Bach: Ouvertures-Suites

by Ensemble Masques, Olivier Fortin

Overview

Telemann wrote at least 135 orchestral suites. Bach wrote only four, but he made them count; they are perennially popular works, and to contribute a distinctive new recording to the catalog is difficult. Harpsichordist/director Olivier Fortin and his Ensemble Masques have achieved this here in several ways. Most notable for some will be the version of the Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067. Fortin adopts the suggestions of Joshua Rifkin, who argued on the basis of some manuscript copying errors that the work was originally in A minor, and of Gonzalo X. Ruiz that the familiar solo part for flute was probably for an oboe. One can debate these ideas; the copied parts were apparently made by Bach himself, who could certainly transpose in his head accurately, and the Badinerie movement rests much less comfortably on the oboe than on the flute. It is useful to have a new recording of this rare version, however. More generally, Ensemble Masques is a small group with a rather wiry sound, and Fortin keeps the tempos quick. These readings accord neither with a vision of the works as delicate French court dances nor with modern orchestral ideals. Again, one may not take to these interpretations, but it is useful to have them, and a bit of sampling will determine the camp into which a listener falls. Alpha's engineering here, from the modern TAP hall in Poitiers, does the group no favors; its heavily resonant edge imparts a harshness to the strings that was probably not actually there. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	06/10/2022
Label:	ALPHA
UPC:	3760014198328

Tracks

1. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Ouverture
2. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Courante
3. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Gavottes 1& 2
4. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Forlane
5. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Menuets 1 & 2
6. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Bourr¿¿es 1 & 2
7. Ouverture-Suite No. 1 En Do Majeur, BWV 1066~Passepieds 1 & 2
8. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Ouverture
9. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Rondeau
10. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Sarabande
11. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Bourr¿¿es 1 & 2
12. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Polonaise & Double
13. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Menuet
14. Ouverture-Suite No. 2 En La Mineur Pour Hautbois Et Cordes, D'Apr¿¿s, BWV 1067~Badinerie
15. Ouverture-Suite No. 3 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1068~Ouverture
16. Ouverture-Suite No. 3 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1068~Air
17. Ouverture-Suite No. 3 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1068~Gavottes 1 & 2
18. Ouverture-Suite No. 3 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1068~Bourr¿¿e
19. Ouverture-Suite No. 3 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1068~Gigue
20. Ouverture-Suite No. 4 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1069~Ouverture
21. Ouverture-Suite No. 4 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1069~Bourr¿¿es 1 & 2
22. Ouverture-Suite No. 4 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1069~Gavotte
23. Ouverture-Suite No. 4 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1069~Menuets 1 & 2
24. Ouverture-Suite No. 4 En R¿¿ Majeur, BWV 1069~R¿¿jouissance

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ensemble Masques   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Olivier Fortin   Primary Artist,Conductor
Sophie Gent   Violin
Didier Martin   Director

Technical Credits

Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
John Thornley   Liner Note Translation
Valerie Lagarde   Design,Artwork
Peter Wollny   Liner Notes
David Samyn   Photography
Aline Blondiau   Editing,Mastering,Recording Producer
Laurent Cantagrel   Liner Note Translation
Amelie Boccon-Gibod   Editorial Coordinator
Louise Burel   Producer
Aline Lugand-Gris Souris   Design,Artwork
Roberta Murray   Cover Image