# The Well-Tempered Clavier - Tureck or Hewitt?



## WNvXXT (Nov 22, 2020)

re: The Well-Tempered Clavier

Have never listened to this. Which CD set should I get? Rosalyn Tureck or Angela Hewitt?

Other suggestions are welcome!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

My preference is Tureck by a wide margin (DG or BBC Classics). However, plenty of folks favor Hewitt, and her sound is much better.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

WNvXXT said:


> re: The Well-Tempered Clavier
> 
> Have never listened to this. Which CD set should I get? Rosalyn Tureck or Angela Hewitt?


Neither. Try Nikolayeva, Feinberg, or Richter.


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## milk (Apr 25, 2018)

wkasimer said:


> Neither. Try Nikolayeva, Feinberg, or Richter.


I also would prefer these to the two that were posted. Although, Feinberg is also challenged by sound quality (it's so old). While he's my favorite of these three, he's also the most eccentric. I quite like Lepauw (a newer version with great sound by a young pianist) but, again, another eccentric. I bet if you wade through everything, the pages and pages of thoughts and recommendations, you'd probably come out with Schiff at the top. Again, not necessarily my favorite, but perhaps the most solid choice. Richter is up there too though (in terms of what people like - For myself I'm not so sure).


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

WNvXXT said:


> re: The Well-Tempered Clavier
> 
> Have never listened to this. Which CD set should I get? Rosalyn Tureck or Angela Hewitt?
> 
> Other suggestions are welcome!


Piano: Nikolayeva (you get the clear articulation of Tureck without the overly extended/pondering mannerisms)
Harpsichord: Leonhardt (the master!)

For a nice, modern recording, I would recommend Schiff's ECM over Hewitt.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

I'd say go with the Tureck (1953). She's probably my favorite Bach interpreter on the piano along with Schiff (2012). Get both recordings if you can. But if it's only one, for me it's Tureck.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

WNvXXT said:


> re: The Well-Tempered Clavier
> 
> Have never listened to this. Which CD set should I get? Rosalyn Tureck or Angela Hewitt?
> 
> Other suggestions are welcome!


There are two commercial Tureck performances of all of WTC, one for DG and one for the BBC. There are also two commercial complete WTCs by Angela Hewitt.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Tureck definitely. I'm not a huge Hewitt fan - her fluency is impressive but I find her readings of most things rather bland.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

In addition to those versions already mentioned, other excellent accounts include:

Evgeny Koroliov (piano)
Roger Woodward (piano)
Kenneth Gilbert (harpsichord)
Jill Crossland (piano)
Celine Frisch (harpsichord)
Friedrich Gulda (piano)
Robert Levin (various)
Scott Ross (harpsichord)
Bob van Asperen (harpsichord)
Christophe Rousset (harpsichord)
Sergey Schepkin (piano)
Andre Vieru (piano)
Glen Wilson (harpsichord)
Peter Watchorn (harpsichord)
Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord)


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

I've found myself drawn to Hewitt. Not only for WTC, but for keyboard concertos and Couperin too. She seems lighter and somehow less pretentious than others. She lets the music shine. That may be the blandness to which others like AtD refer. Your mileage may vary.


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## Perfectfullmoon (Jul 16, 2020)

maybe try Evelyne Crochet, I think she offers enough space for the beauty, structure and emotion in this work.


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## milk (Apr 25, 2018)

If the OP wants other suggestions, including harpsichord ones, I’d say that there are many more interesting harpsichord recordings of Bach than piano. Of course it’s a matter of taste but the advancements in HIP over the last 50 years have led to so much variety of insight into possibilities of performance. It’s absolutely the opposite direction from so many pianists who play Bach rather strictly and without much daring. I would only say that Hewitt seems very middle-of-the-road for me, while Tureck is much stranger and perhaps more interesting. I just don’t know if I’d want to be stuck in a car with Tureck without any other choice. She doesn’t seem like a great first choice. The best piano versions I’ve heard are live ones by Demus that are floating around the internet. They’re hard to find maybe.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

For a newcomer to the work another recording worthy of mention is Peter Hill (piano).


