Prelude & Fugue in F sharp major - Although not usually performed this
way, I like the prelude played in a "spacious" manner where the counterpoint
is highlighted and nuances are strongly accentuated.  Involved in this
approach is a slower tempo, but that alone does not win the day.  Only
three versions approach the prelude in a spacious manner and one of them,
Aldwell, only paritally gets there.  However, Aldwell's pacing is excellent
and his version deserves a better rating than eight of the others.  The two
excellent versions come from Nikolayeva and Tureck.  Nikolayeva is just a
little slower than most of the other performances, but there's an abundant
spaciousness to her reading which is abetted by highlighting of the
counterpoint, relatively heavy accenting, and dynamic shifts which increase
tension.  Tureck is very slow paced, and every element of the music unfolds
naturally and beautifully.  Frankly, I could easily do without all the
versions except for a frequent dose of Tureck and Nikolayeva and just one
listen to Aldwell on Washington's birthday each year (or Lincoln's or my
own).

The Fugue in F sharp major is in the form of a gavotte.  The music can
easily seem simple and somewhat repetitive if listened to casually or just
once or twice.  But, Bach is a master at delivering a wealth of detail and
variety within a tight framework.  This fugue is a very good example of
that mastery.  It begins with a delicious trill followed by the entrance
(one after another) of three voices; if you're not hooked by that point,
you need to go back to the beginning.  The piece needs tension and a strong
highlighting of the counterpoint.  Although I often favor a relatively
seamless performance of Bach's solo instrumental music, that's not the case
this time as I want a performance that's sharp in detail with sound that's
not overly smooth.  Aldwell is in an impossible position; he generally
provides seamless performances with a very smooth and somewhat hazy
recorded sound - that's just the case with his F sharp major rendition.
It's certainly an enjoyable reading, but it misses the detail.  Schiff,
Jando, and Roberts are also too smooth and limited in their approach;
Roberts gives us the extra benefit of pulling the tempo off course and
impeding momentum.  Gould, Schepkin, and Gulda give very good readings.
Gould is the fastest, displays much tension, but loses a little in detail.
The same comments apply to Schepkin whose reading is fast paced.  Gulda
highlights the counterpoint but is too clinical to reach the top level.

The exceptional versions are Hewitt, Nikolayeva, Fischer, and Tureck.
Hewitt's is a rich yet highly detailed performance with the best bass line
you could want to hear.  Nikolayeva's part playing is superb, and she best
realizes the variety of themes and emotions of the music.  Fischer's
reading is a model of musical and emotional tension.  Tureck uses a slow
pace in a reading of aristocratic proportions with great display of the
counterpoint.

Prelude & Fugue in F sharp minor - The Prelude is essentially a sad piece
with a healthy degree of tension and drama.  It's lovely music and any
decent peformance provides its beauty.  All the versions do deliver the
prelude's beauty.  But Nikolayeva, Jando, and Roberts have significant
failings.  Nikolayeva is too romantic in her approach and the performance
wallows in sadness at the expense of other emotional themes.  Jando is just
too loud, a trait that he indulges in sometimes.  Roberts plays it too
straight, avoiding many of the nuances.  Much better is Tureck, although
she's not at the highest level; her tempo is, surprisingly, a little quick
and the music doesn't always have sufficient breathing room.

I find the remaining versions exceptional.  Hewitt, Schiff, Schepkin,
and Aldwell are simply drop-dead gorgeous; listen to Schiff's right hand
playing; it's outstanding.  Gould is not fast and he employs his staccato
approach beautifully; the man builds up to a climax then releases the
pressure better than anyone.  Also, Gould's ending is superb as it closes
out the music so softly, yet convincingly.  The same type of ending comes
from Fischer who perfectly blends the sadness and tension of the music.
Gulda employs his usual precision with a subtlety that's captivating and
quite tense.

