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Track(s) taken from CDA67607/8

Keyboard Concerto No 5 in F minor, BWV1056

composer

Angela Hewitt (piano), Australian Chamber Orchestra, Richard Tognetti (conductor)
Recording details: February 2005
Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia
Produced by Ludger Böckenhoff
Engineered by Ludger Böckenhoff
Release date: June 2005
Total duration: 9 minutes 44 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

Andrew Arthur (harpsichord), The Hanover Band

Reviews

‘Her playing is absolutely captivating: she decorates the solo part with playful, come-hither ornamentation—twirls, flutters, arabesques—and yet it never disturbs the clear, logical path she forges through the course of each work. Her staccato touch has the force of sprung steel and yet her legato line is a miracle of smoothness and transparency. An absolute joy’ (Gramophone)

‘Hewitt's Bach is well-known for its expressive restraint, lucid textures and rhythmic grace. These virtues are abundantly present in her thoughtful, unmannered approach to the Concertos. Contrapuntal arguments are admirably clear and Hewitt's restricted use of the sustaining pedal ensure a pleasing clarity of dialogue. These virtues are mirrored by the lightly articulated bowing of the strings of the Australian Chamber Orchestra under the direction of its leader Richard Tognetti … my own prefernce lies just with Hewitt and her Australian musicians’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘These two discs, while available separately, go in tandem as a beguiling example of what can be achieved in performances of Baroque music on the piano when they have been prepared with such thought and are blessed with such compelling artistry as Angela Hewitt's. Her Bach catalogue for Hyperion is already extensive, and here she joins the outstanding Australian Chamber Orchestra for the six concertos and two other works that spotlight the keyboard, the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto and the A minor Triple Concerto with flute (Alison Mitchell) and violin (Richard Tognetti, who also directs the orchestra). The performances call on different traditions: Hewitt plays a modern Fazioli grand, the orchestra deploys certain historically aware techniques, to the extent of having a discreet harpsichord in the continuo part. But such is Hewitt's sensitivity to style, and such is the orchestra's versatility, that there is no sense of compromise or jarring anachronism. Rather, the two coalesce in interpretations of remarkable synergy and fascinating textures. The familiar argument that Bach would have written for a piano if only he had had one is nowhere given more persuasive advocacy than in Hewitt's singing melodic lines, her judicious range of tonal colouring and in her touch, which combines the crispness and full flavour of a fresh apple. Take a bite of any of these concertos, and you will want to make a whole meal of them’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Her fingers dance as well as sing: in the outer movements, rhythms are buoyantly sprung, and this communicates itself to the members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, whose slender string accompaniment in no way lessens their energy, while Hewitt responds by projecting the piano parts with all due attention to Bach's overall texture’ (International Record Review)

‘Here the Fazioli is heard at its exquisite best, its spongey bass chords pumping with clarity, its treble caressing a heart-tuggingly beautiful legato out of the slow movement, while the dainty strings sketch an almost tongue-in-cheek pizzicato in the background. Hewitt's sense of phrase is masterful … the statements have regal import under the authoritative hands of this queen of keyboard playing’ (The Times)

‘As always, she really sparkles in the allegros, infusing the music with wit as well as technical bravura’ (The Sunday Times)

‘The result of their historically informed modern-instrument take on the music is stunning, with crisp rhythms and singing melodic lines’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Hewitt's performances are brilliantly alive. Her subtle lyricism adds a rich, occasionally dark dimension, possibly not as Bach himself would have envisaged, but always with a deep sense of musical integrity’ (The Scotsman)

‘These are warmly involving interpretations of pioneering pieces’ (HMV Choice)

‘Her [Hewitt's] success comes from the shaping of each concerto, these are rhythmical, warm interpretations shimmering with boundless energy and skilled virtuosity’ (Cathedral Music)

‘Her playing is absolutely captivating: she decorates the solo part with playful, come-hither ornamentation—twirls, flutters, arabesques—and yet it never disturbs the clear, logical path she forges through the course of each work. Her staccato touch has the force of sprung steel and yet her legato line is a miracle of smoothness and transparency. An absolute joy’ (Metro)
The Concerto No 5 in F minor, BWV1056 is the shortest of the keyboard concertos but one of the most popular, thanks to its beautiful Adagio. Bach also used this movement as the introductory Sinfonia to the Cantata BWV156, Ich steh’ mit einem Fuß im Grabe (‘I stand with one foot in the grave’), where the melody is given to the oboe. Presented over a pizzicato accompaniment, it is short, simple, and serenely beautiful and moving. If ever one needs evidence to show how Bach could make the keyboard sing, this is it. The outer movements are concise and very energetic, and most likely had another life as a violin concerto.

from notes by Angela Hewitt © 2005

Le Concerto no 5 en fa mineur, BWV1056 est le plus court des concertos pour clavier, mais aussi, grâce à son splendide Adagio, l’un des plus populaires. Bach fit également de ce mouvement la Sinfonia liminaire de sa Cantate BWV156, Ich steh’ mit einem Fuß im Grabe («Je me tiens avec un pied dans la tombe»), où la mélodie revient au hautbois. Présentée par-dessus un accompagnement en pizzicato, cette mélodie courte et simple est sereinement belle et émouvante. Voici une preuve – s’il en fallait une – de la manière dont Bach pouvait faire chanter le clavier. Les mouvements extrêmes, concis et des plus énergiques, furent très probablement un concerto pour violon dans une autre vie.

extrait des notes rédigées par Angela Hewitt © 2005
Français: Hypérion

Das Konzert Nr. 5 in f-Moll BWV1056 ist das kürzeste und gleichzeitig, dank seines wunderschönen Adagio-Satzes, eines der populärsten Konzerte. Bach setzte diesen Satz ebenfalls als einleitende Sinfonie zur Kantate BWV156, Ich steh’ mit einem Fuß im Grabe, ein, wo die Melodie von der Oboe gespielt wird. Sie erklingt oberhalb einer Pizzicato-Begleitung und ist kurz, schlicht, heiter und bewegend. Es ist dies geradezu ein Paradebeispiel dafür, wie Bach Tasteninstrumente zum Singen bringen konnte. Die Rahmensätze sind konzis angelegt und recht energisch im Charakter und hatten sicherlich eine zweite Existenz als Violinkonzert.

aus dem Begleittext von Angela Hewitt © 2005
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

Other albums featuring this work

Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Nos 2, 5 & 6
Studio Master: SIGCD764Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
Bach: The Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 2
CDA67308Download only
Bach: The Keyboard Concertos, Vol. 2
This album is not yet available for downloadSACDA67308Super-Audio CD — Deleted
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