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Tureck (I like her playing but not a fan of the recorded sound) and Hewitt (a little too mushy for my taste) are fine, but I prefer these: *Andras Schiff *(ECM) and *CédricPescia*.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

SanAntone said:


> Tureck (I like her playing but not a fan of the recorded sound) and Hewitt (a little too mushy for my taste) are fine, but I prefer these: *Andras Schiff *(ECM) and *CédricPescia*.


Do you have a view between the Hewitt recordings? I have her older one, and might contemplate the later one but am put off by characterisations of it as having more personality! (I generally like Richter, but I have his WTC and wonder if it has too much personality about it.)

I also have the older Schiff on Decca, which has always served me well. I seem to see the later ECM recording as being supposedly more objective, which makes me more interested. In the UK it seems to be available in flac download at £19.83, although it jumps to £32.38 if you go for hi-res flac. Should I take the plunge on this?


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I haven’t been able to hear Hewitt (no way to hear Hyperion recordings without buying them), but I can say that Tureck is a highly acquired taste, a very love-it-or-hate-it deal. There is a lack of flexibility that can be either boring or hypnotic. I must say that I love the amount of subtlety in the voicings and textures she is able to find through her patient, consistent approach - it doesn’t sound soulless or mechanical at all - but for more excitement and variety I would go with Richter, Feinberg, Fischer, Crossland, Koroliov, and several others.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Eclectic Al said:


> Do you have a view between the Hewitt recordings? I have her older one, and might contemplate the later one but am put off by characterisations of it as having more personality! (I generally like Richter, but I have his WTC and wonder if it has too much personality about it.)
> 
> I also have the older Schiff on Decca, which has always served me well. I seem to see the later ECM recording as being supposedly more objective, which makes me more interested. In the UK it seems to be available in flac download at £19.83, although it jumps to £32.38 if you go for hi-res flac. Should I take the plunge on this?


I haven't spent much time with Hewitt's complete Bach collection since it is on Hyperion and not available to stream. However, I generally like her playing, but with the Bach I've heard, I feel she has a tendency to be too "Romantic," if you get my drift.

Overall, Schiff's ECM recordings are superior to his Decca collection, IMO. Not only because of the sound, which is excellent, but his approach has matured since those earlier recordings and he has developed an approach that while played on the piano he incorporates some HIP ideas in his playing. No sustain pedal, for example, and other ideas about phrasing. I think his Bach recordings are among my favorites as of today.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Eclectic Al said:


> Do you have a view between the Hewitt recordings? I have her older one, and might contemplate the later one but am put off by characterisations of it as having more personality!


I don't think that the later one has any more personality than the first one. I find both excessively bland, if well recorded and well played technically. There may be subtle differences here and there, but she was no more imaginative in 2008 than she was in 1997.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

wkasimer said:


> I don't think that the later one has any more personality than the first one. I find both excessively bland, if well recorded and well played technically. There may be subtle differences here and there, but she was no more imaginative in 2008 than she was in 1997.


That's a relief. Too much personality is a killer in these works. (IMO ) Still I think I may have a go at the later Schiff in preference.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Bulldog said:


> Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord)


I usually listen to this one


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

My favorites are Gilbert for harpsichord and Schiff for piano. Between Tureck and Hewitt, I would go with the former.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Eclectic Al said:


> That's a relief. Too much personality is a killer in these works. (IMO )


I'm of the opposite opinion. There's nothing more deadly than Bach played without personality and imagination.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

wkasimer said:


> I'm of the opposite opinion. There's nothing more deadly than Bach played without personality and imagination.


Indeed. I think the imaginative challenge for the performer, though, is to write themselves out of the equation. Impossible? Of course, but it's an imaginative challenge. I'm being a bit mischievous, but only a bit. In this music, above most, if you listen to a performance and think "That's clearly X playing" then it has probably failed.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

I suppose what I'm getting at is the feeling that "this is the only way to do it", rather than "oh yeah, that's how X would play it".


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Eclectic Al said:


> I suppose what I'm getting at is the feeling that "this is the only way to do it", rather than "oh yeah, that's how X would play it".


