Bach: English Suites, BWV 806-811

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
There's nothing "English" about the English Suites, except for a story circulating after Bach's death that they were composed for an Englishman. These pieces are larger than Bach's French Suites, for in addition to the usual batch of dances that characterizes the suite form, they also contain a large introductory prelude, or "overture." Gould performs this music--as he does all of Bach--with the crisp style and utter digital clarity that for many people remains the way this music was meant to sound. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante 1/Courante 2 Avec Deux Doubles
4. Sarabande
5. Bourree 1/Bourree 2/Bourree 1
6. Gigue
1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande/Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
5. Bourree 1 Alternativement/Bourree 2/Bourree 1
6. Gigue
1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande/Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
5. Gavotte 1 Alternativement/Gavotte 2 Et la Musette/ Gavotte 1
6. Gigue

Tracks:

1. Prelude (Vitement)
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Menuet 1/Menuet 2/Menuet 1
6. Gigue
1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Passepied 1 En Rondeau/Passepied 2/Passepied 1
6. Gigue
1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande/Double
5. Gavotte 1/Gavotte 2/Gavotte 1
6. Gigue

Tracks:

1. Praeludium
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Menuets 1 & 2
6. Gigue
1. Sinfonia (Grave/Adagio/Andante)
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Rondeau
6. Capriccio
1. Fantasia
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Burlesca
6. Scherzo
7. Gigue

Tracks:

1. Ouverture
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Aria
6. Menuet
7. Gigue
1. Praeambulum
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Tempo Di Menuetto
6. Passepied
7. Gigue
1. Toccata
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Air
6. Tempo Di Gavotta
7. Gigue

Customer Reviews:

Factual correction regarding the instrument used in the English Suites.......2006-08-06

The instrument Leonhardt plays in his recording of the English Suites is not a genuine antique, but rather a forgery made by Skowroneck and passed off by GL for a decade or so as a harpsichord made in 1755 by Nicolas Lefebvre of Rouen. Lebvre was a real organbuilder and instrument maker in Rouen in the middle of 18th century, but none of his harpsichords actually survive. All was revealed by Skowroneck in a fascinating article in the Galpin Society journal in 2002. The instrument, incidentally, is really fine and sounds as good as many antiques

Wonderful sarabandes.......2005-05-23

I agree with the previous reviewer (banjoboomer), these are wonderful performances, and, as he points out, Leonhardt does play the repeats in the sarabandes. And how beautifully he plays those sarabandes! In fact I fell in love with how Leonhardt plays the sarabande of partita no. 4; he plays it so naturally and with such a sense of timing that one does not easily realize how magnificently it is actually played.

excellent performance, and outstanding value.......2005-04-26

These are fine, nuanced, and well-recorded performances of both the English suites and the Partitas. Although, as the other reviewer notes, Leonhardt skips the repeats in most movements, the low price tag and the quality of the interpretation more than make up for this quirk. (And just so you can rest easy: Leonhardt *does* take the repeats in the Sarabandes where Bach has written out the ornamentation to his simple melodic line, so nothing is "left out" on that score.) The instrument in the English suites is an authentic German harpsichord of the period, restored by the great Skowroneck, and the Partitas are played on a William Dowd replica. In both cases the recording engineering avoids both the over-closeness that mars many of Kenneth Gilbert's otherwise provocative performances and the distance that can rob a recorded harpsichord of its richness. That said, the main attraction here is the interpretation, which similarly avoids the extremes of metrical rigidity and distracting overelaboration. I'm still in love with Pinnock's more recent recording of the Partitas on Hänssler, but I cannot recommend this pairing strongly enough, if you're looking for an historically informed performance of these works.

Disappointed.......2005-03-24

While this seems a great value-Gustav Leonhardt playing the Partitas and English Suites for under $20-there is a catch: None of the repeats are taken. I had to return the set.

Average customer rating:

a musician's favorite recording of these works
One of the top pianists of the world!
Schiff pleases, but doesn't win me over.
This is piano music for life.
Quality recording.

Bach: English Suites BWV 806-811

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Bach: The Six French Suites
Bach: Two part Inventions/Three Part Inventions
Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier Book II
Bach: English Suites, BWV 806-811
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1

ASIN: B0000041UP
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

English Suites BWV 806-811: Prelude
English Suites BWV 806-811: Allemande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Courante I
English Suites BWV 806-811: Courante II Avec Deux Doubles
English Suites BWV 806-811: Sarabande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Bourree I And Bourree II
English Suites BWV 806-811: Gigue
English Suites BWV 806-811: Prelude
English Suites BWV 806-811: Allemande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Courante
English Suites BWV 806-811: Sarabande Et Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Gavotte I Alternativement & Gavotte III Ou La Musette
English Suites BWV 806-811: Gigue
English Suites BWV 806-811: Prelude
English Suites BWV 806-811: Allemande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Courante
English Suites BWV 806-811: Sarabande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Passepied I En Rondeau & Passepied II
English Suites BWV 806-811: Gigue

