Ohh I get it, now you are asking ME to make a tough decision.  Well, let
me tell you buster, this is exactly the kind of decision I LOVE to make.
I have a 2 favorites which I will share with you.  One is performed on
harpsichord and one with string quartet.  My favorite harpsichord version
is performed by Ton Koopman and Tini Mathot on the Erato label.  All the
pieces are played by the duet except for the 4 canons (performed by Koopman
alone) and the 8th Contrapunctus (also played by Koopman.  The recorded
sound is superb DDD and the harpsichords also sound wonderful.  The
instruments are modeled after the Ruckers and Couchet claviers of the
early days.  Of course, the playing is also very fine.

The other performance is by the Julliard String quartet.  I received it
as a Christmas present a few years back and I was astonished.  I looked
and listened to Die Kunst Der Fuge with new eyes and ears.  The recording
was made in 1992 and is crisp DDD with superb playing by the men from
Julliard.  Rather than adapting Bach's counterpoint to work with the
instruments, (as violist Samuel Rhodes explained is a common occurrence),
the quartet enlisted the help of a master luthier to build a special viola
with an extended lower range.  To go along with the usual movements the
quartet also plays the chorale "Vor deinen Thron tret' ich hiermit" which
C.P.E.  Bach so famously added at the end after the untimely demise of the
Master.  This is absolutely the most beautiful performance of this choral
I have EVER heard.  I was in tears the first time I heard it.  I give 4
stars, 2 thumbs up, and an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10 for this rendition.

I like both of these interpretations equally.  I really suggest you buy one
of them and, if finances allow, pick up the other one too.  If you really
like the music itself I don't think you'll be disappointed with these
performances.  I really hope I have been of some help to you sir.

-Wes Crone