Bach: The 6 French Suites, Glenn Gould Anniversary Edition

Bach, Glenn Gould - Bach: The 6 French Suites, Glenn Gould Anniversary Edition

Bach: The 6 French Suites, Glenn Gould Anniversary Edition
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CD Details

Artist: Bach, Glenn Gould
Edition: Music CD
Format: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2002-09-03
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
  1. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 1. Allemande
  2. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 2. Courante
  3. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 3. Sarabande
  4. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 4. Menuett 1
  5. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 4. Menuett 2
  6. French Suite, for keyboard No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 (BC L19): 6. Gigue
  7. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 1. Allemande
  8. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 2. Courante
  9. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 3. Sarabande
  10. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 4. Air
  11. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 5. Menuett
  12. French Suite, for keyboard No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 (BC L20): 6. Gigue
  13. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 1. Allemande
  14. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 2. Courante
  15. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 3. Sarabande
  16. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 4. Menuett - Trio
  17. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 5. Anglaise
  18. French Suite, for keyboard No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 (BC L21): 6. Gigue
  19. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 1. Allemande
  20. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 2. Courante
  21. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 3. Sarabande
  22. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 4. Menuett (BWV 815a)
  23. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 5. Gavotte
  24. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 6. Air
  25. French Suite, for keyboard No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 815 (BC L22): 7. Gigue
  26. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 1. Allemande
  27. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 2. Courante
  28. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 3. Sarabande
  29. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 4. Gavotte
  30. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 5. Bourée
  31. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 6. Loure
  32. French Suite, for keyboard No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (BC L23): 7. Gigue
  33. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 1. Allemande
  34. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 2. Courante
  35. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 3. Sarabande
  36. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 4. Gavotte
  37. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 5. Polonaise
  38. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 6. Menuett
  39. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 7. Bourée
  40. French Suite, for keyboard No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 (BC L24): 8. Gigue

Music reviews of Bach: The 6 French Suites, Glenn Gould Anniversary Edition

Music Review: Glenn Gould Plays the French Suites
Rating: 5 Stars

Bach composed the French Suites, BWV 812 --817, in his late-30s between 1722-1725 while living in Cothen (before his move to Leipzig). The first five of the six suites were written for Anna Magdalena, Bach's second wife. Opinions differ on the "French" character of the suites. They did not receive the name "French" Suites until the mid-1700s to distinguish them from the "English" Suites. The French Suites tend to be shorter than the English Suites and they lack opening preludes. They also are written in a style that is singing, even galant in places, rather than in a contrapuntal, fugal manner.

Of the six French Suites, the first three are in the minor key and the last three in a major key. Each of the six suites opens with an allemande followed by a courante and sarabande. And each suite concludes with a gigue. The remaining movements can differ. The sixth suite, for example, includes an early instance of a polonaise, a Polish dance that Chopin immortalized. The fifth and the sixth of the suites, with their lyricism and flow, are the finest of the collection but there is great and varied music throughout. The sarabande from the first suite, with its solemn chordal character, is frequently studied by those interested in music theory.

The Canadian pianist Glenn Gould (1932 -- 1982) became known for his interpretations of Bach and for his musical and personal eccentricities. His recording of the French Suites date from 1971-1972. I listened to Gould's recording with score in hand, making it quite obvious that this pianist had his own way with Bach. Gould plays with great technique and independence, no pedal, clean articulation, with a tendency towards stacatto, and at highly quick tempos. He also is free with the score, taking many liberties of interpretation in tempo, ornamentation, keyboard register, dynamics, among other things. His is not a purist's rendition of Bach.

The suites, nevertheless, are effective under Gould's hands. I am in the process of learning to play the French Suites, and Gould's performance taught me a great deal something about this music. Gould's is not a style to be emulated, especially by an amateur pianist, but his love and insight for the music come through. I am uncomfortable with the cult figure Gould has become as some listeners tend to focus more on the performer and his great musical gifts and eccentricities rather than on the composer and the score. In thinking about this recording, I read an Amazon review of a recording of the French Suites as performed by a contemporary Canadian pianist, Angela Hewitt. The reviewer noted that with Gould, the listener hears Gould's genius while with Hewitt the listener may focus on Bach's genius. This is a succinct way of putting the matter. Yet Gould has brought an appreciation of music and of Bach to many people that might not otherwise have discovered them.

In sum, Gould offers an excellent if idiosyncratic rendition of the French Suites. His reading should be heard with an appreciation of the joy of Bach and of creative music-making rather than exclusively as part of a personality cult of a great but troubled pianist.

Robin Friedman
More Bach: The 6 French Suites, Glenn Gould Anniversary Edition free music reviews:
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