Bernard Chasan writes:

>I heard Robert Levin perform WTC2 at the Gardner Museum a few months
>ago, using the four instruments as described.  His rationale, not
>presented in rigorous and dogmatic terms, was to match the music to the
>medium, so majestic celebratory pieces were played on the organ, intimate
>ones on the clavichord, etc.

Although I've only had Levin's set for 24 hours, I have listened to
the first disc a lot in my car.  On its own, it sounds very good.  I am
particuarly impressed with the preludes/fugues on fortepiano.  Levin seems
to reserve the fortepiano for some highly urgent music, and he does a great
job.  Concerning his organ being used for majestic pieces, I'm a little
skeptical about the majesty of the organ he uses.  Also, I've noticed that
the organ sounds piercing at the higher registers with much "action" noise.
At the other end, the C major Prelude sounds great on the organ.

This is a very interesting set, and I haven't come close to arriving at an
opinion of its worth.

Don Satz
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