Trevor Pinnock - J.S. Bach: Partitas, Goldberg Variations, French Overtre & Italian Concerto (2003)

For those uninitiated into the world of Baroque or harpsichord music, be forewarned: this budget-priced trio of CDs from Archiv is a hefty amount of Bach on the harpsichord. These are reissues of recordings of Bach's greatest keyboard works made in the early '80s by Trevor Pinnock. While you may be able to listen to nearly four straight hours of Bach, some may find it hard to listen to the harpsichord for that long. Three different harpsichords were used in these recordings, so the sound does vary from work to work, and these are harpsichords with a more gentle, mellower sound than other instruments. Even within the works, Pinnock employs different stops to add another dimension to each movement's coloring. He plays with dexterity and even spirit, primarily in the faster movements. The Partitas and the Italian Concerto are performed with confidence and strength, with attention paid to the articulation of rhythms and syncopations. His playing of the French Overture and the Goldberg Variations is more learned and drier than the other works, but they are still very well-done performances, making the set well worth its price. But if you aren't used to the sound of the harpsichord, take your time getting to know the instrument by listening to one work at a time.