Trio Sonata No.  3 in D minor, BWV 527 - In ABA form, this is a
rhythmically energetic Andante.  Excellent quick versions in the five
minute range include Walcha on DG and Richter on Teldec; Koopman's is a
great six minute reading of determination.  Unfortunately, Johannsen isn't
very energetic or determined, just heavy; this is a feature that's been
cropping up now and then in his interpretations.  Lippincott is an
improvement but not close to excellent; her second section is routine
and surface-bound.

The middle movement is an exquisitely gorgeous Adagio e dolce which even
takes on epic proportions in the versions from Werner Jacob and Helmut
Walcha; their observation of all repeats very much adds to the impact of
the music.  Johannsen and Lippincott perform well with an average tempo.
However, they don't come close to being epic, don't convey as much depth
of joy as Ton Koopman, and don't provide the stature of the Richter
performance on Teldec.  They simply are not as expressive as the best
versions.

I like the third movement Vivace best at a quick clip with excitement
in the air; that's just what Kevin Bowyer provides.  Richter's confident
reading on Teldec is another exceptional version.  Neither Lippincott nor
Johannsen approaches either of those two performances.  Johannsen is the
slower of the two and lacks some vibrancy.

For BWV 527, there are many other recordings superior to Lippincott and
Johannsen who never distinguish themselves from start to finish.  Through
three trio sonatas, Lippincott is displaying greater vitality and rhythmic
activity than Johannsen.  Although hardly in the first rank, the Lippincott
is very enjoyable.  I think that only a dramatic upgrade by Johannsen can
save his disc from the also-rans.

Trio Sonata No.  4 in E minor, BWV 528 - The opening Adagio may be only
four measures long, but it's a majestic one which sets the table for the
energetic Vivace.  Piet Kee on Chandos fully captures the Adagio's majesty
with the help of a strong bass line.  The Andante can be mesmerizing if the
pacing is in the hands of Werner Jacob, and the lively Un poco allegro is
an exciting piece from Lionel Rogg.  Overall, the Kee on Chandos is one my
favorite versions.

Lippincott and Johannsen don't exactly answer the call in BWV 528.  The
majesty of the Adagio is only partial with Johannsen and pretty much absent
from Lippincott's reading.  In the second and third movements, neither
version holds up well to Jacob and Rogg, respectively.

Trio Sonata No.  5 in C major, BWV 529 - The opening Allegro is in ABA
form; the A section is optimistic with some urgency, while the B section
is harmonically denser and fugue-like in its development.  Koopman on
Archiv and James Johnstone on ASV Quicksilva give excellent and exciting
performances.  Conversely, a version such as from Gerhard Weinberger on CPO
is rather austere and never takes flight or conveys significant excitement.
Lippincott is in the Koopman/Johnstone camp with a rhythmically energetic
reading sufficienty light in texture and with excellent momentum.
Johannsen gives a 5 1/2 minute performance compared to the usual 5 minute
time span.  The slower tempo allows Johannsen to provide more stature and
confidence; also, he still manages to convey excitement and urgency.  Both
Johannsen and Lippincott are great choices for the first movement.

The second movement Largo was likely part of an original three movement
version of the Prelude & Fugue in C major, BWV 545.  It begins with a
mournful theme that I think would depress any normal person, but the next
theme twists the mood upward and eventually leads to a spritual rewakening.
For years I've considered the Koopman performance an exceptional one for
its postive and spiritual elements, but I was hoping that a version of a
transcendent quality would soon appear.

Joan Lippincott answers my hope.  Although her first theme has its
mournful element, she actually is spiritually uplifting before the second
theme begins.  I don't know how she does it, but I feel magic from the
performance.  Lippincott is quicker than other versions, but I hardly
notice any differential.  She just seems to start on a higher plane and
keeps rising upward.  Johannsen gives a heavy performance, but he does
manage to lift the spirit effectively.

The third movement is an Allegro with intertwining themes in the
expositions, stretti, and great bounce/momentum.  Kay Johannsen hasn't
exactly been stunning in the fast movements where rhythmic energy needs to
be high.  So, I was very surprised to hear from him the best third movement
I'm aware of.  Johannsen sheds his heaviness and sometimes dour disposition
to deliver a magnificent reading that soars upward with excitement,
urgency, and noble staure.  Lippincott is no slouch in this movement, but
Johannsen is the real story.  I thought that Rogg's version had great
spring and momentum, but Johannsen leaves him at the starting gate.

For BWV 529, both Johannsen and Lippincott do a reverse from their
rather hum-drum performance of BWV 528.  They consistently hold up well to
excellent alternative versions, and each surpasses the alternatives in one
movement apiece.

Trio Sonata No.  6 in G major, BWV 530 - For this work, my comparisons were
Rogg, Richter/Teldec, and Erich Piasetzki on a Berlin Classics disc which
is Volume 9 devoted to Bach on Sliberman Organs.

The Vivace first movement is light in texture, bubbly, and youthful with
quite a spring to the rhythm.  This is the kind of music that Rogg responds
to best, and his reading is exceptional.  Although not having as much
spring, Piasetzki gives a thoroughly uplifting interpretation with a very
light texture.  After the previous two, Richter is 'heavy' man, but he does
manage to provide me with some uplifting properties.  That's more than
Johannsen has to offer as he falls back into his usual pattern exhibiting
a combination of heaviness and slowish tempo.  Lippincott is much better
with a faster, more urgent, more vibrant, and lighter peformance that's
just a notch less rewarding than Rogg's.

Listening to the second movement, Lento, had me remebering a couple of
things.  One is how easily a performer can suck all the life out of a
musical creation.  Yes, this is a Lento tempo and lamenatations are in
the air, but the music still has vitality and can surely be spritually
uplifting.  Lionel Rogg, who provides so much lift to the fast movements
gets totally bogged down by the Lento; it just trudges on and on with a
ceasless projection of 'down and out'.  Richter's also in that category.
Johannsen is close behind.

The second recollection gave me the answer to why I wanted to listen to
Piasetzki's BWV 530.  His Lento is a banquet of music that he delivers with
great poetry, beauty, and spiritual conception.  The light textures are
alluring, and Piasetzki's imaginative registrations are the frosting on the
cake for a recorded performance that is highly revelatory.  I can't say
that Lippincott scales such heights, but she is rhythmically alert and the
registrations are interesting.

The concluding Allegro does no favors for either Lippincott or Johannsen as
a stirling way to complete the set of trio sonatas.  There's beauty in this
music, and these two artists together only convey a small percentage of it.
Rogg conveys all of it with an irresistable pulse; he best highlights the
contrasts in the music and the prevalent crossing of the voices.

Don's Conclusions:  I'd like to strongly advise you to make an urgent
purchase of both the Lippincott and Johannsen recordings, but neither
issue is close to rating that type of testimonial.  Acutually, I can't
recommend Johannsen under any conditions.  I am familiar with his other
Bach recordings for Hanssler, and each one exhibits a tendency for heavy
and relatively slow performances.  Johannsen is certainly enjoyable and
sometimes better, but there are superior alternative recordings for every
Bach work he has recorded, including the Trio Sonatas.

Joan Lippincott's recording for Gothic is a fine choice for those who want
a few discs of the Trio Sonatas.  Her readings tend to be alert and much
lighter in texture than Johannsen's.  Her playing of the slow movements
is particularly fine with quick tempos and compelling rhythms.  However,
versions from artists like Rogg and Walcha are on a higher plane.  So I
recommend Lippincott, but only if you already have a few versions in your
library.  Do check out her Largo from BWV 529; it's a very special
performance.

Don Satz