J S Bach – 4 Klavierkonzerte
EAN/UPC: 809730503023
Artists: Peter Seivewright
Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach
Release Date: October 2011
Genres: Orchestral
Periods: Baroque
Discs: 1
Total Playing Time: 71:34
Bach’s Concertos for keyboard and chamber orchestra are rightly acknowledged as masterpieces of the genre, and among the first truly great concertos of the Baroque/Early Classical period. They are performed with a wide variety of instrumentation, and here Peter Seivewright plays a modern Steinway Model D grand piano, accompanied by a baroque size ensemble, also using modern instruments, but in the authentic one-to-a-part style. The continuo here is provided, again authentically, by the Spanish guitar, which gives a warmer sound than the more common harpsichord.
Track Listing
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Johann Sebastian Bach:
- Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV1058 − I. Allegro (4:05)
- Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV1058 − II. Andante (6:30)
- Keyboard Concerto in G minor, BWV1058 − III. Allegro assai (3:56)
- Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV1052 − I. Allegro (8:08)
- Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV1052 − II. Adagio (6:20)
- Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV1052 − III. Allegro (7:57)
- Keyboard Concerto in E major, BWV1053 − I. Allegro (8:03)
- Keyboard Concerto in E major, BWV1053 − II. Sicilano (4:54)
- Keyboard Concerto in E major, BWV1053 − III. Allegro (6:17)
- Keyboard Concerto in A major, BWV1055 − I. Allegro (4:23)
- Keyboard Concerto in A major, BWV1055 − II. Larghetto (6:18)
- Keyboard Concerto in A major, BWV1055 − III. Allegro ma non tanto (4:23)
Reviews
“The pianist’s readings are clear, precise and exhibit an admirably cogent structural overview. The Scottish Baroque Soloists is a small chamber group… all the players are sensitive and fully committed to Seivewright’s vision. If you are a fan of these works, you’ll want this disc for your collection
” —Michael Cameron
“Accomplished soloist … it is thoroughly refreshing to hear the ‘orchestral’ lines taken… one player to a part. So the textures have a delightful and appropriate lightness.
” —Robert Anderson
“[Seivewright] plays these with the full resources of the piano and of human emotion. Emotionless baroque performances are not for him – and not for me! These sound very much the way Mozart piano concertos sounded in the great days of recordings. There are lots of nuances and subtleties, plenty of poetry and expression. Nor do the Scottish Baroque Soloists play on period instruments in strict period style; they are far better than that. Very good sound – not too close-up.
” —Donald Vroon
“This fine collaboration between Peter Seivewright and the Scottish Baroque Soloists sheds new light on what were arguably the first works penned for solo keyboard instrument and orchestra. The widely held belief that these compositions represented Bach’s arrangements for piano of what were originally Violin Concertos has recently been called into question by musicologists, but […]
” —Kevin Bryan
“Seivewright’s playing is sensitively shaped, pearly in execution, and tries its best to make his modern piano sound like a fortepiano. The longer this CD went on, the more I liked it. The string sound is satiny and sleek… the Scottish Baroque Soloists give us just about the most beautiful straight-tone string sound I’ve ever heard.
” —Lynn René Bayley
“[Seivewright] plays with an ensemble of solo strings plus double bass and guitar… the atmosphere is intimate, closely recorded. The dry Glasgow acoustic and even balance of piano and strings suits this approach. Seivewright is steadier and more refined [than van Bloss on comparative CD] but this allows the piano to display more wit… not as scintillating [but] more lightly articulated, smoother, quite blithe and comely. Seivewright is reflective yet is also complemented by Ramsay’s expressive chamber ensemble.
” —Michael Greenhalgh