Archiv/DG recently re-issued Ralph Kirkpatrick's performances of Bach's
Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 which were recorded in 1959 on the clavichord;
the catalog number is 463601.  I'm not going to go through every prelude &
fugue, but I will write about those which I feel are either not competitive
or are exceptional:

Fugue in C major - Momentum and inevitabilty are the key aspects I look for
in performances of this fugue, and Kirkpatrick is outstanding in providing
these two features.

Prelude in C minor - Kirkpatrick plays the prelude with excitement and also
gives it a sinister quality which I like very much; his ending is sharp and
well detailed.

Fugue in C minor - Momentum is strong here as in the C major Fugue.  Also,
Kirkpatrick's lyricism is irresistable.

Prelude in C sharp minor - Very sad and reflective music superbly performed
by Kirkpatrick.  The tangy quality of the clavichord, as in Colin Tilney's
performance on Hyperion, is a great match for the prelude.  Kirkpatrick's
phrasing and sharp accenting are very impressive.

Prelude in E flat minor - Kirkpatrick's performance is slow and
luxuriating, very similar to Colin Tilney's wonderfully incisive reading.
Both are great listening experiences.

Prelude in E major - Kirkpatrick is exceptional with all the comfort I
could ask for; when tension is needed, he rises to meet the need.

Prelude in E minor - This prelude is loaded with foreboding and
inevitability.  Kirkpatrick might not be as powerful as Suzuki in BIS,
but the tension and foreboding permeates his performance.

Fugue in E minor - This is the first performance of Kirkpatrick's which
doesn't quite satisfy.  I see this fugue as a representation of the savage
underside of human thought and action.  Kirkpatrick is much to polite,
relaxed, and slow.

Prelude in F minor - This is one of Kirkpatrick's best readings of the set.
The level of sadness and resignation he provides is stunning; also, the
uplighting passages are sublime.

Fugue in F sharp major - Another outstanding Kirkpatrick reading.  Joy,
hope, and urgency are in full supply.  I could listen to this one for hours
on end.

Fugue in G minor - Kirkpatrick is not very satisfying here.  This is noble
and heroic music of great substance.  Kirkpatrick's quick tempo doesn't
help matters, and I find his performance takes the route of diminishing the
substance and replacing it with pleasant sounds.

Fugue in A major - Not one of Kirkpatrick's better efforts.  He could have
delivered much more energy and exuberance.

Prelude in A minor - I prefer the A minor to be on the wild side;
Kirkpatrick is miles away from any wild thoughts.

Fugue in B flat major - Deep joy mingled with some urgency about the future
highlight a wonderful interpretation by Kirkpatrick.

Prelude in B flat minor - A thoroughly serious and depressingly effective
prelude.  Kirkpatrick does it proud; he never lets up on the intensity of
the hurt that a human can absorb.

Fugue in B flat minor - This music is just as intense and negative as its
partner, and Kirkpatrick is just as stunning as he is in the prelude.

Prelude in B major - Kirkpatrick is intimate and joyful, just the way I
view the prelude.  His reading puts a warm glow over my heart.

Fugue in B minor - This music creates in me the images of a funeral that's
all wrong, one where the parents put to rest their child.  Grief is
immense, the world has turned upside down, and previous beliefs in a
divinity and in a natural order are in a shambles.  Kirkpatrick is very
effective and about as good as any other version I've heard.

Positive Comments on Kirkpatrick's Book 1 - On balance, I have Kirkpatrick
strongly distinguishing himself in 14 preludes & fugues while only being
sub-par in 4 of them.  That's an excellent percentage of success.  There's
nothing wayward or perverse about any of his interpretations.  I feel that
Kirkpatrick has done very well with a host of feelings:  intimacy, hope,
urgency, resignation, tension, comfort, momentum, sadness, austerity,
reflection, incisiveness, and anticipation.  Recorded sound for 1959 is
just fine; it won't compare well to today's best but has no diminishing
impact on the performances.

Down-sides:  The flip-side of no wayward or perverse readings is a lack of
adventure and risk-taking.  These are 'safe' performances in the best sense
of the work.  Of course, in 1959, these readings might have been considered
to be risky; I have no idea of that.  The only other negative I can think
of is that Kirkpatrick has no wildness in him, and he rarely stretches the
envelope.

Don's Conclusions:  This is a very fine and safe set of Book 1 performances
which I can confidently recommend to anyone who doesn't have a problem with
the sound of the clavichord.  Comparing it to the Tilney issue of Book 1 on
Hyperion (coupled with Book 2 on harpsichord), I'd say that Kirkpatrick is
at least as good and certainly has fewer "misses" than Tilney.  I suppose
that the cover has the element of nostalgia, but it does nothing for me.
The liner notes are very extensive for a reissued recording - that's good.
I'm glad to have the set and will keep it in my "frequent" play storage
area; in addition, I won't be forgetting his Fugue in F sharp major which
is the single best highlight of the set.  It will be very interesting when
Richard Troeger records the WTC on clavichord.  It won't be easy for him to
surpass Kirkpatrick, but I think he has what it takes to do it.

Don Satz
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