Works for Harpsichord
Performer: Karl Richter
Instrumentation: Harpsichord (Neupert)
Individual Works:
Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971 Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor BWV 903 Toccata in G minor BWV 915 Pastorale in F major BWV 590 Fantasia in C minor BWV 906
Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Year Released/Recorded: 1969/1970
Total Playing Time: 50min
Comments:
Ko Unoki said:
Given the current trend in using period instruments for performing the music of Bach, Richter's use of a modern Neupert harpsichord may seem to look like an act of heresy for those orthodox historical purists. However, whatever one's preference may be for "authenticity,” there is no denying that Richter's performance is a superb example of virtuosity that has few equals. Richter's frequent use of the 16 foot stop in his playing that accentuates the bass line in Bach’s music (which is especially evident in the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor where the fugue builds up to a climax over a dominant pedal and crashing doubled octaves in the bass) is effective in bringing out a sense of unparalleled grandeur. This is a fully big, red-blooded performance of Bach that puts to shame the often anemic sounding exhibitions of Bach's music using historic harpsichord instruments.
バッハの音楽は古楽器で演奏されることが最近多いので、カール・リヒターが現代のノイペルトチェンバロを使っているのは、「歴史的」な演奏に拘る人にとっては異端の行為に映るかもしれない。しかし、「本物志向」がどうであれ、リヒターの演奏が比類なき超絶技巧であることは否定しない。
リヒターは、バッハの音楽の低音を強調する16フィート・ストップを多用した演奏（特に「半音階的幻想曲とフーガ ニ短調」では、ドミナント・ペダルと低音の押しかかってくるダブル・オクターブの上にフーガが盛り上がる）が、比類ない壮大さを引き出すのに効果的であった。
歴史的なチェンバロ楽器によるバッハの音楽が生彩のない、貧血気味な音で弾かれることが多い中、リヒターはこの録音で対照的に大らかで精力旺盛なバッハを演奏している。
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