Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Ramin Bahrami
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 326 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Johann Sebastian Bach
Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of the Fugue)
for keyboard (or other instruments) BWV 1080
01. Contraunctus 1
02. Contraunctus 2
03. Contraunctus 3
04. Contraunctus 4
05. Contraunctus 5
06. Contraunctus 6 per Diminutionem in Stylo Francese
07. Contraunctus 7 per Augmentationem et Diminutionem
08. Contraunctus 8
09. Contraunctus 9 alla Duodecima
10. Contraunctus 10 alla Decima
11. Contraunctus 11
12. Contraunctus 12a rectus
13. Contraunctus 12b inversus
14. Contraunctus 13b rectus
15. Contraunctus 13a inversus
16. Canon in Hypodiapason. Canon alla Ottava
17. Canon alla Decima in Contrapunto alla Terza
18. Canon alla Duodecima in Contrapunto alla Quinta
19. Canon in Hypodiatessaron per Augmentationem in Contrario Motu
20. Contraunctus 14
attributions
As is the case nowadays, reviews and curatorial decisions are greater and lesser expansions of the performers craft. They form interpretations of interpretations. So it is with attributions – or ‘spot the influence’. The CV notes provide testimony to Bloser, Weissenberg, Schiff, Levin and lastly Rosslyn Turek. Who could argue with the performing lineage? It only becomes less noteworthy when Gould is omitted – especially when Bahrami is a pianist acting at times as something of a direct conduit to the composer in his interpretation of their scores as in the manner of Gould with his performances of Bach. Such a thing was strongly evident in Bahrami’s Catania debut where one perhaps aurally detected a more direct homage to the Canadian’s ‘sing along’ rattle and hum.
Don’t get me wrong. The haunting repetitions are intact – leaning towards the romantic perhaps rather than the more metronomic baroque.