BACH: Original works and transcriptions – Evgeni Koroliov, piano/ Ljupka Hadzigeorgieva, piano – Tacet

BACH: Original works and transcriptions – Evgeni Koroliov, piano/ Ljupka Hadzigeorgieva, piano – Tacet 192, 77:31 [Distr. by Naxos] ****:
This is a very interesting album consisting of arrangements mainly of chorales by Bach. As such it is not the type of page-turner we are normally accustomed to; instead it is meditative and ruminative, an intellectual feast that is not devoid of emotion yet hardly wallows in it.
The Ricercar from A Musical Offering opens the disc as an extended exercise in contrapuntal brilliance, notated on a full six staves. Gyorgy Kurtag contributes some fine transcriptions for piano four hands in six different chorales, expertly done with pointed voice leading and an almost orchestral palate in his sound world. Bach’s Great Organ Mass (Clavierubung III) brought the art of the chorale prelude to unprecedented heights; but many of these pieces are actually only two-manual compositions and make themselves especially suited to the piano.
Rounding out this program are the Prelude and Fugue in A minor as arranged by Liszt (from six pieces of that name) and Koroliov’s own very effective and intelligent realization of the great Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, done here in one the most effective arrangements I have heard.|
Koroliov is one of the great under-the-radar-pianists playing today, though that is slowly changing. This disc won’t be for everyone, but for those with a taste for all things Bach, it will become a staple. Very clear and resonant piano sound.

TrackList:
1. Ricercar a 6, C minor BWV 1079: The Musical Offering
2. ‘O Lamb of God, innocent,’ BWV deest
3. ‘Through Adam’s fall entirely corrupted’ BWV 637
4. ‘In deep distress I cry to you,’ BWV 687
5. ‘But God on High’ BWV 711
6. Sonatina ‘God’s time is the best time’ (Actus tragicus) BWV 106
7. Sonata I, E flat major BWV 525
8. Passacaglia C minor BWV 582, transcribed by Evgeni Koroliov
9. ‘Kyrie, God Father in heaven,’ BWV 672
10. ‘Christ, the world Solace’ BWV 673
11. ‘Kyrie, God the Holy Spirit,’ BWV 674
12. ‘But glory be to God on High,’ BWV 675
13. ‘But glory be to God on High,’ BWV 675
14. Fughetta super ‘These are the holy Ten Commandments’ BWV 679
15. Fughetta super ‘We all believe in one God,’ BWV 681
16. ‘Our Father in heaven,’ BWV 683
17. ‘Christ, our Lord, came to the Jordan’ BWV 685
18. ‘In deep distress I cry to you,’ BWV 687
19. Fuga super Jesus Christus, unser Heiland ‘BWV 689
20. Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543, arranged by Franz Liszt: Prelude
21. Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543, arranged by Franz Liszt: Fugue
— Steven Ritter