(Grigory Sokolov | 1995 | Live) Bach: 8 Preludes & Fugues from Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Book 2

Not known to many today, but like Feinberg (previous video) Sokolov has traversed the entire Well-Tempered Clavier as well - a project which took him 8 years to complete 1990-1997. Despite that I love them both Sokolov's Bach is in many ways everything Feinberg's is not. Objective, structured, stable, and with deep thought and learning behind the notes - but nonetheless equally creative and imaginative, and benefiting from two generations worth of development in Bach playing. Sokolov can in some sense be thought of as an evolution and union of Gould's mind and Gilels' aesthetics. His Bach rests largely on Gould's ideas of objectivity, form, and characterization of voices, but in Sokolov's hands the music is shaped by a more down to earth playing style, with a richer sound and a more varied range of touch which makes even these little academic studying pieces spring to life in a way they rarely have elsewhere. And that astonishing intelligence of his playing. Has Bach's voice writing ever danced and spoken as gracefully as it does here? The music sounds of divine profundity on the one hand, and worldly warmth and playfulness on the other. Not a bad description of Bach's own musical personality, making me feel we're on to something here.

This recording comes from a damaged DAT and omits the initial C major Prelude as well as small parts from the ones in D major and E-flat minor. One day I might get round to patch it with a cassette recording my index tells me I also have of the broadcast - but it is not this day.


Johann Sebastian Bach
Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Book II

Prelude & Fugue No.1 in C major, BWV 870
00:00 - II. Fugue in 3 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.2 in C minor, BWV 871
01:46 - I. Prelude
04:03 - II. Fugue in 4 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.3 in C-sharp major, BWV 872
06:10 - I. Prelude
07:36 - II. Fugue in 3 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.4 in C-sharp minor, BWV 873
09:46 - I. Prelude
17:01 - II. Fugue in 3 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.5 in D major, BWV 874
19:17 - I. Prelude
21:48 - II. Fugue in 4 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.6 in D minor, BWV 875
25:38 - I. Prelude
27:09 - II. Fugue in 3 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.7 in E-flat major, BWV 876
29:07 - I. Prelude
31:40 - II. Fugue in 4 voices

Prelude & Fugue No.8 in E-flat minor, BWV 877
34:20 - I. Prelude
37:59 - II. Fugue in 4 voices


Grigory Sokolov, piano
Source: Radio Broadcast

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