This recording
is, perhaps, most notable for its adoption of a system of
tuning recently suggested by an early music performer (Bradley
Lehman) as being the one that Bach himself instructed performers
to adopt. This ”sixth comma meantone tuning” theory has already
garnered a great deal of interest and I was excited with the
prospect of how it might sound – particularly when played
by such a fine harpsichordist as Richard Egarr.
On first listen
it is probably fair to expect that the relatively untrained
ear will not immediate discern anything obviously different
in the adopted method of tuning; this was certainly the case
for me. Yet, I was overwhelmed in places with the beauty
and clarity of Egarr’s playing – and this of course adds credence
to Lehman’s theory; it somehow sounds right. With
repeated listening, the harmonies seem warmer and the complex
vertical structure more transparent. The instrument was also
re-voiced with gull quills, providing an opportunity for more
subtle and wide-ranging tone and colour. Personally, I find
Egarr’s relaxed but subtly expressive style highly convincing
and impressive. However, some may feel that he does not provide
sufficient forward momentum or the necessary rhythmic variation
to hold attention throughout the ninety minute performance.
The listener craving a piercing and edgy recording need look
no further than Pierre Hantaï - either his Naïve or Mirare
recordings. Overall, Egarr wins out for me, for his sensitive,
nuanced and lyrical performance – beautifully captured by
Harmonia Mundi.
Any real disappointment
comes from Egarr’s treatment of the darkly chromatic movements,
especially the famous “Black Pearl” variation (25). Perhaps
it is partly the gull quills, but the deathly atmosphere Bach
surely intended to invoke is singularly lacking. The quodlibet
(variation 30) is also somewhat disappointing. This piece
should provide an uplifting, fluid and joyous climax after
all the accumulated motion built up in preceding variations
– but this is lost in a rather stilted performance - Murray
Perahia is exemplary in his 2000 piano recording for Sony
Classical – SK 89243. However, the radiance and restfulness
of the reinstated Aria provides a welcome return to the qualities
so evident throughout the larger part of this recording: outstanding
sensitivity, subtle but rich colour and tone, and beautifully
shaped phrasing.
Egarr also includes
the Fourteen Canons on the first eight bass notes of the opening
Aria of the Goldberg Variations, discovered in 1974. These
very short pieces are thoroughly enjoyable. Egarr employs
multi-tracking to enable him to play all required parts. For
a more exciting performance I would thoroughly recommend seeking
out the ensemble version led by Michael Behringer on Hänssler
(CD 92.133).
Peter Bright
see also Review
by Don Satz
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Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
