 2 Fantasias are well worth the price of admission here. To those who decry Mr. Kipnis for "excessive ornamentation" I can only say that, regardless of academic arguments to the contrary, the ornamentation here is exquisite and absolutely flawless. This performance could indeed be an auditory treatise on how to ornament Bach. Suffice it to say that I own thousands of recordings, and this particular treasure is one I return to again and again. No lover of the great Bach, nor of music in general, should be without this recording. Period. Even my kids love this CD. Honestly, it is as close to perfection as anything I have ever heard. When you hear it, you too will lament the tragic fact tht Mr. Kipnis died before he could record more Bach. Buy it; you won't be sorry."