# Bach to basics: Rounding out my Bach collection?



## Earthling

The majority of my classical collection I in downloads, which I mostly burn to CD later (a few are simply saved onto data discs). There are a few exceptions: Beethoven's symphonies (Gardiner) and quartets (Alban Berg Quartett), and Debussy's _Pelleas et Melisande_. And the only other major exception is my Bach, which is extra special to me. Here is what I have in my CD collection of Bach:

*Cantatas, BWV 140 & 147
John Eliot Gardiner (conductor), The Montiverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
Archiv, 1992

Mass in B Minor, BWV 232
Masaaki Suzuki (conductor), Bach Collegium Japan
BIS, 2007

The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846-893
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
Decca, 2005

Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Glenn Gould (piano)
CBS Masterworks, 1981

Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (transcription by Dmitri Sitkovetsky)
Dmitri Sitkovetsky (conductor), NES Chamber Orchestra
Nonesuch, 1995

Violin Sonatas & Partitas, BWV 1001-1006
John Holloway (violin)
ECM, 2006

Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1011
Jian Wang (cello)
Deutsche Grammophon, 2005

Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1023
Rachel Podger (violin), Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Channel Classics, 2000

Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord, BWV 1027-1030
Jonathan Manson (viola da gamba), Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Avie, 2006

Solo & Double Violin Concertos, BWV 1041-1042, 1060
Andrew Manze (conductor, violin), Rachel Podger (violin), The Academy of Ancient Music
Harmonia Mundi, 1997

Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046-1051
Trevor Pinnock (conductor), the European Brandenburg Ensemble
Avie, 2007

Orchestral Suites, BWV 1066-1069
Martin Pearlman (conductor), Boston Baroque
Telarc, 2004

A Musical Offering, BWV 1079 / The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080
Karl Munchinger (conductor), Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Decca, 1965, 1977, 2000*​
I tend to prefer HIP recordings, though there are some obvious exceptions in my small collection. I also have quite a bit of Bach in mp3 format including a few transcriptions (Vito Paternoster's cello version of the sonatas & partitas, a couple different transcriptions of the Goldbergs), and I have a few other recordings of the cello suites (Casals, Ma, Starker, Ter Linden...). There's still some other recordings of the cello suites I'd like to get (Bylsma, Wispelwey, Isserlis). As obsessed as I can sometimes be, I'm no completist (besides, I don't have that kind of cash!), but I wonder what else I ought to get to round it out my Bach? I think mostly what is left are vocal works.

There are a few recordings I'm interested in: Pinnock has some sort of box set of several concerti, Fretwork has an interesting recording of the Art of Fugue performed on viols, and I'm interested in Aimard's recording on piano as well. The Bach Collegium Japan has a disc of highlights from the _St. Matthew Passion_ which I'm considering getting (or should I get the whole thing?). And Catrin Finch has a recording of the Goldberg Variations that looks like plain fun.

Are there any other excellent recordings I ought to check out or add to my Bach collection? Any ideas? Suggestions?

Oh, and I just ordered the _Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook_s (highlights). *whew!*


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## Guest

I would consider both of the Passions. For me, his Mass in B Minor is superior, but that is purely relative - the Matthew and John passions are still incredible works. For the Matthew passion, I have recordings by Gardiner, Harnoncourt (a newer Teldec recording). I don't know that I prefer one over the other, but I probably go to the Harnoncourt recording more frequently. Nice clean sound. I haven't heard the Suzuki recording, but I am a big fan of his other Bach recordings.

For the John passion, I again have a Gardiner recording, which is nice. However, my preferred recording is by Herreweghe on Harmonia Mundi. I have heard, though, that Suzuki's recording of this one is also wonderful.

After that, I would check out Murray Perahia's Bach recordings - Goldberg, English Suites, Keyboard Concertos, Partitas. I also tend to prefer HIP for Bach, but Perahia is a huge, glaring exception. He does wonders with Bach.

Try some organ works - Walcha is a good place to start.

Fretwork's Art of Fugue is definitely worth looking into. I highly enjoy it.

Some of my other favorites - Trio Sonatas by London Baroque (BIS), Fantasias & Fugues by Suzuki (BIS).

Other than that, my recommendations then tend to just be for other recordings of some of the works you already have:
Brandenburg Concertos - Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini (Naive)
Orchestral Suites - I Barocchisti/Diego Fasolis (Arts)
Violin Concertos - Julia Fischer/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (Decca)
Cello Suites - Fournier (Archiv)


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## Aramis

Partita No. 2 in C minor and English Suite by Argerich;










You say that you prefer HIP, but you already got his keyboard music played on piano, so...


