Thoughts on the English Suites

Charles T. Downey, Bach’s ‘English Suites’ tackled at Phillips Collection and National Gallery of Art
Washington Post, March 4, 2014

Bach, English Suites (inter alia), C. Rousset (Ambroisie, box set, 2010)

Bach’s “English Suites” are among his most diverting music for the keyboard, where a delight in patterns and brilliant finger-work crowds out a severe contrapuntal approach. Bach’s encyclopedic tendencies meant that he had a plan when he grouped works into a set like this, so one gets more out of a complete performance than hearing these pieces singly. So the complete performance offered on Sunday afternoon and evening, in numerical order and split between a harpsichordist at the Phillips Collection and a pianist at the National Gallery of Art, was most welcome. [Continue reading]

Bach, English Suites
Anthony Newman, harpsichord
Phillips Collection
Peter Vinograde, piano
National Gallery of Art