Tracks:

Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Prelude
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Allemande
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Courante
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Sarabande Et Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Bourree I Alternativement & Bourree II
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: Gigue
English Suites BWV 806-811: Prelude
English Suites BWV 806-811: Allemande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Courante
English Suites BWV 806-811: Sarabande
English Suites BWV 806-811: Menuet I & Menuet II
English Suites BWV 806-811: Gigue
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Prelude
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Allemande
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Courante
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Sarabade & Double
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Gavotte I And Gavotte II
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: Gigue

Customer Reviews:

a musician's favorite recording of these works.......2007-06-29

As a professional musician who loves not only the harpsichord and the piano but also the clavichord, and who had taken the trouble to study "Baroque music performance practice" while in music graduate school, I would like to say that this is the one of many Bach recordings that I have (and not only of music for the keyboard) that I just about always reach for first. And if I may suggest so boldly, until one has actually studied the score carefully (and hopefully even played it), there's always the danger of judging recordings by previous recordings that one already knew. A danger of which I have been a victim many a time as I got to study a piece myself and pretty much had to 'rethink' it completely, as invariably I had to get those "first impressions" out of my ear and my head before I may proceed.

That being said, I find this recording excellent (though not perfect, as such a beast does not exist), first of all because Andras Schiff is truly musical, unfortunately a rare quality even among us so-called professional musicians. Secondly, I find his approach "in tune" with what I always try to do when interpreting this repertoire: "how would Bach have played such and such a piece, if he had the modern piano at his disposition?"

Finally, the duty of a performing musician is to be as faithful an interpreter of the composer's music as possible. For example, if each composer has his/her own [musical] language, then it is the musician's duty to speak that language "without any [foreign] accent". And should a musician have to choose between being faithful in such a way and trying to please everyone in the audience, the true artist would always opt for the first, for better or worse... By which I mean better for his/her [artistic] soul but worse for his/her pocketbook!

One of the top pianists of the world!.......2006-09-15

Two great pianists of the past, have literally made personal and almost unsurpassable landmarks in the English Suites: Rosalyn Tureck with the superb version of the third suite and then Glenn Gould 's emblematic and overwhelming performances.

Nevertheless ,it `s worthy to remark the distinguished refinement and eloquent expressiveness of Andras Schiff in these formidable and always rewarding sets of the music of musicians, the oldest musicians of the future: Johan Sebastian Bach.

Schiff has expanded and enriched even more his extraordinary and well selected repertoire. This Hungarian pianist is actually one of the most pyramidal pianists all over the world. The accurate phrasing, the velvet sound and the zealous fingering, enviable articulation and sheer musicality denote and suggest a bulletproof musical commitment and so a mesmerizing sound, plenty of freshness and powerful imagination.

Under any reason you should miss these stand-out performances.

Schiff pleases, but doesn't win me over........2002-07-12

Andras Schiff is, without a doubt, one of the greatest Bach keyboard players of our day. By "keyboard," of course, I mean pianoforte, since his snobby disdain of the venerable harpsichord is well-known, and even notorious to some listeners (including me). Nevertheless, unlike the simpler French Suites, the English Suites were written with greater complexity and they therefore call for the more versatile expressive range of the pianoforte, which is one reason why Schiff would be a preferred performer (as this mode is his element).

This being the case, I am all the more disappointed by Schiff's rather insipid rendering of many of the movements on this 2-CD recording. Surely, he could put forth a more inspiring effort into his performance. Whereas some reviewers are touched by his 'understated elegance,' I find myself reaching for the volume knob instead. The opening A-E7 arpeggios of Track 1 are eked out as if played by a mouse, not so delicate as they are muffled. Perhaps it was the acoustics, I don't know, but I would expect more drive from Schiff, especially for the recording's opening bars!

Nonetheless, his well-measured pace and vitality shines through when it is needed most emphatically, as in the final Gigue of BWV 810 and (even more graciously) in the long and complex prelude of BWV 811.

In short, this recording is a mixed bag. If one cannot tolerate Gould's humming, however, this is your best bet.

This is piano music for life........2001-11-21

I've had this Schiff recording for nigh on ten years and have yet to hear a better one. Bach's English Suites, particularly number three, are so ahead of their time it's scary. So personal, so emotional, and yet technically not his most sophisticated or respected works. Why?? Whatever can be said of them I think them sublime.

Schiff, perhaps better known for his flawless treatment of Schubert's revered piano sonatas (London), gives a magical rendering to some of the great composer's more thoughtful music. If you're not convinced of the romantic and ground-breaking aspect of these suites, listen to the "Courante" and "Sarabande" of suite three in G minor. These brief movements are unutterably beautiful. Although sometimes a little too technical for his own good, Schiff is more than faithful to what I think Bach had in mind.

