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GRAMOPHONE (11/2012)
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Harmonia Mundi
HMC902124
3149020212424
Reviewer: Caroline Gill
Vol 2 of the Solo Sonatas and
Partitas from Faust
The only frustrating
thing about this disc is how long Isabelle Faust (or maybe Harmonia Mundi)
has made us wait for the second volume of her complete set of the Sonatas
and Partitas.
Two years ago the first volume (6/10) became the most definitive modern
performance of these extraordinary works and here Faust concludes the
collection with performances no less worthy of the description. This time,
the disc contains the opening prelude and fugue movements of the G minor
sonata as its weightiest offering, standing directly opposite the mighty
Chaconne of the D minor Partita on the first, and, again, Faust gently
showcases everything of which these pieces are capable: the genius of their
structure, melody, internal dialogue and even the broader relationship
between the movements, is brought out in her own unique way. She creates a
feeling that, although there is a deep musical understanding behind her
performance in which she has quiet confidence, there is no overarching ego
trying to make the intricate counterpoint bend to her will. As a result, it
is easy to hear all the melodies Bach piles on top of one another in these
masterpieces, softly guided by Faust, whose pride extends only as far as
warning the music to be the best it can be.
Faust calls these pieces ‘calligraphic’ and, now that the set is complete, these discs form a special edition of the sort of musical literature to which most subsequent composers have only been able to aspire.
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