András Schiff recorded his first set of J.S. Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" for London in the mid-1980s, but the passage of time, personal reflection, and improvements in digital recording have contributed to making his second recording of "The 48" a necessity, this time on ECM New Series. As eloquent as ever, and always meticulous in execution, Schiff plays the two books of preludes and fugues without use of the piano's pedals, so his touch and control are evident in every note and in the interplay of lines, which are cleanly separated. The transparent recording, which is de rigueur for ECM, is a great aid in conveying Schiff's scrupulous playing, so the music almost ...
András Schiff recorded his first set of J.S. Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" for London in the mid-1980s, but the passage of time, personal reflection, and improvements in digital recording have contributed to making his second recording of "The 48" a necessity, this time on ECM New Series. As eloquent as ever, and always meticulous in execution, Schiff plays the two books of preludes and fugues without use of the piano's pedals, so his touch and control are evident in every note and in the interplay of lines, which are cleanly separated. The transparent recording, which is de rigueur for ECM, is a great aid in conveying Schiff's scrupulous playing, so the music almost seems to exist in its own pristine, abstract realm, without the botherments of background noises or sounds of physical exertion. However, there is an ideal amount of resonance in the studio space that heightens the timbres of the piano without blurring the music, so Schiff doesn't perform in a vacuum. The earlier recordings garnered high praise from critics and Schiff's many admirers, so this exceptional presentation is sure to win him a new and well-deserved audience. Highly recommended.
Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked,
or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to
Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original
and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you
and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not
violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help
ensure that your review can be posted.
Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13
We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer.
However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or
to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.
What to exclude from your review:
Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the
information on the product page, please send us an email.
Reviews should not contain any of the following:
- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation
Reminder:
- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its
sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the
review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly
those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com
also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend
Create a Pen Name
Welcome, penname
You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.
Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide - Blair Sanderson
András Schiff recorded his first set of J.S. Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" for London in the mid-1980s, but the passage of time, personal reflection, and improvements in digital recording have contributed to making his second recording of "The 48" a necessity, this time on ECM New Series. As eloquent as ever, and always meticulous in execution, Schiff plays the two books of preludes and fugues without use of the piano's pedals, so his touch and control are evident in every note and in the interplay of lines, which are cleanly separated. The transparent recording, which is de rigueur for ECM, is a great aid in conveying Schiff's scrupulous playing, so the music almost ...