Prelude & Fugue in E major - Most Bach lovers likely have a host of aspects
of his music which they hold in high esteem.  One of my favorites is the
subtlety Bach employs to express various themes and emotions.  The E major
prelude is joyful and uplifting; Bach is not blunt or ostentatious.  The
music unfolds so naturally and in a serene manner while still possessing
significant drama.  Every version is highly rewarding.  Gould's is the most
unusual with a perverse speed which actually is highly musical although
not subtle.  There are three versions which are outstanding, seamless,
and loaded with subtlety;  each one took me on a journey to treasured
locations:  Aldwell, Gulda, and Hewitt.  It's a little ironic that Hewitt
mentions the "gentleness" of the prelude, but it is Aldwell who best
displays it.  His is a dreamy interpretation that's irresistable.  Gulda
uses precision and clarity to provide a "perfect" reading.  Hewitt has all
the elements I look for in a highly poetic and dramatic intepretation.
The best thing about these three performances is how naturally the music
evolves; it gives me the feeling that I'm listening to Bach performing his
music, and I know of no greater compliment.

The E major Fugue harkens back to the 1600's in style and is more serious
than the E major Prelude.  Bach uses inversion, stretti, augmentation, and
diminution to present an outstanding four-part fugue highlighted, for me,
by a series of descending chords set against the soprano voice toward the
conclusion of the music.  The different versions provided a variety of
emotional themes: some were soft and beautiful (Hewitt, Schepkin, Aldwell)
some rather heroic (Roberts, Jando, Gulda), some had much tension
(Nikolayeva, Fischer), and others were thought-provoking (Gould, Schiff,
Tureck).  I liked them all very much and can't say that I'd want to listen
in the future to one or more versions more than the others.  So, all eleven
are great without any of them entering the transcendent stage.

Prelude & Fugue in E minor - This two-part and fast paced prelude provides
great tension with poetry, a contrast that is highly effective.  Aldwell,
Gould, Gulda, Schiff, Roberts, Schepkin, and Hewitt give readings which
well combine tension and poetry.  Gould and Gulda go to the "racetrack",
providing abundant tension and sufficient poetry.  I probably would have
considered Hewitt's the best version except that in a few spots where I'm
looking for extra tension, she doesn't express it.  Two versions, Fischer
and Nikolayeva, display much tension but little poetry.  Tureck is highly
poetic but leaves tension behind.  Jando's reading sounds like a
run-through with little poetry or urgency.  Overall, Schiff is doing very
well although I prefer a majority of the other versions.  Unlike with his
recordings of the Inventions and Goldberg Variations, he isn't giving
mannered readings with quirks, changing tempos which destroys momentum,
or displaying an annoying cuteness.  He's just up against strong fellow
pianists.

I take the Fugue in E minor as having demonic elements within an exuberant
atmosphere.  That's not a combination I care for, and I can take or leave
ten of the versions.  Aldwell is different in that his reading is
relatively seamless and not strong on exuberance.  He elicits the full
beauty of the music without damaging its demonic elements.  But even
Aldwell can't persuade me to love this music.  Admiration's the best I can
offer.  But I more than admire Aldwell's performances up to this point.
He's poetic, seamless, gentle, and displays an excellent flow of the music.
If he has a failing, it's that he's not high on the excitement scale (not
low either).  But the superb traits I mentioned plus Aldwell's fine display
of counterpoint and detail and rich recorded sound currently place him as
one of the best versions.  I've heard that Aldwell has some kind of cult
following which usually indicates an eccentric approach to intepretation,
but I don't notice anything like that.  He's not far off the main street,
and he's always tasteful and musical.  I can't imagine anyone being really
turned-off by his music-making on this recording.  One other thing I should
mention;  in Fischer's set, the Fugue in E minor is the first track on the
3rd disc.  I don't think well of that decision; in fact, it's rather
insulting for a logistical consideration to take total precedence over
musical continuity.