Again, this is piano music for life.

Quality recording........2001-08-06

I realise that many people do not appreciate Schiff's interpretation of this piece. I have listened to many other pianists' version of the English Suites, including Gould's, Peraiha's (spelling?), etc. but I still think that Schiff's interpretation of this work is excellent enough to be worth buying. Maybe not Schiff's best, but that's still better than a lot of others'!

Average customer rating:

Pretty
Charm over bravura
Elegant Bach
Played all wrong!
Definitive English Suites

Bach: The English Suites

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Bach: French Suites / Angela Hewitt
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ASIN: B0000BX5L4
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Prelude
Allemande
Courante I
Courante II
Sarabande
Bourree I And II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande Et Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
Bourree I And II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande Et Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
Gavotte I And II
Gigue

Tracks:

Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Menuet I And II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Passepied I And II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I And II
Gigue

Customer Reviews:

Pretty.......2007-03-25

Competent piano playing, but I had hoped this kind of prissy, superficial playing went out with Rosalyn Tureck and her ilk. Bach shouldn't sound "pretty"! Listen to how she drains all the drama from the gigue of the E-minor suite, then listen to Murray Perahia play it with amazing rhythmic sublety and drama, letting all the voices speak.

Charm over bravura.......2005-09-20

Apparently the "English" in these suites refers to some historical evidence that they were written for "an Englishman of nobility." While there is not so much style of the English in this music, the international flavors of Italy, Germany, Spain and especially France abound in these series of six suites consisting of several contrasting 'dance' movements. The Courantes, Bourrees, Menuets and Gavottes are quintessentially French, the Sarabandes of Spanish origin, the Allemandes from Germany and the French Gigue from Anglo roots in the 'Jig.' While their origins came from dance music of the courts and peasants of the 16th & 17th centuries, the dances of Bach's Suites were composed purely for instrumental, concert purposes.

In her exquisite liner notes, Miss Hewitt summarizes Bach's huge talent for integrating and fusing these diverse, regional dance influences into one grand style: "Bach was able to combine the grace and refinement of French dance music with concerto elements borrowed from the Italians, yet subjecting it all to the German predilection for polyphonic writing at which he was the supreme master. Nowhere is this more beautifully demonstrated that in his six English Suites."

Bach's English Suites are filled with much superbly crafted, complex and memorable music - from the haughtingly beautiful sarabandes to the highly rhythmic preludes and gigues. Unlike the six Partitas or French Suites, each of the English Suites begins with a prelude - but preludes that are quite technical and fast moving and hardly relaxed like those of Bach's WTC. And where the French Suites are more aristrocratic, restrained and elegant overall, the English Suites are definately more virtuostic - somewhat akin to the Partitas and Toccatas at times - but these alternating with the slower and contemplative sarabandes and allemandes. The deeply expressive writing Bach brought to the sarabandes is definately a highlight of the English Suites as is Hewitt's emotionally-emersed and plaintive playing of them.

Suites No. 2 and 6 are perhaps the stars of the set - fantastic compositions that show off the keyboardist's technical virtues that Hewitt plays with dazzle, authority and supreme confidence. Her Suite No. 2 bursts forth with great energy and excitement - even moreso and more multifaceted than Martha Argerich's dynamic reading (DG). Particularly in the opening Prelude and later Bourree, Hewitt shows herself to be a master of drama and conception by her well-chosen, varying dynamics, swells and flutters that add great dimension and excitement to the music. In such kinetic movements, her clean, quicksilver passagework is second to none; and few find such heartfelt, expressive depth in the sarabandes.

I have all of Hewitt's discography and rank the English Suites among my top 3 favorites - both for Bach's superb compositons and Hewitt's dynamic and sensitive playing. This set scored a top 3-star rating and "Recommended Recording" citing in the 2005 Penguin Guide. The most articulate review I came across was written for the Bach journal, "The Goldberg," that also summarized mostly my take on this set (4.5 star rating):

"Angela Hewitt writes of one of the gigues in this set that it should be rendered with "charm rather than bravura", and on another that it requires "clarity, precision, and a sense of line". These are apt descriptions of her own virtues throughout this set. Hewitt's interpretations are thoughtful and detailed, and might seem understated on first hearing. Her tone is consistently beautiful: she never displays the hard-edged, brilliant sonorities which Perahia occasionally exploits to great effect in his set. Most of her tempi are moderate-to-slow. She achieves a seemingly effortless clarity, gently underlining (rather than boldly highlighting) inner lines and motifs.

For all her seeming moderation, Hewitt exploits most of the modern piano's resources, displaying a wide range of articulation, dynamics and colours. She rarely projects immediate contrasts - sudden transition from loud to soft, or from full-toned to delicate; instead, she prefers constant nuances, subtly shifting attention between different strands in the texture, and cumulatively, almost imperceptibly, delineating a movement's progression. Repeats are often varied (including additional ornamentation). Through these subtle means Hewitt projects the different characters of individual dances, as well as those of entire suites - from the radiant serenity of the Fourth Suite to the depth and grandeur of the Sixth.

