Rosalyn Tureck plays Bach

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Recorded live at private concerts in William F. Buckley's home, these superb performances show Rosalyn Tureck's virtues at their most incandescent: her pinpointed voice-leading, ultra-independent fingers, and ability to project a wide array of color with very little pedal. One can listen to these readings over and over again without hearing the same thing twice. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Prelude & Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 866: Prelude
Prelude & Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 866: Fugue
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Aria
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 1
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 2
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 3
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 4
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 5
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 6
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 7
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 8
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 9
Aria & Ten Variations in the Italian Style, BWV 989: Variation 10
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue, BWV 903: Fantasia
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue, BWV 903: Fugue
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: Friends gather and try to dissuade him from departing
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: They picture the dangers which may befall him
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: The Friends' Lament
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: Since he cannot be dissuaded, they say farewell
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: Aria of the Postilion
Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992: Fugue in Imitation of the Postilion's horn
Fantasia in C Minor, BWV 919
Adagio in G Major, BWV 968
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in D Major, BWV 912: Toccata
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in D Major, BWV 912: Adagio
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in D Major, BWV 912: Fugue

Customer Reviews:

Tureck's best.......2007-07-15

Tureck dispenses with reserve and gives an all or nothing, risk everything performance of spectacular depth and joy. She draws out the pieces' modernist traits and reveals an expansive majesty more normally heard in Liszt and later composers. Now and then, I had to remind myself that this is Baroque keyboard, not late Romantic or 20th Century! Passionate, brilliant and truly memorable.

A Great Sampler of Bach's Keyboard Works.......2001-01-28

Though many pianists have played Bach, and some - such as Andras Schiff and, more recently, Murray Perahia - have played Bach well, many lovers of Bach believe that only two pianists have been able to capture the true essence of his keyboard music - Glenn Gould and Rosalyn Tureck.

In this CD, Ms. Tureck plays a wide range of Bach's keyboard works that shows the various dimensions of Bach's writing. She plays the Prelude and Fugue from Book I of the "Well Tempered Clavier" with the clarity and precision that allows the listener to hear the beauty of these carefully-crafted masterpieces. In the Chromatic Fantasia, BWV 903 and Toccata BWV 912, Ms. Tureck captures Bach's famous gifts as an improviser. In the "Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother," she evokes the strong emotional content of Bach's music, which one often hears in his choral music but too rarely in his keyboard works.

Tracks:

Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Prld
Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Allamande
Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Courante
Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Sarabande
Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Menuet 1&2
Partita No.1, B Flat, BWV 825: Gigue
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Snif
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Allamande
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Courante
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Sarabande
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Rondeau
Partia No.2, c, BWV 826: Capriccio
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Tocata
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Allamande
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Courante
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Air
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Sarabande
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Tempo di Gavotta
Partita No.6, e, BWV 830: Gigue

Amazon.com

Recorded live at private concerts in William F. Buckley's home, these superb performances show Rosalyn Tureck's virtues at their most incandescent: her pinpointed voice-leading, ultra-independent fingers, and ability to project a wide array of color with very little pedal. One can listen to these readings over and over again without hearing the same thing twice. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Desert Island Disc.......2007-06-26

Rosalyn Tureck makes such a compelling case for this music to be played on the piano. She devoted herself to performing Bach's music, and completely re-vamped her technique once she made the decision to specialize in his music. She has an extraordinary touch, and the music comes alive in her hands.

I agree with the other reviewer who prefers this recording to the one offered in the Great Pianists series. These recordings seem to have been made in her home to a small audience of friends and admirers. We share in their enthusiastic support and applause at the end of the disc. I regard the intimacy and home-made quality of the recording as an advantage. The recorded sound is not at all a distraction.

For a modern recording with peerless sound quality, the offering by Andrew Rangell had almost as much of a musical impact on me and is certainly worth a listen. Martha Argerich also delivers a tour-de-force performance of the 2nd Partita (also worth owning). This recording, however, remains my standard for these pieces.

Sublime distinction, high caliber tune, unequaled expression!.......2006-07-17

When Rosalyn Tureck plays Bach, you are be invited to an overwhelming event because of the fact, her musical imagination, unique sound and exalting pianism makes of her stylized Bach a true cosmic experience.

Her performance of the Partita No.1 is absolutely revealing. Most of pianists play it with extreme tenderness, but she does it so organically, producing a natural sound and at the same time, loaded of profundity and no time noblesse, as she was exploring new universes.

Has there been any performer capable to play better than her the Partita No. 2 ? Please, be my guest in case you find about any other.

Her austerity is far to be synonymous of coldness, thereby you may listen a prodigious, ethereal and even mystic Bach with such pureness and genuineness as probably you have not listened before.

This is one of the finest historical documents in the whole story of the disc, without a bit of exaggeration or even hesitation.

Acquire it as soon as possible, and you will agree with me these are wonderful treasures, that waited so long for you to be part of your collection.

Wonderful Bach!.......2005-04-03

This CD contains the Bach keyboard Partitas 1,2 and 6. Rosalyn Tureck's performances are marvelous. The recording quality is very immediate and, I think, adds to the beauty of her playing in a way that doesn't come through in her mono recording of the entire set of the six keyboard Partitas on Philips. Her playing is full of dynamic contrast, warm, vivid, and she brings out the part writing in a way that no one else does.

Strongest possible recommendation!!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

I've Got a Gun/Lights Out [Import]

Power of Two

Modern Downhome Blues, Vol. 3: Memphis On Down

Heavy Metal Be-Bop [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Radio Autumn Attic

Rare Soul Review [Import]

Mitch Miller and the Gang: 36 Sing-Along Favorites!

Max Reger: Sacred Songs

Music From The Rascal Yard

Live [Live]

Public Image Ltd. - Greatest Hits So Far

Los 18 Grandes Exitos

Los Esenciales [Import]

The Ultimate Collection

Lost and Found