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## StlukesguildOhio

I can't recommend this box set highly enough:










It contains all of John Eliot Gardiner's recordings of Bach's sacred works and includes the Christmas Oratorio, The Mass in B-minor, the St. John Passion, the St. Matthew Passion, the Magnificat, and 10 discs of his recordings of Bach's cantatas. These are top quality HIP recordings... in many cases the "first choice" of a good majority of critics.

Beyond this? The Art of the Fugue. I agree that the Fretwork version is very good... but I also like the Emerson String Quartet recording, Helmut Walcha's version on organ... and this version for recorder:










I agree that you should also look into the organ works, the violin concertos, and you might explore some lovely recitals by various singers performing choice arias from the vast oeuvre of Bach's cantatas. I especially like:



















and Monica Groop's alto cantatas are exquisite:


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## StlukesguildOhio

I would check out Murray Perahia's Bach recordings - Goldberg, English Suites, Keyboard Concertos, Partitas. I also tend to prefer HIP for Bach, but Perahia is a huge, glaring exception. He does wonders with Bach.

I agree.. but I would not overlook Angela Hewitt and Rosalyn Tureck.


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## Guest

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I can't recommend this box set highly enough:


I have an abbreviated version of that one - I think mine doesn't have the cantatas. I agree that this is a great one-stop purchase for many of his choral works.



> Beyond this? The Art of the Fugue. I agree that the Fretwork version is very good... but I also like the Emerson String Quartet recording, Helmut Walcha's version on organ... and this version for recorder:


Ah, I almost forgot the Emerson String Quartet recording. I enjoy that as well. It is actually quite amazing how adaptable this particular piece is. I also have a recording of it on clavecin (I don't know if that is merely the french word for harpsichord) by Moroney on HM which also is nice. Incidentally, for other versions of Bach's works on different instruments, the Emerson String Quartet also has an album entitled "Bach: Fugues" which is their recording of several fugues from "The Well-Tempered Clavier" arranged for string quartet.


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## Guest

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I would check out Murray Perahia's Bach recordings - Goldberg, English Suites, Keyboard Concertos, Partitas. I also tend to prefer HIP for Bach, but Perahia is a huge, glaring exception. He does wonders with Bach.
> 
> I agree.. but I would not overlook Angela Hewitt and Rosalyn Tureck.


I only have a recording by Hewitt of the English Suites, and haven't given it a full hearing yet. I should do so.


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## joen_cph

You might check out these releases, among the finest, but some of them are more on the Romantic side of Bach-playing. I agree with the suggested Argerich as well, especially the Toccata 911. The Choral Motets are sweeter and calmer in comparison to many other choral works, and the Harnoncourt recording is hypnotic. The Magnificat is a concentrated, very varied masterpiece, and the piano suites are played absolutely magnificently:

1) Repertoire not included in your collection:
St.Matthew - Cleobury (HIP), or Klemperer
Choral Motets - Harnoncourt, Stockholm Chamber Choir (HIP)
Magnificat - Karl Richter
Kunst der Fuge - Marriner, AcStM
French Suites - Gavrilov
English Suites 2+3 - Pogorelich

2) Repertoire already in your collection:
Brandenburg Concertos - Clark, Consort of London (very fine and well integrated playing), or Max Pommer (HIP, sometimes unusual, several versions of the same works, interesting)
Orchestral Suites - Max Pommer (somewhat HIP)
Wohltemperiertes - Feinberg, or Richter
Cello Suites - Morten Zeuthen


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## Earthling

Great suggestions folks-- thank you! I'll be putting much of these on my wishlist to be sure!


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## Earthling

joen_cph said:


> Brandenburg Concertos - ... Max Pommer (HIP, sometimes unusual, several versions of the same works, interesting)


I have forgotten all about Max Pommer! When I first got turned onto Bach when I was a teenager many years ago, this was one of my first purchases on cassette (it was the Brandenburgs 1, 2 and 3). There's some nostalgia there for me...

I seem to recall that Suzuki also has a disc set (4 CDs?) of the St. Matthew AND St. John Passions (I've heard bits of the St. Matthew, but none that I recall of the St. John). I'm considering it simply based on the fact that his B minor Mass is so good. But that Gardiner box set looks terrific.


