Ottavio Dantone’s recording of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2 is infinitely more satisfying than his Book 1. Certain performances, to be sure, retain mannerisms I criticized in my Book 1 review (type Q5649 in Search Reviews), such as predictable ritards at cadence points, lack of rhythmic backbone (Preludes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 22, plus Fugue 6), plus ornaments that detract from the music’s linear flow (Prelude 7). Prelude and Fugue 13, however, sport just the right firmness, drive, and fluidity. Some might find the G major Prelude and Fugue (No. 15) a shade slow, but others will warm to Dantone’s clear, lilting lines. I also like Dantone’s brisk, no-nonesense take on the G-sharp minor Prelude & Fugue. It took several hearings to realize that Dantone’s tempo fluctuations in the A minor Prelude (No. 20) help enliven and intensify the chromatic descending motive. And the harpsichordist’s crisp, decisive B minor Prelude and Fugue ends this cycle on an uplifting note. Although not a first-choice Book 2, its finer points (along with Arts Music’s breathtaking sonics) warrant serious listening.
