Robert Hill and Masaaki Suzuki have recently recorded single discs of Bach
keyboard works:

Robert Hill - Keyboard Works From The Weimar Period.  Contents include the
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in D minor BWV 903, Fantasia in A minor BWV 922,
Fantasia & Fugue in A minor BWV 904, Suite in A minor BWV 818a, and Prelude
& Fugue in A minor BWV 894 - Hanssler 92105 (52 minutes).

Masaaki Suzuki - Fantasias & Fugues.  Contents include the Chromatic
Fantasia & Fugue in D minor BWV 903, Fantasia & Fugue in A minor 904,
Fantasia in C minor BWV 906, Fantasia in G minor BWV 917, Fantasia in C
minor BWV 918, Praeludium in C minor BWV 921, Fantasia in A minor BWV 922,
Fantasia & Fugue in A minor BWV 944, Fugue in A major BWV 950, Praeludium
& Fugue in B minor BWV 923/951, Capriccio in honour of Johann Christoph
Bach BWV 993, and the Capriccio on the Departure of his Most Beloved
Brother BWV 992 - BIS 1037 (77 minutes).

Although Hill's disc has substantially less music, I don't consider that
an issue since the Hanssler sells for less than premium price.  Also, three
of the five works on the Hill recording are also on Suzuki's - BWV 903,
922, and 904.  For Hill's BWV 818a, my comparison is Hogwood's version on
his French Suites set on Decca.  For BWV 894, I compared Hill to Angela
Hewitt's piano version on her French Suites set on Hyperion.

Hill holds up very well to Hogwood and Hewitt.  Comparing Hill to Hogwood
in BWV 818a, the immediate and only major difference is that Hill's
harpsichord sound is very 'busy' and not as crisp as Hogwood; the Hill
acoustic is rather 'swimmy'.  However, Hill's sound is more than acceptable
and his performance is as excellent as Hogwood's.

The Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue, BWV 903, has enjoyed many fine recordings.
One of my traditional favorites comes from Igor Kipnis on Arabesque; he
invests the work with a demonic quality which I love every time I play
his interpretation.  There is an element of joy in the Fugue which Kipnis
gives little attention to, but his austere approach is wonderful for this
music.  His recorded sound is as sharp as a needle, perfectly fitting his
interpretation of the Fantasia.  Suzuki is the one who really brings out
the joy in the Fugue; his reading is as fine as Kipnis.  But, Suzuki's
Fantasia is much too fast and strikes me as a messy performance.  Hill does
not approach the excellence of the other two artists; although enjoyable,
at no point does Hill reach the heights.

In the Fantasia & Fugue BWV 904, I prefer Suzuki over Hill or Kipnis,
basically because of the majesty and heroism of his Fantasia.  But, the
other two versions are mighty fine.

Where Hill really shines is in the Fantasia BWV 922.  As traditionally
perceived, a fantasia should convey an improvisatory interpretation.
Hill perfectly meets that standard with a highly detailed, poetic, and
interesting performance.  Listen to Suzuki and you'll likely notice that
it's a tough 6 minutes to sit through - boring, quick, and forgettable.
Kipnis, in his Arabesque disc, uses the clavichord.  Regardless, Hill
brings this music to life better than I've ever heard in the past.

Overall, Hill's new disc is a fine one.  Three of the works are excellently
performed, while BWV 922 is a magical performance.  The only reservation
is BWV 903 which does not have much to offer in comparison to Kipnis and
Suzuki.  If you are looking for a great BWV 922, this disc is essential.
If you don't care much for BWV 922, Hill's reading might well change your
mind.

Turning now to the Suzuki disc, I've already noted that his BWV 903
has a poor Fantasia and wonderful Fugue, outstanding BWV 904, and barely
acceptable BWV 922.  Concerning the remaining works on his disc, most are
also on the Kipnis Arabesque recording.  For the Capriccio BWV 992, I used
Banowetz on Naxos and Aldwinkle on MCA Classics for comparison.  From the
three works that Suzuki and Hill share in common, Suzuki appears to do much
better when speed and forward momentum are strong considerations.  In the
more improvisatory and inward sections of these three works, Suzuki tends
to be heavy and rather unmusical.  Now to the remaining Suzuki
performances.

In BWV 906, Suzuki goes for strong momentum and excitement in the Fantasia;
he does not play the Fugue which does not exist in some manuscript sources.
Overall, I prefer his Fantasia to the reading by Kipnis which is more
deliberate.  In BWV 917, Suzuki again stresses speed and momentum, while
Kipnis is more delicate, thought-provoking, and slower; I consider both
versions excellent.  In BWV 918, Suzuki gets a little heavy-handed to
the detriment of the listener; Kipnis steers a moderate course between
austerity and playfulness which I definitely prefer.

More Suzuki/Kipnis comparisons - In the BWV 922 Fantasia, Kipnis uses
the clavichord in a delicate and detailed performance; again, Suzuki is
somewhat heavy and less interesting.  In the Fantasia & Fugue BWV 944, the
Fantasia is very short and the Fugue quite substantial and virtuosic.
Suzuki has his pulse on this music as does Kipnis.

In the BWV 992 Capriccio, Suzuki does a fine job and compares well to
Banowetz and outshines Aldwinkle.  For the few remaining pieces on the
Suzuki disc, he performs excellently with some occasional heavy playing.
There is a lot of music on Suzuki's recording.

Don's Conclusion - If pressed to choose, I'd go with Suzuki over Hill.
I think that Suzuki's selection of music is better than Hill's, and he
generally reaches superb levels more frequently.  The heavy quality I
have mentioned is a reservation, but that just insures that the disc
is not an essential purchase.  Hill's reservation is a BWV 903 of no
great distinction.  I should relate that the American Record Guide reviewer
thinks that Hill's BWV 903 is "wonderful and fresh".  I'm not sure what
he means by "fresh", but I fail to detect any special qualities in the
performance.  Of paramount importance, either recording should give much
reward and constitute a fine addition to your library.  I'm sure that my
most vivid memories of Suzuki's disc will be his BWV 903 Fugue; for Hill's
disc it will be his outstanding BWV 922.  I bought both recordings at the
same buying session - the next move is yours.

Don Satz
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