CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

András Schiff (Great Pianists of the Century series) - Bach / Mozart / Schubert

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Philips

Release Date May 11, 1999

Andras Schiff has achieved an enviable place among the great pianists of the world. His repertoire is zealously chosen. Take together, his profound intelligence, penetrating vision and the undeniable influence inherited from the master Sandor Vegh, are part of his personal qualities, ver hard to find in these days, where other priorities seem to prevail.

It might be said he belongs to a missed musical tradition, where the sound was part of a language and the final product of a superior vision.

If you want to enjoy and convince by yourself about Schiff's sound, please, be my guest.

Totally recommended.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Introducing duo pianists... Rose-n-Rood

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat

Release Date January 24, 2003

Andras Schiff has achieved an enviable place among the great pianists of the world. His repertoire is zealously chosen. Take together, his profound intelligence, penetrating vision and the undeniable influence inherited from the master Sandor Vegh, are part of his personal qualities, ver hard to find in these days, where other priorities seem to prevail.

It might be said he belongs to a missed musical tradition, where the sound was part of a language and the final product of a superior vision.

If you want to enjoy and convince by yourself about Schiff's sound, please, be my guest.

Totally recommended.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Bach: Fantasia in C minor; Two-Part Inventions; Three-Part Inventions; Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Hyperion UK

Release Date August 30, 1994
There is a deeply spiritual quality in Bach's music, that brings me closer to heaven every time I listen. This quality is present with such abundance in the Bach of the elderly Arrau and Kempff, that the music reached deeply into my soul and put me into tears at time.

IMHO, it takes a very refined sense of control to balance the multiple voices in Bach's polyphonic keyboard music. On one hand, each line needs to be given its due independence and prominence, and yet, at the same time, together they should sound "at peace" with one another harmonically. Hewitt's playing is usually muddy in the bass lines (as compared to the clarity achieved by Glenn Gould, Arrau or Kempff, the latter two even did it on unmodified pianos). Hewitt's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

J.S. Bach: Inventionen & Sinfonien - Blandine Verlet

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Astrée

Release Date April 10, 1997
There is a deeply spiritual quality in Bach's music, that brings me closer to heaven every time I listen. This quality is present with such abundance in the Bach of the elderly Arrau and Kempff, that the music reached deeply into my soul and put me into tears at time.

IMHO, it takes a very refined sense of control to balance the multiple voices in Bach's polyphonic keyboard music. On one hand, each line needs to be given its due independence and prominence, and yet, at the same time, together they should sound "at peace" with one another harmonically. Hewitt's playing is usually muddy in the bass lines (as compared to the clarity achieved by Glenn Gould, Arrau or Kempff, the latter two even did it on unmodified pianos). Hewitt's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

The Complete Keyboard Works of J. S. Bach on Concord Concerto - The Sampler

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Concord Records

Release Date April 30, 1996
There is a deeply spiritual quality in Bach's music, that brings me closer to heaven every time I listen. This quality is present with such abundance in the Bach of the elderly Arrau and Kempff, that the music reached deeply into my soul and put me into tears at time.

IMHO, it takes a very refined sense of control to balance the multiple voices in Bach's polyphonic keyboard music. On one hand, each line needs to be given its due independence and prominence, and yet, at the same time, together they should sound "at peace" with one another harmonically. Hewitt's playing is usually muddy in the bass lines (as compared to the clarity achieved by Glenn Gould, Arrau or Kempff, the latter two even did it on unmodified pianos). Hewitt's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Bach: Two- and Three-part Inventions, BWV 772-801

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Sony

Release Date March 09, 1993
Sony has in the liner notes an explanation about the technical problems with the piano, which they call hiccups, and their reluctance to release the recordings against Gould's insistence. I find the problem very annoying, it's like listening to a great performance at an out-of-tune piano; they couldn't have done it later with an acceptable instrument? I realize that Gould was very eccentric, but...
My suggestion is for Bach and Gould fans to purchase this used or at a discount price, it's still worth it for the music but not at full price.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Hymnworks: A Tapestry of Classical Themes and Hymns

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
by: Various Artists

Release Date August 29, 1995
First off, I'm going to be perfectly honest and tell you that if you don't like classical music (Mozart, Beethoven, Pachelbel, etc.), you will hate this CD. (Please note that I use the word "classical" generically. I really am referring to classical, baroque, romantic, and so-called "modern classical" music, ie Copeland.)

In this series of CDs, each piece will begin with a particular piece of classical music. Then, it will transition into a hymn. Then, the themes from the hymn and the classical piece will be played in concert. Usually, this is done very well.

The orchestration is quite well done. Don Marsh has done quite a number of other very popular Christian CDs. His orchestra is top notch.

As of the time I am writing ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Switched-On Bach 2000

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
by: Wendy Carlos

Release Date April 16, 1995
I've read some confusion about Walter Carlos being the listed performer on Switched On Bach and Wendy Carlos being the performer on Switched On Bach 2000. Let me clear this up for anyone that might be confused or that won't consider the new 2000 version because of it not being Walter. They are both one in the same. In 1972, Walter Carlos underwent gender reassignment therapy. The last release to be credited to Walter Carlos was By Request (1975). The first release as Wendy was Switched-On Brandenburgs (1979). Carlos's first public appearance after her gender transition was in an interview in the May 1979 issue of Playboy magazine, a decision she would come to regret because of the unwelcome publicity it brought to her personal life. On her official site, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Switched-On Bach 2000

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: Telarc

Release Date May 22, 1992
I've read some confusion about Walter Carlos being the listed performer on Switched On Bach and Wendy Carlos being the performer on Switched On Bach 2000. Let me clear this up for anyone that might be confused or that won't consider the new 2000 version because of it not being Walter. They are both one in the same. In 1972, Walter Carlos underwent gender reassignment therapy. The last release to be credited to Walter Carlos was By Request (1975). The first release as Wendy was Switched-On Brandenburgs (1979). Carlos's first public appearance after her gender transition was in an interview in the May 1979 issue of Playboy magazine, a decision she would come to regret because of the unwelcome publicity it brought to her personal life. On her official site, her transition ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Legendary Performers: Landowska

Search: Two-Part Invention in B flat
from: RCA

Release Date March 24, 1992
RCA have reissued all the Bach recordings made by Landowska in the USA, except for her complete recording of Bach's 48, on this splendid 2 CD set. Most of the items on the first CD were recorded in New York in 1945-6 and include her second (and much better) recording of the Goldberg Variations. All these items receive majestic treatment; indeed, the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, originally for lute, is overpowering in its grandeur. The items on the second CD were recorded later, in her Connecticut home, and include an unfinished recording of the Three-Part Inventions on which she was working at the time of her death at the age of 80. The fingers may not have been quite as responsive at this time, but this is still playing like no other. If you are becoming bored with some of ... Read More: