Partita No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827 - Angela Hewitt, in her liner notes,
points out the relative lack of popularity of Bach's 3rd Partita and
also notes the "unassuming" nature of the opening Fantasia which is a
two part invention.  I must admit that the Fantasia does not come close
to possessing the depth or inventiveness of the Sinfonia of Partita No. 2
or the coming Overture to Partita No. 4.  The Fantasia does not have much
variety, and I consider it up to the performer to maximize the  level of
differentiation which does exist in the music.

Tureck is the best at providing maximum variety and in ways which enhance
the listening experience.  The most incisive example is the powerhouse
ending she delivers without losing lyricism.  Schepkin's ending goes toward
the soft end and concludes in a whimpish fashion.  Schepkin and the others
do have their virtues, but only Tureck captures my imagination.  She had me
thinking of assembly line "human clones" eventually crushing the natural
folk.  As for tempo, the versions are in the 2 minute range except for
Leonhardt at close to 3 minutes; I didn't find that it made a bit of
difference.  That could well be because Leonhardt plays the music in a
very "straight" manner, and that approach will not win the day.

The Allemande is elegant and graceful music tinged with regret and
reflection.  Tureck has the disadvantage of the worst sound I've yet
encountered in her set; for me it takes center stage and results in a
version to bypass.  The other four performances are very good.  Leonhardt
is slow paced and incisive with a stunning hesitation.  Pinnock is faster
and smoother, but just as enjoyable.  Hewitt is rather fussy in the
first theme but dynamic in the second.  Schepkin could have had the best
performance; his pacing and shading are superb.  However, his trills tend
to dominate the musical landscape.  These aren't your ordinary trills; they
are highly pronounced.  Hewitt uses trills also, but they are subdued and
add to musical enjoyment.  Overall, although highly worthy, none of these
performances is outstanding.

Next is the Corrente which is powerful and vigorous music with dotted
rhythms and octave leaps.  Although the first theme has plenty of momentum,
it's the second theme which I consider the heart of the piece.  This is
where the real power resides, particuarly with two outstanding climaxes and
their inevitable build-ups.  Leonhardt is the only one who really provides
the power and thrill of the second theme's climaxes; the build-ups are
outstanding.  The other versions are good but somewhat lacking in power.
Tureck uses a staccato approach and provides the best first theme; her
second theme is only sporadically exciting.  Hewitt frequently alters her
volume, and it disturbs the music's flow; her level of delicacy is too
pronounced.  Pinnock has a steady volume but never lets loose completely.
Schepkin is a little choppy and excitement is not consistent.

The smooth flowing Sarabande is aristocratic and tender in nature with a
generally positive disposition.  Pinnock, usually faster than Leonhardt,
is just as slow-paced this time to good advantage.  Both versions supply
the basic beauty of the music.  Hewitt's performance is softer and more
gentle; it works well within its elegant cover.  Schepkin is the quickest
version and initially seemed rushed.  However, there's an urgency to the
interpretation which is very appealing and wins my approval.  Tureck clocks
in at over 5 minutes with a very slow performance which is very tender and
probing.  Each of the five versions is highly effective.

Next is the Burlesca which I find usually elicits very different
interpretations.  Tender, strong, fast, sunny, dynamic, pompous, lyrical,
measured, wild, and many more adjectives apply to this music depending on
the performance.  Schepkin is too fast, has too many trills, and too many
changes in mood/pacing/dynamics.  He gives me the impression of not knowing
how he really wants to perform the piece; he's all over the place.

Leonhardt, Hewitt, and Tureck are much better in the Burlesca.  Leonhardt
and Tureck are rock steady and provide a delightfully sunny reading when
needed.  Hewitt is excellently nuanced and the most probing.  Pinnock is
in another category altogether.  He is perpetual motion, power, and quite
thrilling.  Right out of the starting blocks, it's as if he's announcing,
"I'm coming through, so get out of my way".  Since Pinnock's performance
misses none of the lyricism in the music, his is easily my favorite
recording of the five.

The order of things changes little in the Scherzo which is music of great
virtuosity and strength.  Pinnock continues with his "perpetual motion"
approach, and I love it.  The other versions are fine, including Schepkin
who behaves himself very well and provides an exciting reading.

The Partita in A minor concludes with one of Bach's best Gigues; this is
my favorite movement of the Partita, a three part fugue.  "All Hell Breaks
Loose" is how I would describe the music.  Of course, a great performance
also has to be controlled and appropriately lyrical.  Hewitt exercises too
much control and is overly civilized.  Schepkin is too helter-skelter and
lacking control.  Pinnock is better with an exciting reading which still
lacks a little mayhem.

Tureck and Leonhardt are the best in the Gigue.  Tureck best projects
the enveloping deconstruction of the established order while maintaining
precise control.  Leonhardt really doesn't subscribe to the "breaking
loose" theme, but his sense of urgency and lyricism can not be beat.

Summary of Partita No. 3 in A minor:

I don't consider this Partita to be one of Bach's best compositions; it
lacks the depth and inventiveness of his best works.  However, the piece
picks up considerably with the excellent Burlesca and Scherzo, and the
Gigue is outstanding music.

Leonhardt, Pinnock, and Tureck give the best performance of the A minor.
They are the strongest in the last three movements and as good as the
others in the previous ones.  Hewitt and Schepkin have some fine traits,
but also exhibit a mixture of problems.  Hewitt is often underpowered and
too frequently changes volume levels.  Schepkin gets "trill happy" at times
and his choppy playing is a distraction.

Leonhardt still enjoys a healthy advantage over the four other sets.
Since some consider his general playing to be overly austere and somewhat
plodding, this is a good time to assess that premise.  He tends to be
slow-paced and aristocratic.  I can understand the notion that his
interpretations lack sufficient variety and have no smiles on their faces,
but I can't agree.  I feel the variety and smiles are there, but they are
subtle in nature.  The man isn't "happy-go-lucky", but he isn't a sourpuss
either.

I did miss having more than the five versions to listen to.  For Partita
No. 4, a fantastic work, Gould, Kahane, and Goode are added to the mix.
My memories of Kahane's recording on Nonesuch are of the highest order,
but I don't have any problem starting from scratch.  Although it surprises
me every time when my opinion of a performance goes way up or down through
a survey, it occurs with enough frequency that I expect it to happen
regularly.

Don Satz
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