J.S. Bach & Sons Flute Sonatas • Shibata
This new release on Channel Classics features works by each of Bach’s eldest sons and rounds the recital with BWV 1032, an arrangement of the Siliciano from BWV 1031, and an arrangement of the lute suite, BWV 997, for keyboard and flute.
The collaboration here is between Toshiyuki Shibata and Anthony Romaniuk, who plays both a fortepiano and harpsichord from the maker Akira Kubota.
The opening work, a sonata in G by C.P.E. Bach H.564, is a virutoso work, one that comes off quite athletic in Shibata’s fingers. The dynamic support from Romaniuk is fantastic, with a piano that isn’t too overly bright in the opening movement. I liked the timbre of this instrument, somewhat dark, with dynamic punch when pushed hard.
The piano’s timbre changes in the second movement. My guess is that the hammers have moved position? The brightness is arresting, a combination that is exploited with the original darker and subdued tone. What an instrument—with the brighter effect added, it reminds me in a small way of a regal. I feel the match here, and registration changes are made with great musical effect for us as listeners. All the while, Shibata’s own virtuosity never loses focus. He too is able to vary his sound, between the soft and smooth and the grainer loud dynamic, which I found attractive.
The opening piece is grounded in good melody and is forward looking; it’s a piece Bach’s father never might have imagined, and speaks to the composer’s prowess beyond his own training.
I am familiar with the next piece by W.F. Bach, Fk. 52 in E minor. The style is a few years before the first piece; with a more structured approach, and while still melodically-focused, clearly would have been appreciated by father Bach, in the way the composer uses motives to form larger phrases. In this way, it’s more baroque than classical. For my own delight, I prefer this sonata over the one by Wilhelm Friedemann’s brother. However unpopular this is with current audiences? I often find myself appreciating W.F.’s compositions as a whole over his more successful brother.
The performances here are nothing short of expert. Both the athletic support from Shibata and his use of affect despite the fast tempo, is remarkably satisfying. The percussive harpsichord in this sonata I adore, it reminds me of the sound of the late Willem Kroesbergen’s instruments.
J.S. Bach’s “flute works” are complicated for us, as more than one is suspicious, being composed by someone else. The A major sonata, BWV 1032 is a three-movement design. It’s one of those sonatas that makes me think it actually may not be by Johann Sebastian; while clearly baroque in conception, it has a modern feel to it, nevertheless. And like Bach’s solo partita for the flute, there are challenges in the opening movement here of where to breathe. Which, who knows, makes the case for the Leipzig cantor at least in one aspect.
I love how Shibata bends his tone as an ornamental effect. His baroque flute shows us how these instruments give the work great character by the impurity of tuning across the scale. The major exposition of the first movement plays nicely in the key of A, but departures further along give us that color which I think authentic instruments impart onto this music in an interesting way.
For the finale of this sonata, Romaniuk combines an 8 and 4 foot pairings to brighten the harpsichord’s sound; it doesn’t overpower the flute, but works well. This is a piece that benefits from a good, solid tempo, and the two take this approach. I’m impressed that Shibata never seems to run out of breath!
Romaniuk offers a “prelude” ahead of the performance of BWV 997 on piano (which is used as the continuo instrument with Bach’s lute suite). It’s in baroque style and is nicely crafted.
The lute suite as a flute sonata works very well; it’s the gem of this recording, if you ask me. The repeated gesture in the opening Präludium seems perfect for the flute; Shibata doesn’t squander the opportunity to lean into it with appropriate rubato.
I love Romaniuk’s articulation in the opening of the second movement, marked Fuga. Using piano here was the right choice. We can feel the emphatic elements, but having the control of some dynamics makes it all the more real, as we’d get in the lute version. Letting this all play out alone on the piano for me isn’t too bizarre; we know Bach gave a solo to the keyboard in at least one version of his sonata for violin and keyboard, BWV 1019.
Shibata’s return is welcome and to my ears? This could have been the original.
In total, I found this recital to be a great continuation of these two men’s opening recital on Fuga Libera. This is a reference recording and highlight of this summer’s releases.
