Masaaki Suzuki - J.S. Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier (1996)

Listeners familiar with any of Masaaki Suzuki's many Bach recordings for BIS are likely to know what to expect from his recording of the Well-Tempered Klavier Book II: immaculate playing, impeccable taste, and immediate sound. Perhaps best-known internationally for his series of recordings of Bach's cantatas and other sacred works, Suzuki started his career as a superlative keyboard player, and as his performance here on the harpsichord demonstrates, he has kept his skills well-honed. Suzuki the keyboard player shares many of the same qualities as Suzuki the conductor: clarity, precision, vivacity, and a real feel for the music. From the quick to the slow and the simple to the complex, Suzuki articulates every line, harmony, and relationship lucidly but with a lively sense of rhythm and tempo. For some listeners, there may be too much calculation in these performances, and not enough freedom and inspiration. But whether or not the performances were mapped out ahead of time, no one could gainsay Suzuki's expressive intensity. Recorded in BIS' supernaturally clear yet almost tangibly present sound, these performances will surely find an appreciative audience.