In 2009 Capriccio brought out a four-CD compilation featuring pianist Holger Groschopp in a wide range of Ferruccio Busoni’s arrangements, transcriptions and paraphrases. Here is a follow-up release with further Bach/Busoni material. As Groschopp’s well-written and informative booklet notes explain, certain works are essentially note-for-note transcriptions, while other works take textual and compositional liberties. The former group includes ten Chorale Preludes plus the D Minor and C Major Organ Toccatas.
By contrast, Busoni’s 1914 “concert arrangement” of the Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo expands and modernizes Bach’s original keyboard writing, while the Fantasia, Adagio e Fuga is a curious hybrid that presents the C Minor Fantasia BWV 906 and the Adagio BWV 968 (originally from the C Major Sonata for unaccompanied violin) largely “as is,” but concluding with Busoni’s completion of the fragmentary C Minor Fugue BWV 906a. For good measure, Groschopp tosses in a few Bach transcriptions by Busoni pupils Michael von Zadora and Egon Petri, his own two handed reduction of Busoni’s two piano Improvisation on Bach’s Chorale “Wie wohl ist mir, o Freund der Seelen,” and a cute little Polka written by Busoni’s mother.
Busoni’s piano writing often proves more difficult than it actually sounds. Instead of glittery passage work and pyrotechnics, Busoni favors full bodied textures and polyphonic layering that can sound heavy and turgid in the wrong hands. However, Groschopp’s suave balancing of lines and registers, instinct for tone color, intelligent tempo choices and large-scale sustaining power ideally serve Busoni’s aesthetic. Listen to Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme, where Groschopp characterizes the gently florid right hand line, the steady bass line, and the cantus firmus in the tenor with distinct and meaningful timbral qualities. Groschopp builds up the D Major Toccata’s imposing upward scales wonderfully well, while the calm, flowing simplicity he brings to Ich ruf zu dir Herr contrasts to Simon Dinnerstein’s heavily accented, dragging account.
Granted, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland does slow down a tad as it progresses, yet the aforementioned C Minor Fugue’s incisive momentum more than compensates, as well as the soft orchestra-like sonorities and gorgeous pedal effects that Groschopp brings to Zadora’s arrangement of the Flute Sonata Siciliano BWV 1031. If Busoni’s brand of Bach appeals to you, so will Groschopp’s cultured and caring artistry.
