Naturalness and grace characterize Blandine Rannou’s performances of Bach’s English Suites, abetted by a fluid legato technique, subtle embellishments on the repeats, and a most attractive instrument made by Anthony Sidey and Frédéric Bal in 1985 after a Ruckers-Hemsch model circa 1636-1763. Rannou particularly holds your attention in slower movements. The Sarabandes, for instance, take on a ruminative, improvisatory aura by virtue of her spacing of arpeggiated chords and piquant dissonances for maximum pathos. Her frequent use of caesuras and fondness for slight lingerings softens the composer’s rhythmic vigor, yet without Leonhardt’s dryness (Virgin) or Tilney’s studied sobriety (Music & Arts). Among available harpsichord editions, Christophe Rousset’s faster, steadier tempos, stronger affinity for the dancing Bach, and imaginative zest outdistance most of his colleagues, although Kenneth Gilbert’s solid and scholarly traversals remain highly competitive and desirable. So are Rannou’s, and her engineering is even better. But try to hear Rousset first.
