Once upon a millennium, there was the creation of the Well-Tempered Clavier. And it was good. And it was final. No composer need bother with this sort of monumental, definitive masterpiece of diatonic/tonal/key-based harmonic discourse again. But, like Bach’s solo violin sonatas and partitas and cello suites for the players of their respective instruments, taking on the challenges of these all-encompassing exhibitions of technique and multi-voice imitative style is a required rite-of -passage for any aspiring keyboard artist. Pianist Angela Hewitt–whose repertoire ranges from Messiaen to Ravel to Bach, and whose performances have generated considerable acclaim around the world–gives wise and lucid attention to these 24 revered Book II preludes and fugues (she’s already released Book I, available on Hyperion 67301). She never resorts to flashy escapades or overwrought, false romanticisms. She keeps to the basic and sacred demands of Bach’s clearly defined script, and it is good. If you like your WTC on the PF (that’s pianoforte), then these musically astute, technically flawless, and interpretively straightforward performances will serve well–easily equaling the well-mannered Schiff (Decca) and elegant Turek (VAI).