Another virtue of this set is the liner notes. Hewitt's enthusiasm for these works is conveyed in a sometimes conversational style of writing -- a few sentences read more like an interview transcription than like a written essay. This might bother some readers, though I got used to it fairly quickly. They're both enjoyable and informative, and give some insight into her musical choices as a performer.

The piano's sound, and the recording, are sometimes over-resonant, and occasionally I would have preferred more incisive articulation. But these minor reservations hardly detracted from my enjoyment of these moving performances. This is one of the finer achievements in Hewitt's highly-acclaimed Bach series. Fierce competition from Andras Schiff and Murray Perahia notwithstanding, this might well be the finest set of the English Suites on the piano." Uri Golomb

Elegant Bach.......2005-01-10

The English Suites are the first of three sets of suites Bach wrote for the keyboard, the others being the French Suites and Partitas.

Of the three sets of suites, the Partitas are perhaps the greatest set, the French the most accessible.

I tend to prefer Bach on piano (to harpsichord). I think the richness of Bach's music comes over better on piano, assuming of course that the pianist is very good in Bach.

Angela Hewitt's set of the English Suites is elegant, songful and pianistic;the more I listen to Hewitt, the more I enjoy her. I think Murray Perahia's set of the English Suites is more personal than Hewitt, very compelling, but not better. Rosalyn Tureck (on VAI) offers an unforgettable, marvelous performance of the English Suite no.3 coupled with superb excerpts of the Well Tempered Clavier, the Italian Concerto etc.

Of Hewitt's Bach recordings I know, the very best are of the Well Tempered Clavier (Books 1 and 2) (try hearing Rosalyn Tureck in them too!).

I think we are fortunate today to have wonderful Bach recordings by Tureck, Hewitt, and Perahia (also Piotr Anderszewski in Bach Partitas 1,3 and 6 on Virgin).

Played all wrong!.......2004-09-25

I don't really see why there is all this great furour over Angela Hewitt's playing. All the faults of her other Bach recordings are on full display here: She has a way of focussing on a voice by making the others practically inaudible. This works well for Couperin - and I greatly enjoy her recordings of Couperin - where the melodic line is more important, and other voices less important than in Bach.
However, in Bach's music, this kills the intricate weaving of voices that are its glory. While her playing is quite refined, it is all veneer, and no substance.

Definitive English Suites.......2004-02-23

until I heard this new recording, my all time favorite recordings of the English Suites were the harpsichord version on Westminster by Fernando Valenti. Pretty old but this new recording on the modern grand is all the energy, articulation, clarity and brilliance of that set. It is unusual to compare the harpsichord version with a version recorded probably 35 to 40 years later on the concert grand. But what comes out to me from this recent recording is the joy of playing the music by Angela Hewitt and her obvious devotion to the music. It has none of the ponderous playing of so many versions that I have listened to and purchased. These recordings to my mind beat all the competition and it is the best yet in her complete Bach series.

Average customer rating:

I've tried...
Glenn Gould is a genius
5 stars is an understatement
Comment on Hiram Gomez Pardo's comment.
When the musicality and the genius are joined!

Bach: English Suites, BWV 806-811

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000028NK
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806 -- 1. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, III. Courante I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, IV. Courante II
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, V. Double I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, VI. Double II
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, VII. Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, VIII. Bourree I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, IX. Bourree II -- Bourree I Da Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806, X. Gigue
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, I. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, III. Courante
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, IV. Sarabande-Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, V. Bourree I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, VI. Bourree II -- Bourree I Sa Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807, VII. Gigue
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, I. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, III. Courante
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, IV. Sarabande-Les Agrements De La Meme Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, V. Gavotte I (Ou La Musette)
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, VI. Gavotte II -- Gavotte I Da Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808, VII. Gigue

Tracks:

English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, I. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, III. Courante
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, IV. Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, V. Menuett I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, VI. Menuett II -- Menuett I Da Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809, VII. Gigue
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, I. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, III. Courante
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, IV. Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, V. Passepied I (En Rondeau)
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, VI. Passepied II -- Passepied I Da Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810, VII. Gigue
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, I. Prelude
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, II. Allemande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, III. Courante
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, IV. Sarabande
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, V. Double
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, VI. Gavotte I
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, VII. Gavotte II -- Gavotte I Da Capo
English Suites, BWV 806-811: Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811, VIII. Gigue

Amazon.com essential recording

There's nothing "English" about the English Suites, except for a story circulating after Bach's death that they were composed for an Englishman. These pieces are larger than Bach's French Suites, for in addition to the usual batch of dances that characterizes the suite form, they also contain a large introductory prelude, or "overture." Gould performs this music--as he does all of Bach--with the crisp style and utter digital clarity that for many people remains the way this music was meant to sound. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

