Comparisons:
Argerich/DG (no. 2 only), Gould/Sony,
Hewitt/Hyperion,
Rangell/Dorian, Rübsam/Naxos, Tureck/Philips
Cédric Tiberghien
is a young French pianist who has already
recorded Beethoven, Grieg, Schumann
and Debussy for Harmonia Mundi. Tiberghien's
Bach is my first acquaintance with his
playing, and he certainly has much to
offer. His virtuosity and dexterity
are never in doubt as he handles Bach's
fast movements such as the Courantes
and Gigues with aplomb and great energy.
Tiberghien also displays an expert balance
between upper and lower voices; both
his detail and clarity are quite impressive.
In addition, he well connects with Bach's
lyricism, rhythmic flow, and overall
sound-world.
However, the disc also
reveals two major problems. One concerns
the Bach Allemandes and Sarabandes which
are standard movements in each of the
Partitas. These movements demand that
players put their 'hearts and souls'
into music that possesses great poignancy
and alternates between spiritual enrichment
and a landscape of bleakness. Playing
them at a quick pace tends to trivialize
the musical arguments, but playing slower
than the norm can also weaken their
impact.
Let's use the example
of the Allemande from the Partita in
D major. In most recorded performances,
this Allemande takes between 8 and 9
minutes. Tiberghien extends the music
to about 11½ minutes. For such a slow
pace to be effective, the performance
must be more probing and emotionally
rich than faster versions and/or offer
alternative musical arguments through
the use of articulation, dynamics, and
accenting. Pianists such as Rosalyn
Tureck and Wolfgang Rübsam are
experts in this area. Unfortunately,
Tiberghien merely plays the piece at
a slower speed, resulting in music that
exhibits much inertia and saps its stateliness
and progression. Since he essentially
does nothing with the additional 2½
minutes, it becomes wasted time and
disc space. Of course, this impacts
the entire movement and makes it difficult
to endure.
The second problem
involves a soundstage that 'swims with
the fishes'. Overly wet and reverberant,
this type of sound might not be very
damaging for performances that are strong
on horizontal expressiveness, but it
is contrary to the concentrated playing
style of Tiberghien. Essentially, the
playing and soundstage are at odds,
robbing the recorded performances of
their bite and inevitability.
In summary, the wrong
sonics and unimpressive Allemandes and
Sarabandes make it impossible for me
to recommend this premium-priced Bach
disc. It does have its virtues, but
the recorded competition is overwhelming.
If you like probing accounts, look no
further than Tureck on a 2-CD Philips
set. If maximum creativity is your preference,
Rübsam's interpretations should
delight and illuminate your perception;
Rangell's performances are also illuminating
but not as distinctive as Rübsam's.
Then there's the magnificent set from
Glenn Gould and the affectionate readings
of Angela Hewitt. Tiberghien does not
measure up to these alternatives.
Don Satz
Cédric Tiberghien, piano 
