Search - Jean-Henri d'Anglebert, Arthur Haas :: Pieces de Clavecin: Arthur Haas - Harpsichord

Magisterial French Elegance

John Bailey | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 01/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Haas's playing perfectly captures both the intense lyricism and the vibrant, buoyant dance rhythms of this music, which rivals Francois Couperin's harpsichord music in its elegant construction, and at times may even surpass Couperin in sheer luxuriance of sound. The two performances of unmeasured preludes could serve as a textbook for performers struggling to realize this difficult genre--Haas's realizations may well be the very finest available of any composer's unmeasured preludes. Haas's deep understanding of the French melodic style combined with his sure technique make the extensive ornamentation of D'Anglebert's music sound like an integral, essential part of the line, never busy or superfluous. His rhythmic freedoms are always deeply expressive, frequently daring, but never self-indulgent or distorting. Overall, the recording projects a sense of dignified radiance: some times coupled with a sumptuous grandeur not usually associated with (or achieved on) the harpsichord, at others with an almost heart-breakingly tender intimacy."