I've tried..........2007-02-14

I've tried to hear what others claim to hear in Glenn Gould's performances of Bach. I have a good friend who's a devotee and who owns every Gould CD available. What I do hear is a lack of steadiness of tempo, a self-indulgence that makes some movements of a suite almost poignant and others almost perfunctory, with the overall effect of a lack of unity of conception. But listen for yourself: there are several CDs available of Gustav Leonhardt, the greatest Bach keyboard interpreter of the last century, performing the English Suites. Even more convincing, I believe, is the performance of these Suites by Bob van Asperen on two CDs of the Bach Edition complete works, offered by Brilliant Classics, and very well recorded technically.

Glenn Gould is a genius.......2007-01-10

Absolutely the best and original Bach performer, this is just one of a must have recording for a serious music lover

5 stars is an understatement.......2006-01-23

One could describe this music as reaching the pinnacle of musical achievement. It's beautiful, it changes everything around you. My wife brought it into her classroom - all the children worked intently and quietly, all mesmerized by the harmonious counterpoint of Bach by Gould. I can never tire of it.

Comment on Hiram Gomez Pardo's comment........2005-04-07

"The real inspiration motives of Bach are far away [from] this world and its circumstance [sic] and when Gould plays he seems to be a direct pupil from Bach ."
What contradiction here. The intellect slams up against a wall, the heart knows this can't be true, and the soul belches ever so softly to indicate its displeasure. My notion of Bach's inspiration comes more directly from this world than any other. What a family he raised and loved, what an occupation free from the dread of slaughter or incessant deception, what fountain of natural talent and what synchronistic combination of socio-historical variables made his love of this world shine through his music? The answer is before us all in Gould's interpretations.
The real inspiration motives? Such stuff as dreams are made on get stuffed in this commentator's bag into desperate knots and crumples of unnecessary and vastly befuddled explication. Is English being used here as a second language, or is "this world" defined subjectively from the perspective of one disgruntled with his?
"[H]e seems to be a direct pupil from [sic] Bach." Need I present any more direct evidence of Bach's firm connection with this world than the influence his music had on Glenn Gould? Which world, this world? Temporal and generational flux do not in any way detract from the fixed dependence of Bach's inspirations on the richness of this world, this ever-changing world!
N.B. This was written in the spirit of direct honesty and pure reaction to having read Pardo's comment, while listening to English Suite #1 in A Major, Movement III. Courante I. It is intended solely to share my reaction to Pardo's comment and is not intended to downplay or cheapen my apparent victim. The disagreement is purely philosophical, but nonetheless passionate.

When the musicality and the genius are joined!.......2004-08-10

One of the multiple devices employed very often by Mr. Gould in his different performances was the exact use of the color tonal . So when you listen even the inner movements of every one of the Suites you are inmersed in another dimension level .
The third Suite is my favorite one . I confess it . In this piece Gould atacks the notes and surrounds them with softness , moderato cantabile and noblesse sound . He was really inspired with these performances and even these Suites are not so stylized as the French Suites , for instance , they are clearly an important way to get close to the fierce , advanced and out of time musical ideas expossed all the way .
Think for instance in the Prelude of the Second Suite or in the Sarabande of the Third . The melodies are pregnant of cosmical breath . Bach must never sound romantic , because this approach transforms the spirit of the work .
The real inspiration motives of Bach are far away this world and its circunstance and when Gould plays he seems to be a direct pupil from Bach . Gould never abuses of the forte piano , he plays slghly and never allows the hands produce a percusive sound . This ignored detail you feel in other keyboardists but hardly in GG .
Acquire this set as soon as you can .

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Expressive purpose

Bach: English Suites Nos. 1, 3 & 6

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel/Scarlatti: Murray Perahia Plays Handel & Scarlatti

ASIN: B0001ENYN0
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

Prelude
Allemande
Courante I
Courante II Avec Deux Doubles
Sarabande
Bourree I
Bourree II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I
Gavotte II (Ou La Musette)
Gigue
Prelude. Allegro
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande - IVa. Double
Gavotte I
Gavotte II
Gigue
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Air (With 5 Variations; Harmonius Blacksmith)

Customer Reviews:

Expressive purpose.......2006-02-01

Murray Perahia's exploration of the Bach English Suites is fully fleshed out in this sumptuous recording. Perahia displays every facet and nuance of Bach's harmonically rich and melodically joyful Suites on the one instrument which can delve into the profound aural potential of the Baroque master's keyboard compositions: the piano. With ample skill and profoundly beautiful technique, Perahia gives each new idea life and instrumental vivacity. Bass passages spring out with the power of the plucked string of the cello; treble passages entwine themselves with the harmonic urge below; each idea penned by the worthy composer is realised with its own colour and character by Perahia, as though played by an ensemble of skillful musicians. Every vocal line tugs at the spirit, replete with intention. A powerful, subtle and much appreciated recording. Thankyou, J.S. Bach. Thankyou, Murray Perahia.

