As promised, this begins my thorough review of WTC, Book I and Sergey
Schepkin's new recording on Ongaku.

First, some overall comments about the WTC.  If you look at this body of
works as a series of "miniatures", either you're not "getting it" or the
performances are not sufficiently insightful.  I think of each prelude and
fugue as a musical journey through a *key*, with various emotional messages
conveyed from Bach through the pianist:

1.  Prelude in C - This is an amazing piece of music.  In its elemental
state and if played "straight, it can seem analagous to the playing of
*scales*.  The pinaist's challenge is to dig into the work and bring to the
surface as much of what's hidden as possible.  Gould surfaces brilliantly
the excitement, drive, and energy of the piece, while Jarrett surfaces the
trance-like features.  Schepkin plays the prelude well with a commanding
bass line, and I did feel that I had been on a journey.  But, he does not
reach the heights displayed by Gould or Jarrett.  On a scale of 1 to 4,
Schepkin rates *3*.

2.  Fugue in C - I call this the "steamroller" fugue.  I look in a
performance for the inexorable steam rolling effect of the bass line and
the highlighting of the contrapuntal features.  Schepkin does not succeed
here.  There's no magic - just a straight run-thru.  *2*

3.  Prelude in C minor - This is a wild, demonic, and intense prelude.
It's a constant thrill, and Schepkin is really in his element here.  I find
this a perfect reading.  *4*

4.  Fugue in C minor - This piece best reminds me of a petulant child at
play who finally takes a rest at the end of the day.  Schepkin does conjure
up that image but the last ounce of magic is missing.  *3*

5.  Prelude in C-sharp - This prelude represents a joyous Spring day at
the carnival with jugglers, knife throwers, and fire eaters providing
the entertainment.  The prelude is tinged with a "manic" quality as the
customers and performers are overly excited at the rebirth of the land's
fertility.  Schepkin provides all the joy I could want, but he's not "spot
on" with the mania of the piece.  *3*

6.  Fugue in C-sharp - Spring has passed and it's late summer.  Joy
is still in the air, but so is a nostalgia as the ending of summer is
realized.  Schepkin is great here - joy and nostalgia in full measure; I
felt as if the school bells were ready to ring.  *4*

7.  Prelude in C-sharp minor - Whereas the C-sharp pieces are largely
positive in outlook, the C-sharp minor pieces lead us toward impending
doom.  In the prelude, a deep romance is in trouble and we realize it can
not last.  Schepkin is superb in bringing out the inherent feelings of
deep lovers who somehow know that disaster is around the corner.  *4*

8.  Fugue in C-sharp minor - This fugue continues with the plight of the
two lovers.  One of them, due to health reasons, has a date with the grim
reaper, and although there are two periods of remission, death takes the
lover at the end.  This is a very strong and sad fugue which requires that
the pianist convey the full measure of impending loss and the fact that
bad things happen to good people.  The fugue is a journey to death, and
Schepkin takes me there as well as any other pianist I've heard.  There's
no blame - just an understanding of the arbitrary nature of human events.
*4*

I welcome any and all comments on your conception of each prelude and fugue
and your overall conception of the WTC.

Don Satz
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