Hewitt Archive

BACH: The Partitas and French Suites – Richard Egarr – HM

by Audiophile Audition | Apr 1, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

BACH: The Partitas – Richard Egarr – Harmonia Mundi 907593. CD 1: 75:39, CD 2 79:20 (3/24/17) *****: BACH: The French Suites – Richard Egarr – Harmonia Mundi 907583, CD 1: 47:04, CD 2: 58:29 (5/27/16) ****1/2 : (Richard Egarr; harpsichord) Egarr continues his successful tour of the complete Bach solo repertory played on his fine Ruckers copy double-manual instrument. In recent years, Richard Egarr has somehow managed to balance his responsibilities as musical director of the Academy of Ancient Music with his ambitious project of recording the entire solo harpsichord repertory of J.S. Bach. These recordings have appeared as collections of the “little” works such as the 2004 “per cembalo solo…” on Harmonia Mundi, but more recently as double-CDs of the major suites. Under review here are two major installments which nearly complete the journey. Egarr has been loyal to his splendid instrument, a 1991 Joel Katzman copy of a 1638 Ruckers harpsichord. It is a massive double-register keyboard with a booming voice. It can rattle frightfully on some of the heavy ornamentation of a Bach Gigue, but it possesses an almost mystical side; the 8-ft single register has such a bell-like clarity, especially in the lyrical Sarabande, that […]