Average customer rating:

Bravo

Bach: English Suites Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sviatoslav Richter Plays Schubert Piano Sonatas D958, D960
Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier

ASIN: B0002SPPBE
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Customer Reviews:

Bravo.......2005-01-31

Richter never ceases to amaze. At 76 and after heart surgery Richter doesn't play these pieces as muscularly as he does the WTC, and the performances are not "note perfect." But I quibble. Richter's artistry and musicianship combined with the wisdom of over 60 years of performances ensures that this recital is stunning. Besides, one of Richter's "bad" notes is worth 10 "perfect" notes from any other virtuoso. If you love Bach, Richter, or the piano, do yourself a favor and listen to this set.

J.S. Bach: English Suites - Gustav Leonhardt

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Estupenda interpretación al clavecín
Extraordinaria interpretacion de Leonhardt

J.S. Bach: English Suites - Gustav Leonhardt

Manufacturer: Sony Seon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029VT
Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: I. Prelude
Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: II. Allemande
Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: III. Courante I-II avec deux doubles
Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: IV. Sarabande
Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: V. Bourree I - II
Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: VI. Gigue
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: I. Prelude
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: II. Allemande
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: III. Courante
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: IV. Sarabande
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: V. Bourree I - II
Suite No. 2 In A Minor, BWV 807: VI Gigue
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: I. Prelude
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: II. Allemande
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: III. Courante
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: IV. Sarabande
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: V. Gavotte I - II (ou la Musette)
Suite No. 3 In G Minor, BWV 808: VI. Gigue

Tracks:

Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: I. Prelude
Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: II. Allemande
Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: III. Courante
Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: IV. Sarabande
Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: V. Menuet I - II
Suite No. 4 In F Major, BWV 809: VI. Gigue
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: I. Prelude
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: II. Allemande
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: III. Courante
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: IV. Sarabande
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: V. Passepied I (en Rondeau) - II
Suite No. 5 In E Minor, BWV 810: VI. Gigue
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prelude - Allegro
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: II. Allemande
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: III. Courante
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: IV. Sarabande - Double
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: V. Gavotte I - Gavotte II
Suite No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: VI. Gigue

Amazon.com

No one is exactly sure how Bach's English Suites got their name. We do know that it did not originate with the composer. There was a story circulating shortly after Bach's death that the music was commissioned by a wealthy Englishman, but there is no proof. The music is formally identical to the French Suites, in fact, although the pieces in English Suites are larger and more fully developed, and each suite begins with a large overture or prelude. Gustav Leonhardt has recorded this music more than once, but these performances are widely acknowledged to be among his very greatest Bach recordings. They have been transferred to CD in excellent sound, and at budget price, too. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Estupenda interpretación al clavecín.......2000-07-17

Antes de ser director de orquesta, Gustav Leonhardt se destacó principalmente por su extraordinaria ejecución del clavecín, al cual podía extraer sonidos extraordinarios a pesar de las limitaciones propias del instrumento; por tanto, comprar un disco de obras para clavecín interpretadas por Leonhardt es garantía de una enorme calidad, y un verdadero placer para los oídos. Esta interpretación de las suites inglesas de Bach no es la excepción, sino que se trata de una de las mejores versiones que he escuchado; bajo las manos de Leonhardt el clavecín se vuelve un instrumento realmente extraordinario, impidiendo que el oído se canse del sonido tan peculiar de este instrumento. Sin duda que esta es una compra obligada para cualquier persona interesada en la música de Bach.

Extraordinaria interpretacion de Leonhardt.......2000-06-16

Bach: English Suites Nos 1-6, BWV 806-811 (Edition Bachakademie Vol 113) /Levin (piano)

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A piano performance to win over harpsichord die-hards
Robert Levin rocks Bach

Bach: English Suites Nos 1-6, BWV 806-811 (Edition Bachakademie Vol 113) /Levin (piano)

Manufacturer: Hanssler Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004TKFJ
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Customer Reviews:

A piano performance to win over harpsichord die-hards.......2005-06-28

I am a huge Robert Levin fan but a "Bach on piano" sceptic. In the liner notes Levin comments on his own enjoyment of playing Bach on either piano or harpsichord. What comes across is that, like his frequent collaborator John Eliot Gardiner, he takes a more pragmatic approach to historically-informed performance than others. (Was that something they learned during their studies with Nadia Boulanger?) There is, of course, no compromise when it comes to musicality - Levin has a profound understanding of the logic of the music, expressed in phrasing and articulation, "notes inegales", and the details of the ornamentation.

