Gustav Leonhardt - J.S. Bach: Harpsichord concertos (Complete Recording) (1995)

This collection was first compiled in 1970 or so from recordings dating as far back as 1961. The set, now remastered and issued on cd, includes performances by three generations of harpsichordists, with Gustav Leonhardt providing the central focus. Leonhardt includes (in BWV 1060, 1062 and 1065) his former teacher from the Schola Cantorum in Basle, Eduard Mueller (the student modestly playing second harpsichord to his mentor in 1060 and 1065) while his own first-generation students Anneke Uittenbosch and Alan Curtis join him for BWV 1061, 1063-1065. Completing the quartet of soloists in BWV 1065 is the generation-before-Leonhardt Dutch harpsichordist, Janny van Waring. Another "star of the show" is Leonhardt's harpsichord, based on the J.D. Dulcken instruments of 1745, and built in 1962 by the great German harpsichord maker, Martin Skowroneck of Bremen. It was with this fine harpsichord (now owned by Bob van Asperen) that Leonhardt finally acquired an instrument which was worthy of his truly formidable gifts. In the same way that Landowska's playing was intimately connected with the sound of the Pleyel harpsichord which she used from 1912 to 1957, Leonhardt now had an easily identifiable "sound" of his own. It was used in the solo concerto recordings except for BWV 1057 & 1058 (which had already been recorded in 1961). In the two triple harpsichord concertos, Leonhardt is joined by Alan Curtis and Anneke Uittenbosch playing two more of Skowroneck's Dulcken models. Needless to say, the producer for all these recordings (and the guiding light of the "Das alte Werk" series) was the redoubtable Wolf Erichson.
Leonhardt's performances of six of the seven great solo concerti (BWV 1053-1058), plus his own reconstruction of an eighth (BWV 1059, of which only nine bars were written out by Bach - the rest was assembled by Leonhardt from the instrumental movements contained in Cantata BWV 35), are classics of the recorded harpsichord repertoire. It is true that they show their age in some ways (mostly due to the recording standards, especially in the 1961 recordings), but they still offer the listener the most direct and "authentic" available encounter with Bach's pre-eminent works. Great musicianship is timeless, and I'm sure that future generations of listeners will continue to draw inspiration from these great monuments of the "period instrument" revival. Good music (and music-making) is forever.
Those looking for Leonhardt's performance of the d minor solo concerto (BWV 1052) will not find it here (he recorded it both earlier and later, most recently for SEON). However the performance included here, by Herbert Tachezi, playing a magnificent Skowroneck Italian single manual harpsichord from 1957 (which belongs to Nikolaus Harnoncourt) with Concentus Musicus Wien, is just as great in its own way as Leonhardt's. Notice, in this performance, the "meantone" tuning of the harpsichord (and strings!). It's really beautiful, and beautifully recorded, too.
Younger generation listeners who have grown up with later versions of these works should do themselves a favour and go straight to the source. Gustav Leonhardt continues amongst us - a shining presence at the age of 74. These recordings will forever document the enormous debt which the world of "authentic performance" owes to him. These performances will never be bettered: perhaps, in time, equalled.
Mention should be made of the members of Leonhardt's ensemble, the Leonhardt-Consort, led by his wife, Marie. The string sound is unusually full-bodied for just single strings, and the energy and beauty of the performances are infectious. It's a pity that the present set doesn't include the great performance (with Frans Brueggen and Marie Leonhardt) of the a minor concerto for harpsichord, flute and violin (BWV 1044). And the engineers still haven't repaired the gross editing mistake in the third movement of BWV 1053, where bar 65 is spliced in twice! (Amazing that this hasn't been picked up by somebody - Leonhardt, perhaps?!). However, don't let these small caveats deter you from investigating this uniquely fine set. Like all the greatest old masters, this one's flaws merely remind us of its supremely commanding overall stature.
Strongest recommendation.

Track List:

CD 1:
Concerto for harpsichord in A major, BWV 1055
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Larghetto
03. III. Allegro ma non tanto
Concerto for harpsichord in F minor, BWV 1056
04. I. Allegro
05. II. Largo
06. III. Presto
Concerto for harpsichord in D major, BWV 1054
07. I. Allegro
08. II. Adagio e piano
09. III. Allegro
Concerto for harpsichord in E major, BWV 1053
10. I. Allegro
11. II. Siciliano
12. III. Allegro
Concerto for harpsichord in F major, BWV 1057
13. I. Allegro
14. II. Andante
15. III. Allegro assai


CD 2:
Concerto for harpsichord in D minor BMV 1052
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Allegro
Concerto for 3 harpsichords in D minor BMV 1063
04. I. Allegro
05. II. Alla Siliciana
06. III. Allegro
Concerto for 2 harpsichords in C major BMV 1061
07. I. Allegro
08. II. Adagio
09. III. Fuga
Concerto for 3 harpsichords in C major BMV 1064
10. I. Allegro
11. II. Adagio
12. III. Allegro


CD 3:
Concerto for two harpsichords in C minor, BWV 1062
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Andante
03. III. Allegro assai
Concerto for two harpsichords in C minor, BWV 1060
04. I. Allegro
05. II. Adagio
06. III. Allegro
Concerto for four harpsichords in A minor, BWV 1065
07. I. Allegro
08. II. Largo
09. III. Allegro
Concerto for harpsichord in D minor, BWV 1059
10. I. Allegro
11. II. Adagio
12. III. Presto
Concerto for harpsichord in G minor, BWV 1058
13. I. Allegro
14. II. Andante
15. III. Allegro assai


Performers:
Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichord
Anneke Uittenbosch (BWV 1063,1061,1064, 1065), Alan Curtis (BWV 1063,1064), Eduard Miiller (BWV 1062, 1060, 1065) • Janny van Wering (BWV 1065), harpsichord
Leonhardt-Consort / GUSTAV LEONHARDT

Herbert Tachezi (BWV 1052), harpsichord
Concentus musicus Wien / NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT (BWV 1052)

Leonhardt-Consort
on period instruments

Violin: Marie Leonhardt, Antoinette van den Hombergh
Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1676; Kiotz, Mittenwald 18th century
Viola: Wira ten Have, (BWV 1053-1059, 1061, 1062, 1064, 1065), Lodewijk de Boer (BWV 1057, 1063, 1064, 1060, 1059)
Giovanni Tononi, 17th century
Violoncello: Dijck Koster
Giovanni Battista (II); Guadagnini, 1749
Double Bass: Fred Nijenhuis, Anthony Woodrow (BWV 1056,1054,1053, 1061)
German, 19th century
Recorder: Frans Briiggen (BWV 1057), Jeanette van Wingerden (BWV 1057)
Oboe: Cees van der Kraan (BWV 1059)

Concentus musicus Wien (BWV 1052)
on period instruments

Violin: Alice Harnoncourt, Peter Schoberwalter (I), Walter Pfeiffer, Josef de Sordi (II)
Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1658 and 1677; Kioto, Mittenwald 18th century; Furber, London 1804
Viola: Kurt Theiner
Marcellus Holtmayr, Vienna 17th century
Violoncello: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Andrea Castagneri, Paris 1744
Violone: Eduard Hruza
Antony Stefan Posch, Vienna 1729