Favorite Bach for his Birthday

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on this day in 1685. I decided today to only listen to music by Bach; I also thought I'd compile a list of some favorite recordings.

• Helene Schmitt, Sonatas and Partitas (Alpha). This recording is beautiful both for the intense performance and for the sound engineering. Ms. Schmitt records in a very live space, but they did the right thing by miking-in close on her violin. She captures a lot of emotional drama within her playing, while not going all-out romantic in style. Her baroque instrument sounds great, and I think she phrases the pieces quite well, optting to highlight short phrase cells which I believe are essential in baroque repertoire.
• Ensemble Contraste, Bach Transcriptions (La Dolce Volta). This album is not on period instruments, but perhaps that is part of its charm in these transcriptions from multiple sources for violin, viola, cello, and piano. There is a particular flavor to these performances that reflect a thoughtful and enveloping character. For some, I'd imagine this to be a desert island disc.
• David Fray, Bach Partitas 2/6 and Toccata BWV 911 (Warner). On my theme of mood, Fray is a more romantic player, but in this he made a gorgeously warm recording. It is impossible to not feel the warmth of sun in the tonal quality of his instrument. The dynamic range he applies to Bach, in this case, is remarkably wide, and I think despite being historically questionable, still works. He's a really good interpreter. Start with the opening of the 6th partita.
• Bruno Cocset and Basses Reunies, Bach Sonatas and Trios (Alpha). Bass instruments and a reedy organ make for an organic-sounding, richly timbred album featuring both organ pieces and those featuring a bass soloist. The opening interpretation of Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659) make this one a desert island disc for me.
• Skip Sempe (DHM) and Jean Rondeau (Erato), Ciaccona BWV 1004 arranged for harpsichord. These are two different interpretations on different discs; the first is an arrangement by Sempe and in the second, Rondeau uses a Brahams arrnagement. Both interpretations are different; Sempe's is far richer with articulation although using a more delicate-sounding instrument. Rondeau takes his time, and I really have relished in the sound of his instrument. Both work surprisingly well despite their differences.
• Olivier Latry, Bach to the future (La Dolce Volta). I typically restrict my Bach organ listening to recordings that use period instruments; I obtained this recording out of interest for the organ at Notre Deme de Paris, which I'd recently visited on a trip to Paris. That night there'd been a murder in the church, unbeknosnst to us at the time we went inside. They were celebrating mass and we stayed only a few minutes. After coming out my mother texted me to stay away from Notre Dame, that there'd been a stabbing. We realized it had already happened. There was something about that, the place, and the fact that something like a murder wasn't going to stop mass. Roughly two months after obtaining this recording, Notre Dame burned. What a better testament to the great organ in that church than this recording, of Bach. It's a challenge for even good hifi systems. Latry uses the 32' stops in some of the pieces.
• Austrian Art Gang, Die Kunst der Fuge (Gramola). This is a jazzy interpretation of Bach's Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080. Not only is the interpretation superb, the sonics of this album and clean sound make it a true audiophile recording.
• Concerto Italiano, Bach Overtures (Naive). This album features the traditional four orchestral suites by Bach and includes one by Bernard and one by Ludwig Bach. This album just came out in late 2019 and features crisp performances with plenty of verve and style. Although the album might be a little live, the sound of the principal players is clear and upfront.
• Anna Prohaska and Lautten Compagney, Redemption (Alpha). This has received a positive full review here on Biberfan.org; I listened to it again after several months and was so impressed again with one track after the other. The last movement, too, I still think is a small masterpiece.