Search - J.S. Bach, Jarrett, Keith Jarrett :: Bach: French Suites / Keith Jarrett

Listen for yourself to hear the brilliance

Marius Cipolla | 12/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jarrett plays brilliantly.



Please listen to this performance for yourself; the criticisms of other reviewers on this page seem unfair to me. The accusation that Jarrett has a poor touch on the harpsichord is particularly puzzling; like his other harpsichord recordings, this one is splendid.



There are three problems which face us. The first is the harpsichord itself, to many a diabolical instrument which should have become extinct with the invention of the pianoforte. But of course these suites were written for harpsichord and (if that matters to you) piano versions are anachronistic.



Another is that Jarrett plays Bach cleanly and with fewer inflections than is the fashion these days. But that is the way many listeners still love to hear Bach played.



A third lies in Jarrett's tempi. Glenn Gould got through these suites in one-third of the time Jarrett takes. Whether that enhanced our appreciation, and whether his performances said more about Bach or Gould, I leave to you. But Jarrett's performance (again, if that matters to you) is far closer to Bach's original intention.



In any case, comparisons are odious. After Jarrett, Gould sounds like an over-wound musical box. After Gould, Jarrett sounds like a tortoise. But the phrasing of each performer is wonderful, and each man's understanding of Bach is well worth listening to.



Personally, I love Jarrett's playing; he is one of the most sensitive and lyrical of contemporary pianists, and his long illness has deprived us of what would surely have been a larger body of baroque music recordings. So make your own mind up.



I highly recommend this collection to lovers of Bach, Jarrett and the diabolical harpsichord."

A fine performance

C. Brooks | jax,,fl. | 08/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The negative reviews on this page are quite unfounded. If you don't recognise the phrasing, articutations and inflection on this recording, well, you don't know what phrasing and articulation are. As a lover of Bach and a harpsichordist myself, I own no less than five recordings of the French suites and find myself reaching for this one most often. Jarrett's tempi are appropriate and reasonable; he uses plenty of speed where it's needed, he's making beautiful music, not showing off how fast he can move his fingers. Listen for example to the courante from the #5 Gmaj and tell me he's "dragging", you'll sound silly. All in all, these suites are thoughtfully interpreted and played with grace."

C'est impossible

Julius van der Sterren | Hallstadt | 06/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The negative reviews seem unfounded. I bought the Glenn Gould CD and he has the annoying tendency to hum throughout his entire recordings. Furthermore, I like Jarrett over Gould in that the music, written for harpsichord, naturally sounds better on harpsichord than piano."