Speaking of ornamentation, Levin's approach is what I expected given my experience of his improvised cadenzas in Mozart and Beethoven. You will most certainly not hear a note-for-note performance of the score - each piece has the feel of an extended improvisation. (If more pianists - and harpsichordists! - had the knowledge and technique of Levin, Jacques Loussier's Bach arrangements would be superfluous.) All of the repeats are performed in full, and each repeat is a fresh, new experience - unlike with so many other performers who have a "play it safe" approach.

I am firmly convinced that many people are put off Bach because of hearing mediocre performances. This recording convinced me even more that merely playing Bach on a harpsichord is not enough. Whatever doubts I might have had about the choice of instrument are rendered completely irrelevant by Levin's virtuosity and the sheer joy expressed in the performance.

Robert Levin rocks Bach.......2001-06-26

I own Robert Levin's "Well-Tempered Clavier" and was supremely impressed. I go back to it often; perhaps moreso than the 4 other versions I own. I figured he couldn't go wrong with Bach, so I bought his "English Suites" and was proven right. His playing is superb and the recording is crystal clear. I highly recommend this CD.

Average customer rating:

Bach would probably approve
Finely polished beautiful sound, but ultimately a bit dull
Magnificent Bach on a Modern Piano!
A Wonderful Recording!

Bach: English Suites Nos. 1, 3 & 6

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: English Suites Nos. 2, 4 & 5 / Perahia
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Bach: French Suites / Angela Hewitt

ASIN: B0000062DF
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Tracks:

English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: I. Prelude
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: II. Allemande
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: III. Courante I
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: IV. Courante II avec deux Doubles
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: V. Sarabande
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: VI. Bourree I
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: VII. Bourree II
English Suite No. 1 In A Major, BWV 806: VIII. Gigue
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: I. Prelude
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: II. Allemande
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: III. Courante
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: IV. Sarabande
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: V. Gavotte I
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: VI. Gavotte II (ou la Musette)
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808: VII. Gigue
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prelude
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: II. Allemande
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: III. Courante
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: IV. Sarabande - IVa. Double
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: V. Gavotte I
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: VI. Gavotte II
English Suite NO. 6 In D Minor, BWV 811: VII. Gigue

Amazon.com

Why hasn't Murray Perahia recorded Bach before? The pianist imbues the quicker movements with more excitement and rhythmic drive than Andras Schiff, and greater coloristic and emotional range than Glenn Gould, although Mieczyslaw Horszowski dances more in the third suite. Perahia views the sarabandes from a monumental angle and brings out their harmonic felicities through his masterful weighing of contrapuntal lines and inner dynamics. The superb sound serves both pianist and composer to the fullest. In sum, a wonderful disc that bodes well for future Perahia Bach releases. We hope. --Jed Distler

Amazon.com

Murray Perahia's first excursion into Baroque music on recordings was a collection of Handel and Scarlatti that I found affected. He makes a lot more sense in Bach, even though there are a few moments when he uses the same exaggerated articulation that frequently marred the Handel/Scarlatti disc. His tempos for Bach are sensible, his texture always clear so that Bach's contrapuntal lines can be heard. He even uses a few embellishments in his repeated sections, a mark of good Baroque style. Many prefer to hear this music on the harpsichord, but if you prefer the piano, Perahia is an excellent choice. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Bach would probably approve.......2003-05-26

As a singer, I'm naturally a big fan of Bach - his sense of phrase and natural melodic line is unmatched by any other Baroque composer. Having purchased Murray Perahia's complete recordings of Mozart piano concerti, I knew what he was capable of, and bought this recording (for about $US4 in a bargain bin!) on spec. I was not disappointed! Perahia gets to the heart of the matter - none of this 'make-the-piano-sound-as-much-as-possible-like-a-harpsichord' rubbish - he relies on musicianship and beauty, so that each of the dances moves freely and display the intent of character. Doubtless Bach would have appreciated that more than the instrument, anyway!

My favourite would have to be track 16 (the Prelude from Suite No.6), which displays all Bach's subtle nuances of sequence, imitation and 'canonic interference' - including the wonderful 'triple endings' that keep you guessing.

Do get this - I fully intend to buy the matching album with the other suites, as this one is starting to wear out!

Finely polished beautiful sound, but ultimately a bit dull.......2001-02-11

The most obvious thing about these performances is well-polished tone production. Perahia has great fluency and flow, too, making the music sound nearly effortless. His playing is far above mere competence, and sometimes gets into realms of serenity. That is all very good. My main disagreements are with interpretive points.

I yearned for more Frenchness, more grace and whimsy tempering the Italianate drive. Perahia's fast tempos sometimes seem headlong and don't breathe. Throughout most of these three suites there could be a lot more rhythmic and dynamic freedom within small groups of notes. More singing, more dance, more spontaneity. Less machine-like perfection!

