Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
     The Six Partitas for Keyboard

Disc 1:
Partita No. 1 in B flat major, BWV 825
Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826
Partita No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827
Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828 (Overture & Allemande)
Disc 2:
Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828 (Conclusion)
Partita No. 5 in G major, BWV 829
Partita No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830

Scott Ross, harpsichord
Recorded Temple de Sommieres, April, 1988
Elatus 2564 61778-2 [74:48 + 70:41]

Comparisons: Gilbert/Harmonia Mundi, Kipnis/Seraphim, Parmentier/Wildboar,
Leonhardt/Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Pinnock/Hanssler

I have never heard a recording from Scott Ross that I didn't find
excellent, and his 1988 performance of Bach's Partitas for Keyboard is
no exception.  Best known for his immense undertaking of recording all
the Keyboard Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti for the Erato label, Ross has
an unerring sense of rhythmic flow and pacing that extends from Frescobaldi
and the great Italian baroque composers to the Austro/Germanic masters
including Handel and Bach.

I would like to review the Ross set through reference to the excellent
comparison versions in the heading.  This way, readers will hopefully
have a fair idea of the distinctions among the six sets and what to
expect from each.

Gustav Leonhardt needs little introduction.  He was one of the early
pioneers of historically informed performance practices and is much
revered for his artistry and inspiration as both keyboardist and conductor.
Any reservations concerning his approach to historical performance tend
to revolve around the theme that he is overly austere with diminished
zest for the vitality and youthfulness of the music he performs.  I find
that Leonhardt's austerity is mostly on the surface and that close
listening reveals a wide range of emotional content.

Such is the case with Leonhardt's 1983 performance of the Partitas.
The severe and sharp veneer is certainly present, but Bach's musical joy
is also part of Leonhardt's menu.  His performances are informed with an
incisive introspection, excellent detail, concentrated energy, poignant
Allemandes and Sarabandes, and sufficient exuberance in the fast movements.
Concerning the fast movements, Leonhardt often employs rather slow tempos
in order to clarify each muscial line.  Ross is distant from Leonhardt's
aesthetics, offering minimal severity and little priority on the detail
of the myriad musical lines.  Instead, he is buoyant throughout with
great joy.  Tempos are well within the mainstream, and the fast movements
bring an excitement rarely conveyed by Leonhardt.

Edward Parmentier does not enjoy the reputation afforded Leonhardt, but
his Wildboar/Bach recordings are a treasure to many serious Bach record
collectors.  Like Leonhardt, his tempos in the fast movements tend to
be slowish.  This allows for exquisite detail, and I think it's fair
to say that no version of the Partitas brings out Bach's architectural
splendor as convincingly as Parmentier's 1991 set; his use of hesitations
and the staggering of musical lines is particularly rewarding.  At the
same time, I do have a bit of skepticism concerning Parmentier's emotional
investment in this music.  Emotional investment is no problem at all
for Scott Ross, as can be clearly heard in his wonderful Sarabandes and
overall inflections.  Ross isn't one to make much use of hesitations or
staggering musical lines, preferring a relatively straight-line approach
to the Partitas.

A comparison between Parmentier and Ross is not complete without comment
on the dance elements in the Partitas.  With Parmentier's performances,
the dancing nature of many of the movements is largely neglected, while
Ross highlights this feature as often as possible.  Essentially, there is
no set of the Partitas as alive to the dance characteristics as Ross's.

Igor Kipnis seems to have been with us forever, offering performances
that dig intently into the human condition.  So it is with his 1977
recordings of the Partitas.  No other harpsichord version is as penetrating
as the Kipnis, and his set also possesses the greatest degree of variety
in the repeating of sections.  Unfortunately, his wealth of ornamentation
can sometimes sound self-indulgent.  Although Ross is certainly less
creative with his repeats, they are sufficiently varied through use of
leaner textures.

Trevor Pinnock's 1999 set on Hanssler has much to offer in terms of
exuberance and a totally unmannered delivery, the Ross set being quite
similar in this regard.  However, Pinnock does glide over the emotional
depth of the Allemandes and Sarabandes, and Ross always conveys a fine
sense of poignancy in these movements.

There is only one harpsichord set that I favor over the Ross, and it
comes from Kenneth Gilbert in his 1984-85 performances of the Partitas
on Harmonia Mundi.  The phrasing is so natural that I feel I'm listening
to Bach play in his home.  Given performances that glow with warmth and
understanding, the Ross set must take second place to Gilbert's.

Concerning sound quality, Ross is given excellent sound for the time
period although it is a little shallow in depth.  For a truly exceptional
soundstage, the Parmentier and Pinnock sets fill the bill.  The Kipnis,
Gilbert, and Leonhardt sets are roughly equal in sound quality to the
Ross.

For those who prefer Bach on piano, there are exceptional sets of the
Partitas from Rosalyn Tureck on Philips, Wolfgang Rubsam on Naxos, and
the one and only Glenn Gould for Sony.  Clearly, there is an abundance
of riches for recordings of the Partitas, and Scott Ross presents one
of the best versions available.  His life-affirming and vibrant
interpretations should provide many hours of joyous listening to those
who acquire the recordings.

Don's Conclusions: Except for the Gilbert set, the Scott Ross performances
of Bach's Partitas are as good as any harpsichord versions currently on
the market.  I don't know if this set will be released in the United
States, but those interested should be willing to search afar to discover
such wonderful readings from the pen of Bach.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]