The Fugue in F sharp minor is a three part fugue as beautiful as its
partner, and the music presents a panorama of contrasting moods.  Six
versions have significant problems: Schepkin is essentially asleep for
the first minute, Aldwell loses the music's beauty in the last 2 minutes,
Fischer's is a relatively harsh reading with sound that fades out in softer
passages, Schiff is much too heavy with his left hand, Jando is totally
lost, and Hewitt is much too whimsical as she makes this great music sound
cute and perky, and even worse, humorous.  One step up is Gould with a
very quick performance that's effective, although not very poetic.  Gulda,
Nikolayeva, Tureck, and Roberts are exceptional.  Gulda clocks in at about
7 minutes, 2 minutes longer than the next slowest version.  Does he
maintain interest?  Assuredly, as he never loses the pulse of the music,
finds all the nuances, and is highly poetic.  Nikolyeva displays great
pacing and wonderful part playing.  Tureck's is the most beautiful although
the sound unfortunately cracks in louder passages.  Roberts, for a change,
has Bach's music in his blood, providing great tension within a highly
melodic border.

Tureck is slowly but surely building a comfortable lead over the other
versions.  She hardly ever delivers a sub-standard performance, and her
readings are often at the top level.  At the other end, Jando is alone in
the basement.  He's having much trouble with the music as it becomes more
complicated and needs masterful pianism.  He is losing the music's pulse
and his poetry is thinning out.  Although I'm painting a bleak picture,
there's much to enjoy in Jando's set, but simple enjoyment doesn't begin
to cover what Bach offers.  I haven't mentioned Schepkin very often; he's
in the middle of the pack.  Schepkin is not a predictable pianist as his
tempos range widely - that's good.  His interpretive decisions have mixed
results, but he's always musical and thought provoking.  With great
recorded sound, Schepkin is highly rewarding.

Prelude & Fugue in G major - Always an attractive key, the G major
Prelude expresses for me a mixture of gentleness/tranquility and a
foreboding/anticipation of danger.  I favor Fischer and Jando as they best
bring out the danger and excitement in the music.  All the other versions
are fine.  Gould is super-fast, nervous, and delivers the tranquility of a
seizure; it's an interesting reading.  Hewitt, in bar 7, purposely plays a
C sharp instead of C natural; her decision momentarily kills the foreboding
and replaces it with "charm".  I find that decision a poor one.

The Fugue in G major is a lovely and joy-filled three part fugue.  Gulda's
is the only version approaching two minutes, and his slow pacing insures
that the counterpoint is deliciously highlighted.  Another reason for
Gulda's superiority is that only his performance emphasizes the delicate
nature of the fugue which contrasts so well with the dramatic passages.
At the other end, Fischer is too harsh, Roberts is too bland, and Schepkin
too soft-focused.  The remaining versions are good including Gould who
plays the fugue as fast as possible while maintaining musicality.  The
man is never ordinary.

Prelude & Fugue in G minor - The Prelude's foundation is the prevalence
of French double dots which gives the music an heroic expression.  Hewitt,
in her liner notes, indicates a "solemnity" to the prelude, and her
performance does highlight it.  But, at the slow pace she employs, I feel
that the music tends to stagnate a little.  Overall, it's still a fine
reading.  Also fine are Tureck, Schepkin, Fischer, Jando, and Gulda.
Exceptional performances are provided by Roberts, Schiff, Nikolayeva,
Gould, and Aldwell.  Roberts is the performer for those who want this
prelude to get straight to the heart of the heroic element; Roberts does
this perfectly and stays on course.  Schiff and Nikolayeva provide the most
varied dynamics and emotions in gorgeous interpretations.  Gould is amazing
in how much emotion he expresses in such a compact reading; he's actually
very tender.  Aldwell mentions the "mystery" in the prelude, and he
certainly empahsizes it in his peformance.  Better still, there's a
surrealism which matches beautifully with the prelude's heroic foundation.

The Fugue in G minor revolves around the counterpoint and inversion; the
music is essentially energetic and joyful.  Unfortunately, it's not music
that grows on me with each listening (might be a little too sweet for me).
Each version was less enjoyable the second time around except for Roberts;
he uses a nice crisp articulation and swagger that holds my interest
through many listenings.  Aldwell could have exceptional but in the
second half of the fugue he gets on a tempo changing kick which I found
unattractive.  Although Aldwell is on the slow side, Tureck is a minute
slower, clocking in at 4'30".  No harm is done as Tureck knows very well
how to maintain momentum and drive at slow speed.

Don Satz
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