Re: GG: Die Kunst der Fuge (revisited)

[Bradley P Lehman <bpl@umich.edu>]

On Wed, 14 Jul 1999, Pat Zumstein wrote:

> > And most important: Could someone  pleasse reccommend a "reference
> > recording" of KdF?

On what instrument(s)?  There are so many recordings (30+) that have their
own merits, so it depends what instrumentation you're looking for.
Interpretations and tempos are all over the place.  

If I had to pick exactly one keyboard recording I'd perhaps choose Louis
Bagger on harpsichord (Titanic)...the piece was most likely written for
harpsichord, so let's hear it that way.  Bagger brings out the lines
clearly with an easy flow, rather similarly to Charles Rosen on piano.  
And for non-keyboard, Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall (Astree).  But it's so
hard to choose.  On some other day I might feel like hearing one of the
saxophone quartet recordings, or a different harpsichord recording, or
organ, or piano, or brass, or two keyboards, or some other ensemble.  The
early version (manuscript) of the piece as played by Robert Hill (or by
Kenneth Gilbert) is also quite interesting.

p.s. Yes, Neil, I have the Sokolov, and I like his clarity, but some of
his interpretation seems artificial to me in his choices of keyboard
touch.

Bradley Lehman ~ http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl/ 
Dayton, VA, USA ~ 38.43N+78.98W