J.S.Bach
The Complete Toccatas (BWV 910 - 916)
Katharine Durran (piano)
Review
"Thank goodness the bad old days are over when it seemed politically incorrect to play Bach on the piano. A very special disc.... Katharine Durran's name was as unfamiliar to me as her playing, but on the evidence of her recent disc of the complete Toccatas she's a Bachian of luminous integrity and unforced nobility, who captures his capriciousness and occasional obsessiveness with equal insight"
PIANO, November/December 1999
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Museyroom
Review
These beautiful works, often overlooked within the repertoire, contain all the quintessential elements of Bach at his very best. Dramatic and moving, they have been described as a celebration of, and an insight into, the composer's moving spirit, capturing a maelstrom of elation and stillness.
The seven Toccatas have rarely been heard as a set, and no traditional order of performance has come down to us. These performances, recorded at St George's Brandon Hill, have been arranged to form a tonal and emotional arc:
D minor BWV 913 |
G minor BWV 915 |
E minor BWV 914 |
F# minor BWV 910 |
C minor BWV 911 |
G major BWV 916 |
D major BWV 912 |
The CD sleeve includes an illuminating essay by John Butt, one of the world's leading academic authorities on Bach.
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Since the usual concerto feats of childhood, Katharine Durran has followed an eclectic path, but one which has concentrated on two divergent strands; whilst exploring the intellectually and technically complex world of new-music pianism, she has simultaneously developed the intimate and sensitive skills of the song recital accompanist. Now she brings these contrasting aspects of her expertise to Bach.