The Toccata had a long history before Bach's time and took various forms.
However, in Bach's era it was customary for the Toccata to be in paired
preludes & fugues.  Being relatively early Bach works, his seven Toccatas
for Harpsichord don't receive the degree of praise given many of Bach's
other keyboard compositions.  They also don't get recorded very often as
a set; usually one or two show up on a Bach recital disc.

Hanssler recently issued a disc of Peter Watchorn performing the seven
Toccatas on harpsichord.  I am familiar with Mr.  Watchorn through his
English Suites set on Titanic, a set which I found to be worthy but not
excellent.  Titanic had announced that set as Volume I of Bach's complete
keyboard works, but volume I was as far as the series went.  This new
Hanssler recording did get a fine review in one of the American review
periodicals.  Richard Troeger is progressing on his own cycle of Bach
keyboard works for Lyrichord, but with a difference.  Troeger's instrument
of choice is the clavichord, and reviews of the discs issued to date have
been highly complimentary of the clavichord and Troeger's performances.
For comparison, I'm using the Gould set, Colin Tilney on harpsichord, and
three of the Toccatas from Pierre Hantai on harpsichord.

The specifics on these recordings are:

Richard Troeger - Lyrichord 8041 - Complete.
Peter Watchorn  - Hanssler 92104 - Complete.
Glenn Gould     - Sony 42269     - Complete.
Colin Tilney    - Dorian 90115   - Complete.
Pierre Hantai   - Virgin 45284   - BWV 913-15 & Other Bach Pieces.

Toccata in F sharp minor, BWV 910 - This Toccata is essentially in a
prelude-fugue-prelude-fugue sequence.  The opening prelude consists of a
Presto section and an Adagio.  The Presto is fantasia-like and exciting
with a bridge leading to the Adagio which is strongly devotional and seems
to constantly be reaching out for guidance.  Of the four versions, only
Gould is not very effective in the Presto, being too smooth and not
sufficiently angular.  Turn to Tilney or Troeger and the Presto is very
exciting; Watchorn does well but his sound is somewhat diffuse and not as
sharp as I would like.

The first Adagio is wonderful music that exudes an intense level
of devotion/prayer at every turn.  Gould makes up for any lacking in
his Presto with a very slow reading of mystical proportion that I find
revelatory.  Troeger, although perhaps not magical, gets to the core of the
Adagio with an exceptionally intense performance.  Watchorn again does well
but falls short of being superb.  Tilney is relatively weak; the imploring
element, quite low, results in a relatively ineffective interpretation that
doesn't reach out and touch me.

A bridge passage leads into the first fugue which is a Presto in 4/4 time.
The subject is based on a descending scale, and the countersubject has
a prevalence of sixteenth notes; both subject and countersubject are
inverted.  The music is intense and highly demonstrative, easily bordering
on anger.  There's also a few macabre passages which add to the intensity.
Most of all this is lost on Colin Tilney who stays at arms-length
throughout his performance.  I expected that Gould would be a perfect
match for the music, but there is a somewhat flat emotional response.
Personally, I think the recorded sound has much to do with it, but I can't
separate Gould from the sound he receives.  Troeger and Watchorn hit the
right buttons, bringing out the fugue's excitement, strength, and macabre
elements.

The second Adagio can seem like endless repetition of a line, or the
performer can bring out the music's harmonic expressiveness.  Basically,
this Adagio has the ability to mesmerize the listener from the start.
That's exactly what Watchorn's reading does to me; he's inevitable and
highly expressive.  Gould is close to this level with a "thinking person's"
interpretation.  Neither Tilney nor Troeger have impact on me until close
to the conclusion; with both versions, I found myself counting the number
of times the subject is repeated.  That's not a good sign unless you want
to bone up on simple addition.

The Toccata in F sharp minor concludes with a remarkable fugue based on a
descending chromatic figure also used in the Crucifixus from the B minor
Mass.  While this chromatic figure in the first Adagio is mystical and
serene in Gould's performance, it is macabre, mesmerizing, and exciting in
Watchorn's reading of the fugue; Watchorn is revelatory.  Gould is fast,
exciting, and expressive.  Troeger never gets to the music's core, and
Tilney is quite slow and ordinary.

Summary for Toccata in F sharp minor:  Gould, Troeger, and Watchorn
have much to offer.  I wouldn't want to be without Gould's magical first
Adagio, Troeger's first prelude/fugue series, or Watchorn's second series.
Ultimately, my first choice has to be Watchorn who is never less than
stimulating and provides great continuity in the second prelude & fugue.
Except for the opening fantasia, Tilney's reading is superfluous.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]