Prelude & Fugue in F major - The technical foundation of the prelude are
descending groups of four notes and their contrasting inversions.  The
music is essentially joyful and quite beautiful; any good performance must
have those elements.  Gulda does not - he's very fast, mechanical,  bereft
of beauty, and provides the joy of automation.  Gould is as fast, but he
has a lighter touch and a lovely use of staccato.  Both clock in at about
two minutes.  Schiff, Nikolayeva, Jando, Fischer, and Hewitt all give fine
readings in the three minute range.  Timing in at over four minutes are
Schepkin and Aldwell;  Schepkin gives a very good and emotionally rich
performance while Aldwell stresses the beauty in the music.  For an
exceptional performance, I want more than joy and beauty; I look for
vibrancy and/or some "bite" to the interpretation.  Roberts has a strong
vibrancy and often deliciously builds up tension.  Tureck provides just the
right bite to the music with a gorgeous performance; the sound behaves
quite well.

The Fugue in F major is in the form of a gigue and is very joyful and
outgoing.  What makes the music highly enjoyable for me is a confident
swagger that's immediately has impact at the beginning.  All but one
version possesses abundant swagger, joy, and exuberance.  Hewitt's
performance has a problem; the swagger isn't really there, and I sense
that Hewitt concentrates too much on emphasizing the beauty of the piece.
Without that swagger, the music just isn't infectious.

Prelude & Fugue in F minor - This prelude is a world unto itself, just
loaded with a wide palate of colors and emotions in a breathing cocoon of
technical majesty.  Sorrow, joy, comfort, serenity, mystery, anger, menace,
tension, urgency, remorse, beauty, stunning legato passages, and "three
note sighs" are ready for your intensive listening.  Concerning those three
note sighs, they are a significant element of the prelude.  In his liner
notes, Aldwell warns against too much attention paid to the right-hand
sighs.  Then, he plays them so weakly that they are ineffectual.  Joining
Aldwell on the low rung are Nikolayeva, Jando, Schepkin, and Gould.
Nikolayeva gives a romantic performance which I don't appreciate;  this
isn't Chopin.  Jando is rather choppy and offers a small range of colors
and emotions.  Schepkin sounds rushed at times and reverts to some of the
mannerisms and trills he displayed in his Goldberg Variations recording.
Gould is extemely fast; I initally found it very interesting but when the
"newness" wore off, there wasn't much left to engage my mind.  He has the
menace, but that's about it.

Schiff, Roberts, and Hewitt are one step up with very fine performances -
Schiff is highly poetic and Roberts is strong on tension.  Hewitt's is a
graceful and lovely performance which is a little too soft in focus to make
the top level.

Tureck, Gulda, and Fischer are exceptional.  Tureck is the slowest paced at
over six minutes and provides a full panorama of colors and emotions; her
sound, which normally would be a problem, gets swept up in the sensational
reading.  The same happens with Fischer's sound as he is equally
outstanding;  Fischer does omit repeats.  Gulda's perfomance is perfectly
paced, strong on emotion, and clearly/highly detailed.

The Fugue in F minor revolves around the main theme and its being repeated
throughout the fuge.  It's emphatic music still imbued with poetry.
Schepkin is on the fast side and gives a somewhat exciting performance;
this applies to Gould as well.  Aldwell starts off great with a slow pace
and strong sense of foreboding but he unfortunately becomes routine for the
remainder.  Hewitt, Nikolayeva, Jando, Schiff, and Roberts are moderately
paced and moderately enjoyable.  Tureck is very slow, poetic, and dramatic,
and has sound that breaks at the worst times.  Gulda is even slower than
Tureck and delivers an examination of every note with great highlighting of
the counterpoint.  Fischer allows plenty of time to rev up the tension and
urgency in the music.  Overall, I have to give the nod to Gulda and Fischer
- unusual interpretations that work very well.

That completes the first half of Book II.  Every version has fine
contributions to make; none are of the throw-away variety.  And, it's
looking like Gulda, Tureck, Aldwell, and Gould will compete for top
position.

Don Satz
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