Bach & l'Italie

by Justin Taylor

Overview

It is well known that Bach was fascinated by the Italian style, which he explored via a group of transcriptions and that influenced his own music deeply. His transcriptions for keyboard of Vivaldi concertos of various kinds show up on concert programs often enough, but few musicians have explored the phenomenon in so much depth and with so much flair as harpsichordist Justin Taylor. He does include transcriptions of Vivaldi concertos and the Italian Concerto, BWV 971, the work in which Bach distilled the Italian influences into a brilliant idiom of his own. Yet, he also shows other strands of Italian influence. There is a Toccata for harpsichord by Alessandro Scarlatti that fits nicely with Bach's improvisatory pieces like the Concerto in G major, BWV 973, somewhat frustratingly shorn of its fugue. He also contributes a transcription of his own of a Vivaldi flute concerto, seemingly trying to enter into Bach's frame of mind. Taylor's playing is energetic and bright, with a strong feel for the keyboardistic quality of Bach's music, and it is really quite fresh in its approach. Also notable is his harpsichord, an instrument resident at France's Chateau d'Assas, where the album was splendidly recorded. It is tuned a full step down from modern pitch, with some crunchy intervals that add tension to the music (it might have been good to have more information about the tuning). An extremely exciting Bach release, equally successful in conception and execution. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2023
Label:	Alpha
UPC:	3760014199981
Rank:	57975

Tracks

1. Work(s)~Toccata en Ré Mineur: Arpeggio
2. Fantaisie Chromatique, BWV 903
3. Concerto en Ré Mineur, BWV 974 (D'Après Le Concerto pour Hautbois en Ré Mineur d'Alessandro Marcello)~I. (Andante)
4. Concerto en Ré Mineur, BWV 974 (D'Après Le Concerto pour Hautbois en Ré Mineur d'Alessandro Marcello)~II. Adagio
5. Concerto en Ré Mineur, BWV 974 (D'Après Le Concerto pour Hautbois en Ré Mineur d'Alessandro Marcello)~III. Presto
6. Concerto pour Orgue en Ré Mineur, BWV 596 (D'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 11 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~Largo e spiccato
7. Concerto pour Orgue en Do Majeur, BWV 594 (D'Après le Concerto pour Violon en Ré Majeur, RV 208, "Grosso Mogul" d'Antonio Vivaldi)~Allegro (cadence)
8. Concerto Italien en Fa Majeur, BWV 971~I. (sans indication)
9. Concerto Italien en Fa Majeur, BWV 971~II. Andante
10. Concerto Italien en Fa Majeur, BWV 971~III. Presto
11. Work(s)~Sonate VII pour Clavecin: Adagio
12. Concerto en Do Majeur, BWV Anh. 151~Andante
13. Praeludium (Fantaisie), BWV 921
14. Concerto en Fa Majeur, BWV 978 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 3 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~I. Allegro
15. Concerto en Fa Majeur, BWV 978 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 3 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~II. Largo
16. Concerto en Fa Majeur, BWV 978 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 3 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~III. Allegro
17. Work(s)~Toccata pour Clavecin en Sol Mineur, No. 6: Largo
18. Concerto pour Flûte en Do Majeur, RV 443~Largo
19. Concerto en Si Mineur, BWV 979 (d'Après le Concerto pour Violon en Ré Mineur, RV813 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~Andante
20. Toccata en Mi Mineur, BWV 914
21. Concerto en Ré Majeur, BWV 972 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 9 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~I. Allegro
22. Concerto en Ré Majeur, BWV 972 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 9 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~II. Larghetto
23. Concerto en Ré Majeur, BWV 972 (d'Après l'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, No. 9 d'Antonio Vivaldi)~III. Allegro
24. Concerto en Sol Majeur, BWV 973 (d'Après le Concerto pour Violon en Sol Majeur d'Antonio Vivaldi)~Largo

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Justin Taylor   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Clavecin
Didier Martin   Director

Technical Credits

Louise Burel   Producer
Aline Lugand-Gris Souris   Artwork
Thibault Guilmin   Tuning
Gilles Cantagrel   Liner Notes
Susanne Lowien   Liner Note Translation
Amelie Boccon-Gibod   Editorial Coordinator
Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
Antonio Vivaldi   Composer,Original Material
John Thornley   Liner Note Translation
Alessandro Scarlatti   Composer
Jean-Baptiste Millot   Cover Photo,Photography
Valerie Lagarde   Design
Benedetto Marcello   Composer
Alessandro Marcello   Original Material
Hughes Deschaux   Recording Producer
Justin Taylor   Transcription