español | français Medieval Renaissance Baroque Clasicism Opera  5 STARS All periods MEDIEVAL RENAISSANCE BAROQUE CLASICISM OPERA THE ART OF THE FUGUE JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH BWV 1080 Bradley Brookshire Bach Harpsichord Inc. BHI 1080 2004 - 73:50 min. I first heard this performance on an early review copy, and discussed it in my article on the Art of Fugue (Goldberg 37). Its dramatic character stems from Brookshire’s vehement rejection of the austere image associated with this work; in his view, the music’s profound expressiveness and stylistic variety “permit –I would even say demand– a relatively inventive, mercurial, and dynamic performance style”. Accordingly, his performance resembles no other harpsichord rendition in its range of colour and articulation, and in its varied approach to tempo –ranging from near-metronomic rigidity to generous rubati. He also goes further than most in de-synchronising supposedly simultaneous notes, thereby clarifying textures and creating a palpable sense of dialogue between the voices. The resulting performance will not be to all tastes; even a single listener might find it mannered and contrived at one moment –and moving and revelatory at the next. To my ears, for instance, Brookshire’s rubato sometimes generates a disturbing stop-and-go effect. Yet for the most part, his performance surges forward with a rare combination of spontaneous freedom, contrapuntal transparency and a clear sense of purpose and direction. The bonus CD-ROM, allowing listeners to hear the music while watching the score on screen, is a kind of teaser; Brookshire is planning to release a more extensive package, in which this performance will be combined with a full analysis and an interactive counterpoint tutorial. I hope to report on its publication in due course; meanwhile, this dramatic and impassioned performance can be strongly recommended. URI GOLOMB ABOUT US | CONTRIBUTE   web map - home page - cover Legal warning Copyright 2003, Goldberg. info@goldberg-magazine.com