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## Weston

Earthling said:


> *Cantatas, BWV 140 & 147
> John Eliot Gardiner (conductor), The Montiverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
> Archiv, 1992
> 
> . . .
> 
> Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (transcription by Dmitri Sitkovetsky)
> Dmitri Sitkovetsky (conductor), NES Chamber Orchestra
> Nonesuch, 1995
> 
> . . .
> 
> *​


*

Look's like you already have a well rounded Bach collection.

I'd love to get my hands on that orchestral transcription of the Musical Offering. If you already have this piece twice, I would caution that the Art of the Fugue sounds very much in the same vein -- though I consider both essential for me.

If you enjoy the cantatas in your collection I can recommend my favorite cantata (that I have heard) Cantata No. 80, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott," BWV 80. I like the version that was updated by his son Willhelm Friedemann who added timpani and bizarre almost dissonant trumpet blasts. I absolutely love it! I am at work right now so I do not know the ensemble or director for this.

You may also want to check out some of the concertos for one, two, and even three harpsichords. They are in the same league as the Brandenburgs to my ears. I also like the trio sonatas for organ transcribed to harpsichord, guitar and mandolin, but again cannot remember who recorded these. They are quite liveley.

Cheers!*​


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## Earthling

Weston said:


> You may also want to check out some of the concertos for one, two, and even three harpsichords. They are in the same league as the Brandenburgs to my ears.


They are included in this massive collection, which is on my wish list:


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Off the top of my head, as follows. I have a lot of Bach's music on CD, all are HIP. I'll list some of the more popular works, which I think are worth adding to your collection. Happy to give you more details.

_Brandenburg Concerti_
- Musica Antiqua Koln/Reinhard Goebel (my personal favourite)
- The Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood
- The English Baroque Soloists/Gardiner
- The Swiss Baroque Soloists (Naxos)
- The English Concert (only first three concertos)

_Orchestral Suites_
- Musica Antiqua Koln/Reinhard Goebel 
- The Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood
- The Brandenburg Consort/Roy Goodman
- Berlin Academy of Ancient Music

_Harpsichord Concertos_ (complete)
- The English Concert (my personal favourite, outstanding in every way)
- The Academy of Ancient Music

_Chamber music_ (complete), including _Art of Fugue, The Musical Offering_
- Music Antiqua Koln

_St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion, Christmas Oratorio, Mass in B Minor_
- The English Baroque Soloists/Gardiner

Church cantatas
- Various, although I have been collecting those by The Bach Ensemble, Japan

Many more, too lazy to type. 

Heaps of harpsichord solo works ...

Might be better if you ask for specific works.


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## Conor71

Lots of great suggestions made already  - The only thing I can think of to add are the Flute Sonatas: They are lovely works, I have this version (played on modern Flute and Harpsichord):


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## Ukko

You do not list the 'boisterous' accounts of:
the vln s&p: Mela Tenenbaum
the clo suites: Heinrich Schiff

Both musicians sound like they are having a good time with the music, rather than kissing Bach's feet.


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## Ukko

Hilltroll72 said:


> You do not list the 'boisterous' accounts of:
> the vln s&p: Mela Tenenbaum
> the clo suites: Heinrich Schiff
> 
> Both musicians sound like they are having a good time with the music, rather than kissing Bach's feet.


Perhaps the "kissing Bach's feet" is a bit obscure. I am referring to what is called (by me) the Bachian Reverence Syndrome. When the partitas (they are dances, you know) are played with deadly seriousness, that's a clue that BRS is active.


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## Earthling

Just bought these (not downloaded, _bought_):



















I got them not directly through Amazon, but through the dealers that work through them (new)-- saved me a bit of money, but not much! I can't wait to get them in the mail!


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## Ukko

You have a pretty good shot at liking them. Savall has attitude.


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## Keikobad

Well, I'd very strongly recommend the Netherlands Bach Society (HIP) recordings of the Matthew and John passions and the Mass.










Also, to my great surprise, the recent Chailly release of the Matthew passion (which wasn't HIP, per se, but nonetheless very spare and muscular) scored very high in my estimation.










Finally, French pianist David Fray's recording of some of the Bach keyboard concerti (here played on piano) are more than a little worthy of great acclaim.


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## hoodjem

Oboe concertos?


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## Oldhoosierdude

I got the John's passion from the box download. I had never heard it and was slightly amazed at how much I enjoyed it. An excellent recording plus a whole lot of other Bach.


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## flamencosketches

hoodjem said:


> Oboe concertos?


I just got this:









Been really enjoying it.


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