Dip Your Ears, No. 41 (Le plus bel Bach du monde)

J.S.Bach, Concertos italiens, A.Tharaud Harmonia Mundi

I've played Alexandre Tharaud's latest recording almost non-stop for the last few months, and it has consistently given me utter enjoyment and many a relieved smile since. In fact, I've been so enchanted by it, I forgot to write about it. Now that (almost) everyone agrees that it's one of the finest recital discs in a long time, I'll get to chime in by agreeing enthusiastically. This is indeed the finest Bach recital on the piano on record - period. Profoundly moving with immaculate musicality and technique to match, this disc makes me decry the fact that Ionarts missed his Washington, D.C., recital (a WPAS presentation at the Terrace Theater). Surrounding the centerpiece Italian Concerto with other transcriptions by Bach is a good idea and lets us hear some less familiar works that all bear Bach's stamp quite audibly. Bookmark this for one of Ionarts' Best Recordings in 2005.