Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord

* Sonata #1 in G, BWV1027
* Sonata #2 in D, BWV1028
* Sonata #3 in g, BWV1029

Jordi Savall (viola da gamba), Ton Koopman (harpsichord)
Virgin Veritas CDM 561291 Total time: 43:52

Summary for the Busy Executive: Disappointing.

I first encountered the three sonatas on an LP with Bernard Greenhouse
on the cello, accompanied by pianist Anthony Makas.  It remains not
only a favorite recording, but a benchmark for these works.  If one can
characterize the solo suites for cello as introspective - a kind of inner
communing - the accompanied sonatas from the same period (around 1720),
while not lacking soulful movements, nevertheless impress me over all as
gracious, "social," and witty.  The first two sonatas exhibit an older
form:  four movements (slow, fast, slow, fast), with the slow ones serving
mainly as introductions to the quick.  For the third sonata, Bach resorts
to the "modern" concerto form, which he got from Vivaldi and Corelli, among
others, and which he brought to its height:  three movements (fast, slow,
fast).  The movements not only retain their individual identity, but
together form an effective whole.

My main problem with this recording comes from the "social" aspect of
these works.  In effect, they are trio sonatas, with the gamba on one line,
and the remaining two lines with the harpsichordist's left and right hands.
Indeed, the Sonata in G essentially transcribes an earlier work for two
flutes and continuo.  To me, this implies a collaboration, as opposed to
the solo cello suites' one-man show, but the performers don't seem to be
communicating with each other.  Each player's driving hell-bent down his
private road in his own car.  The balance never changes, and the balance
seems seriously out of whack - whether due to the performers or to the
engineers I can't really say.  The gamba is almost always too far forward,
with the harpsichordist's right hand coming in a close second and the
left hand practically out of it.  Indeed, the only thing the left hand
contributes is a nasty, dull bass reverberation, sort of like hearing
sounds under water.  I find the performances leaden, despite the
considerable technique of Koopman and Savall.  For the most part, they
bang and saw away.  Very little music is being shaped.  They do best
with the third sonata, which does manage to show some movement, although
compared with Greenhouse and Makas or, on period instruments, Crum and
Cummings (Signum SIGCD024), it's more like electricity through a dead
frog.

Steve Schwartz