With all due respect, I think this is what the French call n'importe quoi!


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> With all due respect, I think this is what the French call n'importe quoi!


I think that's an oxymoron there, so I will dismiss your protestations of respect. Feel free to treat people with disrespect; it is, after all, your prerogative. If rude.

Nevertheless, I cling to my feeling that, in the moment, what matters is that a performance creates an impression of inevitability. Even though, on reflection, I may well recognise that a different rendition may create the same impression in its own turn.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I think my view is that whether something sounds natural or not varies from person to person, and indeed changes from time to time in the same person. It depends as much, if not more, on the listener as on the performer. 

I'll give you an example. There's almost a consensus here that Hewitt is "bland" which I guess means, no personality, unimaginative. Well her second recording seems full of personality to me, or did this morning. Too much personality! 

I can only conclude that we don't hear the same things, which is hardly a surprising conclusion. So when you say "impression of inevitability" it's a totally subjective thing, totally ephemeral.

That's why when someone asks "Which should I buy, Hewitt or Tureck?" I would never answer, especially these days when it's so easy to hear samples.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> I think my view is that whether something sounds natural or not varies from person to person, and indeed changes from time to time in the same person. It depends as much, if not more, on the listener as on the performer.
> 
> I'll give you an example. There's almost a consensus here that Hewitt is "bland" which I guess means, no personality, unimaginative. Well her second recording seems full of personality to me, or did this morning. Too much personality!
> 
> ...


Indeed, such things may be subjective, and even ephemeral for a particular subject. What I object to is a sense (subjective again, possibly) that the aim of the performer is to convey by their style that it's only this way because I'm playing it, you know, me, that one. Even if that is true, it's not an appealing objective. Perhaps that's one of my issues with Gould's vocalising. I get the sense that underneath it all he just wants to remind us all the time that it's him playing. You can scoff if you wish, but I value humility.


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

Three choices in order of preference

Richter 
Feinberg
Gulda


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

WNvXXT said:


> re: The Well-Tempered Clavier
> 
> Have never listened to this. Which CD set should I get? Rosalyn Tureck or Angela Hewitt?
> 
> Other suggestions are welcome!


I vote for Tureck, not least because I was able to get the original complete 6-LP, two box Decca set in excellent condition, both boxes autographed by Tureck, from a second-hand record shop. For free from the owner who was dumping hundreds of "worthless" mono classical LPs.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Perhaps a little off-topic: Anyone heard the rarely played or recorded Bach-Siloti Prelude which is essentially a transcription of the Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 #1 Prelude?

View attachment BACHSI.mp3


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Allerius said:


> My favorites are Gilbert for harpsichord and Schiff for piano.


+1

I like Schiff's ECM recording.

Between Tureck and Hewitt it is pretty close to me. Tureck's approach is a little idiosyncratic but it is very good. With Hewitt you get better sound quality.


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## bluto32 (Apr 25, 2015)

DaveM said:


> Perhaps a little off-topic: Anyone heard the rarely played or recorded Bach-Siloti Prelude which is essentially a transcription of the Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 #1 Prelude?
> 
> View attachment 151796


Yes - a wonderful piece. I believe it's a transcription of the Prelude in E minor from WTC I. Gilels often played it as an encore:





Regarding WTC, I adore the Richter studio recordings on Sony. The sound quality isn't the best, but it's good enough.


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

There are also recordings of the Bach-Siloti by Earl Wild (my favourite after Gilels), Grigory Sokolov, James Rhodes, Vikingur Olafsson, Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Valentina Lisitsa and numerous others.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

tdc said:


> Tureck's approach is a little idiosyncratic but it is very good. With Hewitt you get better sound quality.


No argument re superior sound quality with Hewitt, though Tureck's has surprisingly good sound quality by early 1950s standards, especially considering that vintage piano recordings often are especially problematic. Glenn Gould was a big fan of Tureck's Bach.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

fluteman said:


> No argument re superior sound quality with Hewitt, though Tureck's has surprisingly good sound quality by early 1950s standards, especially considering that vintage piano recordings often are especially problematic. Glenn Gould was a big fan of Tureck's Bach.


