Pianist, Vladimir
Feltsman www.feltsman.com has
added to his already impressive catalogue of recordings for Nimbus www.wyastone.co.uk/all-labels/nimbus/nimbus-alliance.html
with
a new release of Bach’s French Suites.
 |
| 2CD NI 6314 |
Some of Johann
Sebastian Bach’s (1685-1750) French
Suites probably date from his time as Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold at Cöthen
where he also wrote such masterworks as the Brandenburg Concertos, The
Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin and the
Suites for solo cello (though some may have been written earlier). Not long
after his marriage to his second wife, Anna Magdalena, certainly sometime in
1722, Bach wrote five short harpsichord suites, first versions of what would later
become his six French Suites.
The title was not Bach’s own but later adopted to
differentiate them from the English Suites and Partitas. There is nothing
particularly French about the suites. Each follow the German style of layout
and do not even have the Prelude usual in the suites of other French composers
of the period.
The Allemande of the French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812 has some fine limpid lines,
thoughtful phrasing and tempo with a fine forward flow that seems just right.
There is a lovely rhythmic pointing to the Courante
with a fine fluency and great clarity that is really very fine. The Sarabande brings some exquisite moments as
it slowly and beautifully unfolds before the Menuet I and Menuet II
where Feltsman really allows the music to push forward, with a fast flow and
terrific agility. The concluding Gigue
receives some crisp, articulate playing before expanding beautifully.
The French Suite No.
2 in C Minor, BWV 813 opens with an Allemande
that flows ahead beautifully and gently, revealing Bach’s lovely musical lines.
Feltsman’s touch and phrasing is wonderful. He really brings the Courante alive with a tremendously
clear, accurate, beautifully overlaid line. In the Sarabande he brings a real sense of discovery and spontaneity before
an Air that receives a joyous
rhythmic touch and detailed intricacy. Menuet
I - Menuet II are finely paced, nicely sprung with a lovely inevitable flow
before Feltsman really lifts the Gigue
bringing some fine crisp tone from his instrument and a wonderful weaving of
lines.
Feltsman again finds just the right tempo and flow for the Allemande
of the French Suite No. 3 in B Minor,
BWV 814 bringing some subtle fluctuations of tempi before a Courante that positively glows in this
pianist’s with some quite wonderful sounds, a lovely brilliance and detail.
There is a gentle thoughtful Sarabande with
a rather melancholy air and some lovely flowing left hand lines followed by the
lovely little twists and turns of the Menuet,
superbly done. The Gavotte has a
fine, subtle ebb and flow as the music moves ahead, really quite lovely. In the
concluding Gigue all Bach’s rhythmic
variations are wonderfully handled with a terrific flow and agility.
There is a seriousness
to the flowing Allemande of the French
Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815, with this fine pianist revealing so
much of Bach’s glorious invention. The Courante
really bounds ahead with a terrific rhythm, full of life and joy and with
some terrific dexterity. There is a lovely feeling of exploration to the Sarabande with a gentle flowing,
spontaneous development. Feltsman brings more fine crispness and a lively
rhythmic bounce to the Gavotte before
a lovely little Menuet that has a
gentle forward pulse. He produces a torrent of forward propulsion in the Air with a terrific weaving of lines
before the Gigue that brings a lovely
rocking motion, quite intoxicating with this pianist’s terrific touch, finding
so many little details. Wonderful playing.
The second CD brings the French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816 with an Allemande that reveals itself gently with many subtle little
details beautifully revealed. The Courante
is really fine, moving ahead at a pace with some very fine crisp
articulation and wonderfully woven lines. After a leisurely Sarabande where Feltsman allows the
music to unfold naturally there is a lovely Gavotte
so lightly sprung with a lovely left hand line woven through and a lively Bourée full of fine moments. In the Loure Feltsman creates some lovely phrases as this piece finds its way forward
before a terrific, bounding, rhythmic Gigue
where this pianist brings some absolutely wonderful playing, crisp,
accurate, articulate and lovely musical lines.
The Allemande of
the French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817 moves at a moderately fast
pace, Feltsman revealing some lovely little tempi fluctuations before a
terrific fast flowing Courante where
he brings some very fine articulation. The Sarabande
is beautifully laid out; again sounding like a voyage of discovery as
Feltsman slowly allows it to unfold. After the crisp, nicely sprung Gavotte He finds a lovely left hand flow
through the Polonaise before moving
into a lively, fast moving Bourrée with
more terrific clarity of line from Feltsman’s fine touch. There is a lovely
little Menuet so finely phrased
before the final Gigue that really
rattles ahead, full of energy with some really wonderful fast, beautifully
articulated passages.
Overture in French
style, BWV 831 is one of two works that comprise Part II of the Clavier-Übung
of 1735, the other being the Italian Concerto. The work opens with fine
expansive French Ouverture beautifully
shaped before bringing some fine buoyant fast flowing passages, full of forward
drive and finely controlled dynamics, brilliantly played with an unstoppable
quality. The Courante has a glorious
breadth and flow before the restrained delicacy of Gavotte I & II that is most appealing. Passpied I & II receive a fine rhythmic lift with passages of
wonderfully delicate, controlled flow. There is the feel of spontaneous
improvisation in the beautifully leisurely Sarabande
before the buoyant, joyous Bourrée I
& II Feltsman finding his way around all the little twists and turns
wonderfully. After the crisp, rhythmic Gigue,
there is a wonderfully shaped Echo with
finely controlled dynamics bringing a terrific conclusion.
This is captivating Bach. Perhaps Feltsman is a little
idiosyncratic at times but he is terrific nevertheless. He is well recorded and
provides his own informative booklet notes.
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