The Real Top 10 Bach Recordings
Addendum to the Forbes Article
To accompany the Gramophone-inspired bit over on Forbes.com about the ‘Real’ Top 10 Bach Recordings (as opposed to those picked by Gramophone, which I am calling out for a touch of pro-Anglo bias), here the discography of my top choices and mentioned and praised alternatives. The Gramophone choices 3, 6, and 9 seem particularly biased/off. 1, 2, 5, 8, 10 could have been ionarts choices, as well. About the Goldberg Variations, ionarts has a long track record of reviewing and discussing, which can be delved into via this link. Wherever CDT’s choices differ from mine, they are indicated, although true in-house dissent among us is extremely rare.
No.1
Orchestral Suites
Gramophone’s Choice: Ensemble Sonnerie / Monica Huggett (English, Avie)My Choice: Concerto Köln (German, Berlin Classics)
Alternative: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin (German, Harmonia Mundi), English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner (English, Erato)
Charles’ Choice: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra 2011 (German, Harmonia Mundi)
   J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites M.Huggett / Ensemble Sonnerie Avie     |   J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites Concerto Köln Berlin Classics |   J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suites Akademie für Alte Musik Harmonia Mundi |
No.2
Brandenburg Concertos
Gramophone’s Choice: European Brandenburg Ensemble / Trevor Pinnock (English, Avie)My Choice: Academy of Ancient Music / Richard Egarr (English, Harmonia Mundi)
Alternative: Jacques Loussier (French, Telarc)
Charles’ Choice: Academy of Ancient Music, Hogwood (English, L'Oiseau-Lyre/Decca)
No.3
Violin Concertos
Gramophone’s Choice: Daniel Hope (English) / Chamber Orchestra of Europe (Warner)My Choice: Petra Müllejans, Gottfried von der Goltz / Freiburg Baroque Orchestra (German, Harmonia Mundi)
Alternative: Amandine Beyer / Gli Incogniti (French, Zig Zag)
[Intra-ionarts concurment]
 J.S. Bach, Violin Concertos D.Hope Warner |  J.S. Bach, Violin Concertos P.Müllejans / Freiburg BO Harmonia Mundi |  J.S. Bach, Violin Concertos A.Beyer / Gli Incogniti Zig Zag |
No.4
Goldberg Variations
Gramophone’s Choice: Glenn Gould II (Canadian, Sony)My Choice: Duo Tal and Groethuysen [Ed. Rheinberger / Reger] (Israeli-German, Sony)
Alternatives: Tzimon Barto [Ed. Busoni-Barto] (American, Capriccio), Zhu Xiao-Mei (Chinese-French, Mirare), Pierre Hantaï II (French, Mirare)
Charles’ Choice: Christophe Rousset (French, Decca), Murray Perahia (American, Sony) or Gould I (Canadian, Sony).
 J.S. Bach, Goldberg Variations G.Gould Sony |  J.S. Bach, Goldberg Variations Tal & Groethuysen Sony |  J.S. Bach, Goldberg Variations T.Barto Capriccio |
No.5
Partitas
Gramophone’s Choice: Trevor Pinnock (English, Hänssler)My Choice: Andás Schiff (Hungarian, ECM)
Alternatives: Masaaki Suzuki (Japanese, BIS), Zhu Xiao-Mei (Chinese-French, Mirare), Peter Watchorn (Australian, Musica Omnia)
Charles’ Choice: Angela Hewitt (Canadian, Hyperion), Christophe Rousset (French, Decca)
 J.S. Bach, Partitas T.Pinnock Hänssler |  J.S. Bach, Partitas A.Schiff II ECM |  J.S. Bach, Partitas Masaaki Suuki BIS |
No.6
The Cello Suites
Gramophone’s Choice: Steven Isserlis (English, Hyperion)My Choice: Jean-Guihen Queyras (French, Harmonia Mundi)
Alternatives: Gavriel Lipkind (Israeli-German, Edel / Lipkind Productions), Arnau Tomàs (Spanish, Aglae), Peter Wispelwey II (Dutch, Channel)
Charles’ Choice: Intra-ionarts concurment / HIP: Bruno Cocset (French, Alpha)
 J.S. Bach, Cello Suites S.Isserlis Hyperion |  J.S. Bach, Cello Suites J.G.Queyras Harmonia Mundi |  J.S. Bach, Cello Suites A.Tomàs Aglae |
No.7
Well Tempered Clavier
Gramophone’s Choice: Angela Hewitt II (Canadian, Hyperion)My Choice: Zhu Xiao-Mei (Chinese-French, Mirare)
Alternatives: Friedrich Gulda (Austrian, Decca / MPS), Tatyana Nikolayeva (Russian, Victor-Japan), Richard Egarr (English, Harmonia Mundi)
Charles’ Choice: Angela Hewitt II (Canadian, Hyperion), Glenn Gould (Canadian, Sony), Christophe Rousset (Book II, French, Aparte)
 J.S. Bach, Well Tempered Clavier A.Hewitt Hyperion |  J.S. Bach, Well Tempered Clavier Zhu Xiao-Mei Mirare |  J.S. Bach, Well Tempered Clavier F.Gulda MPS/Berlin Classics, formerly Philips |
No.8
Solo Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
Gramophone’s Choice: Rachel Podger (English, Channel Classics)My Choice: Viktoria Mullova (Russian, Onyx)
Alternative: Nathan Milstein (Russian, DG)
[Intra-ionarts concurment]
 J.S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas R.Podger Channel |  J.S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas V.Mullova Onyx |  J.S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas N.Milstein DG |
No.9
Mass in B minor
Gramophone’s Choice: Dunedin Consort and Players / John Butt (English, Linn)My Choice: Netherlands Bach Society / Jos van Veldhoven (Dutch, Channel Classics)
Alternative: Les musiciens du Louvre / Marc Minkowski (French, naïve)
Charles’ Choice: Collegium Vocale / Philippe Herreweghe (Belgian, Harmonia Mundi), Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki (Japanese, BIS)
No.10
St. Matthew Passion
Gramophone’s Choice: Concentus Musicus, Arnold Schoenberg Choir / Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Austrian, Teldec/Warner)My Choice: Klangverwaltung Orchester / Enoch zu Guttenberg (German, Farao)
Alternatives: Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin / René Jacobs (Flemish, Harmonia Mundi)
Charles’ Choice: Gabrieli Consort & Players / Paul McCreesh (English, Archiv)
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2 comments:
what the hell man. no organ works? youre crazy if you don't put the organ works among bach best. I mean come on! that was the man's specialty
Dear Anonymous, I totally agree. Take it up with Gramophone; for the purpose of this list (see original Forbes article, where I make the same point as you) I stuck to the works they chose.
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