Edward Parmentier has primarily been recording for the Wildboar label over
the past few years.  Reviews of his discs of Bach including the Partitas,
Toccatas, and English Suites have been highly complimentary, and I know
many folks who would second that opinion.  So, I finally got around to
obtaining Parmentier's set of the Partitas for Harpsichord which was
initially released in 1992; time does fly.  It is a two-disc set, and the
catalog number is WLBR 9101.  I'll be comparing Parmentier to the best
versions I have of every movement in the set, harpsichord and/or piano.

Partita No. 1 in B flat major, BWV 825 - Parmentier plays excellently and
with a knack for Bach's idiom.  I would have liked stronger accenting in
the Praeludium, and Parmentier could have provided greater depth in Menuet
II.  Also, he takes a fast tempo in the Allemande; if you want fast and
exciting, there's no reason to look further than Pires who is thrilling
and like lightning.  I am being rather picky.  The fact is that I find
Parmientier's B flat major a fine and mainstream achievement.  His
Praeludium is noble and beautiful, the Allemande exciting, the Corrente
joyful, the Sarabande comforting, Menuet I has great bounce, and the
Gigue's music comes at me from all directions.  Overall, I still prefer
Leonhardt, but Parmentier stands tall next to Maggie Cole and Trevor
Pinnock.

Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 - This is a wonderful Partita; every
movement is a masterpiece of construction and enlightenment.  I have found
Leonhardt and Tureck outstanding in the first four movements with Pinnock
taking over in the Rondeaux and Capriccio.  Parmentier holds up well to
this high level of performance.  The Andante of the Sinfonia is a little
choppy, and the Sarabande might be slightly too quick for maximum feeling.
Other than that, it's an exceptional performance.  Best of all is the
Sinfonia's fugue where the excitement of Parmentier's reading leaps off
the written page; it's the most thrilling performance I've ever heard.

Partita No. 3 in A minor, BWV 827 - Another excellent set of performances
from Parmentier.  He is fully equal or better than any other version I have
excepting for the Sarabande; as in the C minor, he is quick with reduced
expressiveness.  The highlight is the thrilling second theme of the
Corrente where Parmentier even outshines Leonhardt.

Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828 - I feel rather critical concerning
Parmentier's performances of the D major which is my favorite partita of
the set.  It has a stature and ceremony of supreme impact.  Perhaps most
advantageous is its thrilling and perpetual motion Gigue.  Gould is my
benchmark for the D major; Tureck, Kahane, and Pinnock are three excellent
versions.  Parmentier doesn't hold up well in this company except for his
Menuet and Gigue which are exceptional.  As expected, Parmentier provides
another quick tempo Sarabande which doesn't dig deeply into the music's
core.  Unexpectedly, his Overture and Allemande are also somewhat
surface-bound and riddled with little hesitations and some choppiness.
They are enjoyable performances, but they pale next to the likes of Gould,
Tureck, and Pinnock.  The D major's Overture, Allemande, and Sarabande are
among the finest movements in the set, and Parmentier's surface readings
are a major negative.

Partita No. 5 in G major - Pinnock and Tureck have been my favorite G major
performances, although I think that Richard Goode on Nonesuch delivers the
best Tempo di Minuetta I've heard.  Parmentier's Praeambulum is exciting
with intense "galloping" passages.  His Allemande is fully vested with hope
and subtlety.  The Italian Corrente is interpreted in a joyous and delicate
manner.  Parmentier's Sarabande is exceptional and gorgeous; the French
nature of the music shines through completely.  The Passepied has great
swagger, and Parmentier's Gigue is the equal of Pinnock's and Tureck's.
Only his Tempo di Minuetta displays any pedestrian qualities.  Overall,
Parmentier is highly distinguished in the G major, and his Sarabande and
Gigue are outstanding.

Partita No. 6 in E minor - This masterful work begins with a Toccata in
prelude-fugue-prelude sequence.  Tureck's is a transcendent performance;
Parmentier doesn't match her, particularly in the fugue, but his version
is as excellent as the Kipnis on Seraphim.  Parmentier's Allemande is full
of longing and vulnerability as is the superb Leonhardt performance on DHM.
I don't think very well of most performances of the Corrente, but Hewitt
is a different league with powerful syncopation and voice interplay;
Parmentier is of average enjoyment.  The short Air finds a perfect
interpreter in Pinnock who provides great momentum, bounce, and
playfulness; Parmentier isn't nearly as expressive as Pinnock.  The
Sarabande is in excellent hands with Parmentier; his improvisatory reading
is infectious.  Parmentier is also wonderful in the Tempo di Gavotte; his
flow is perfect.  He's also no slouch in the relatively harsh Gigue where
he blends severity and optimism with a strong dance element as well as the
superb Leonhardt reading.

Conclusions: It's very easy to recommend Parmentier's set of the Partitas
for Harpsichord.  He clearly is in touch with the Bach idiom, presents not
one poor performance of any movement, and is most rewarding in the more
optimistic and joyous music.  I do have two reservations which stop me from
giving the set the highest recommendation.  First, Parmentier plays three
of the Sarabandes on the fast side with reduced fervor.  The second and
more significant failing concerns the D major Partita's Overture and
Allemande where Parmentier's technique is not very appealing and his depth
of feeling is a little short.  If those two movements are very important to
you, I'd suggest sampling them first before deciding whether to buy the
disc.

Concerning comparisons with other harpsichord sets, I continue to feel that
Leonhardt's is the best available.  Parmentier does hold up well to the
fine Pinnock set, and I find him better than Lucy Carolan on Signum who I
reviewed favorably a few weeks ago.  An excellent sign of my satisfaction
with Parmentier is that I will be investigating his other Bach/Wildboar
recordings.  Parmentier is a significant Bach artist and deserves the
recognition he has been receiving in print.

Don Satz
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