Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Sandor Végh :: Bach: Orchestral Suites BWV1066-1069

Vegh Rules!

T. Beers | Arlington, Virginia United States | 02/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can (barely) remember the bad old days when the Bach Suites were played, Stokowski-style, by conductors who had no idea whatever about proper baroque performance practice, and who (mis)used the full resources of the modern symphony orchestra. The results were almost always dreadful: over-ripe, slushy performances that sabotaged Bach's wonderfully sharp dance rhythms and completely obscured his marvelous counterpoint. So, performances using Ancient Instruments by conductors with a sure sense of baroque style would seem the way to go with this music, right? Right? Well, yes, unless you have someone like Pablo Casals - or the late Sandor Vegh - on the podium. These live Salzburg Festival performances from the early 1980s are richly projected and far removed from anything Bach ever heard (or imagined, probably). Still and all, Vegh's incomparable musicianship makes every phrase leap off the page with life-affirming vigor and joy. A master string player himself, Vegh knew as much as anyone about phrasing and how to articulate individual lines in the context of the integrated whole of a composition. By all means, buy Hogwood or Harnoncourt or Koopman or Pickett to hear these Suites as presented with the full benefits of modern scholarship. But do buy this set as well. It offers a fascinating testimonial about how convincing old-style Bach performances can be if a master is on the podium. Sound is very good; notes are mostly about Vegh and the Salzburg Festival, less about Bach."