From what I understand, the feeling was not mutual.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

WNvXXT said:


> re: The Well-Tempered Clavier ....
> 
> Which CD set should I get?
> 
> ....


So. What are you going/did you go for?


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

To me this is asking if you like personality or blandness.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

SanAntone said:


> I haven't spent much time with Hewitt's complete Bach collection since it is on Hyperion and not available to stream. However, I generally like her playing, but with the Bach I've heard, I feel she has a tendency to be too "Romantic," if you get my drift.
> 
> Overall, Schiff's ECM recordings are superior to his Decca collection, IMO. Not only because of the sound, which is excellent, but his approach has matured since those earlier recordings and he has developed an approach that while played on the piano he incorporates some HIP ideas in his playing. No sustain pedal, for example, and other ideas about phrasing. I think his Bach recordings are among my favorites as of today.


I got the Schiff ECM. Have listened to Book 1 so far. It does, indeed, seem excellent.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I have the Tureck in my collection, a set of discs that has served me this music well for half a century.

My collection boasts several other versions (and I remain fond of the Gould, the Helmut Walcha, the Evelyne Crochet, the Richter...) regardless of how different they are (whether in musicianship and interpretation, instrument, or production value). Variety keeps things fresh, but also allows, overall in the end, for a wider perspective of what the music has to offer. No single performing artist is likely ever to completely render the fullness of any musical work of art, regardless of what their publicist or the liner-notes writer has to say.

The WTC is such a seminal, important work that you cannot do with but one version in your collection (or mind set). Thus, I recommend going with both, the Tureck and the Hewitt, and exploring what each has to say with this music beneath their fingers.

When you get really adventurous, as I have on occasion (a "wild time" for sure!), you'll put on both versions simultaneously and enjoy an overwhelming musical experience (as well as the charming, _doubled_ interpretation) of which there is nothing like it in music ... except for maybe Stockhausen, or John Cage, or one of the other modernists we don't normally associate with J.S. Bach. But isn't this why you've entered this corner of the musical world in the first place? To hear the new and exciting?

All the best in your exploration of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Too, make sure you get a copy of the score. This one's a real joy to see on the printed page.


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## Andrew Kenneth (Feb 17, 2018)

For the longest time I only had Gilbert's WTC (on harpsichord) in my collection.

About a year ago I started looking for a piano version.

I listened to and compared a lot of different recordings on youtube (Crossland, Hewitt 1 & 2; Tureck, Zhu, Ugorskaja, Papastefanou, etc...)

After some time I finally found the recordings that suited me best. Since the artists of my choice only recorded one book each I had initially overlooked their efforts in search of a complete set.

book 1 => Kimiko Ishizaka (Bösendorfer 280)








book 2 => Diana Boyle (Grotrian-Steinweg)


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

Schiff

Feinberg

Edwin Fischer


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

RogerWaters said:


> From what I understand, the feeling was not mutual.


:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

I would pick Schiff for most WTC pieces on modern piano. Richter is a good complement in terms of playing style. On harpsichord, my preference is Leonhardt.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Andrew Kenneth said:


> book 1 => Kimiko Ishizaka (Bösendorfer 280)
> 
> book 2 => Diana Boyle (Grotrian-Steinweg)


Off topic, and not at all a comment on these performances (which I'll have to look up and listen to), but if I were a professional pianist and wanted to perform/record Bach (or anyone else for that matter) it would be on a Bechstein.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

consuono said:


> Off topic, and not at all a comment on these performances (which I'll have to look up and listen to), but if I were a professional pianist and wanted to perform/record Bach (or anyone else for that matter) it would be on a Bechstein.


Have you ever come across pianos by J L Duysen? It's just that I have a recording of some Bach on one and it is a clear, strong sound.


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> Have you ever come across pianos by J L Duysen? It's just that I have a recording of some Bach on one and it is a clear, strong sound.


No, but I'll certainly check it out, thanks. I can't for the life of me figure out why there's such a Steinway hegemony. Yeah, I know marketing plays a huge role, but still.


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