Perahia's treatment of Bach's signed ornamentation is another problem. Every occasion sounds the same as the next one: same speed within the ornament, same number of notes, same even touch. Instead of making the lines sound vocal and free and beautiful, the ornamentation here doesn't seem to add any character. It's as if he knows how to deliver all the notes from the page very nicely, but doesn't quite get the gestural purpose behind the phrases and melodic shapes. It's as if each signed ornament calls the same subroutine to be run in his brain and fingers: output the "correct" notes disregarding context. It's pretty but it's not music.

There's a finger slip (or bad edit?) in bar 23 of the first suite's Allemande: at 3'26" of track 2. It's not horrible, but the blemish stands out so much because everything else is so well polished. If instead the performances as a whole had more grace and more grit, a more human casualness, a more speechlike delivery, technical irregularities like this wouldn't draw attention to themselves.

Left hand articulation is yet another problem. In too many movements the left hand simply bops along with an absolutely regular detachment, oblivious to that line's own melodic motion or the harmonic functions of its notes. (Cellists playing Baroque music in ensemble works often illustrate this same motoric problem...turn off the brain, bow everything exactly the same. Can't a bass line be musical, too?) Perahia's right hand isn't immune to this staccato tendency, either: he too often ignores Bach's carefully marked slurs of two or four notes (especially in the A-major suite), replacing them with a pokey evenness. Where's the grace?

Continuing to pick nits, I think Perahia's tempo scheme in suite 6's Prelude is misguided: the second section is certainly lively, but shouldn't the first section be more nearly the same in character? (Bach's "allegro" marking at that point doesn't mean "suddenly take off like horses out of a gate" -- it merely means "resume stricter tempo after relaxing in the previous bar's cadence".) That's yet another symptom of blithe literalism in reading the notation...the same way Richter and MANY other pianists interpret Bach. Literal rhythms, literal articulations, literal tempo choices, all based on 19th century ideals rather than on 17th or 18th century notions of rhetoric and expression.

Performances of this type ultimately make Bach sound academic: get all the notes, rhythms, and speeds more or less correct, and hope that that's good enough. Unfortunately it's not. Sure, one can strive for a lovely spirituality as Perahia does, but it means a lot more if there's also an engaging earthiness to it. The spirit and mind are more easily nudged when the body is also engaged. Even the most placid lake has ripples in it, and the ripples make the lake seem alive.

Perahia's performances don't sound inhuman (like Pogorelich's), but they could still breathe a lot more naturally. In both the big picture and from phrase to phrase, they're just a bit too generic. The performances don't sound like living things existing in time. Rather, they sound like stylized intellectual constructions, sterile geometric objects. How about more particular reactions to the moments, and more sense of fun? How about some emotion?

After all those complaints I still give this disc four stars instead of three. One could do a LOT worse in Bach-on-the-piano. (If the instrument has to be a piano, which is inherently less interesting tonally than a good harpsichord in this repertoire, it might as well be played this beautifully.)

Perahia lets Bach speak on his own, straightforwardly, at least as far as he understands the notation (and he obviously understands the compositional syntax better than Richter or Pogorelich or Gould did!). Other than his hot-staccato touch that he uses as an occasional tone color (as many other pianists also apply to Bach), he doesn't do anything infuriatingly odd. Perahia does well in the middle of the road. It's a pleasant way to play Bach, if not the most immediately engaging. And these performances wear well on repeated listening.

Magnificent Bach on a Modern Piano!.......2000-03-02

I would urge any music lover with a perceptive interest in Bach's keyboard music to buy the two CD's of the English Suites by Murray Perahia. It is difficult to conceive how these suites can be played any more beautifully and sensitively. I am one of those who believes that Bach sounds wonderful on a modern piano, and have collected recordings by Gould, Horszowki, Schiff, and Richter. Each of these magnificent pianists bring a special magical quality to the music. Murray Perahia's interpretation of the English Suites, however, is even more magical to me than any others. His tempos and rhythms are perfect for the music. Technically, he is capable of playing the most complex figurations with grace and style. (Listen to his amazing trills which are relaxed and perfectly realized.) Most importantly, his playing contains a profound human quality that transcends all the technical difficulties of the music. Like all great artists, he makes the most difficult figuarations appear to be easy and graceful to play. I urge any lover of Bach music to buy this CD as soon as possible. I am certain you will want to buy the second volume (English Suites #2, #4, and #5), and also his magnificent Handel-Scarlatti album. Then do as I did --- buy Murray Perahia's new "Songs without Words" album and listen to the magic he works with Bach's chorale-preludes, and with Mendelssohn and Schubert, all in magnificent sound from Sony. I'm certain these recordings will brighten up your days!

A Wonderful Recording!.......2000-02-25

Perahia really amazed me with his ability to incorporate and mingle energy with delicacy into Bach. His performance is precise yet poetic, creating an overall refreshing, clear, and refined atmosphere.

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Bach: The English Suites [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000LPKQ8
Release Date: 2004-01-13

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