Ingrid Matthews And Byron Schenkman - Bach: Six Sonatas For Violin And Harpsichord (2007)

With all the attention that's given to Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin, it's a shame more artists don't record the six sonatas for violin and harpsichord. Composed after the works for solo violin, the six accompanied sonatas are less virtuosic but display Bach's full maturity in writing idiomatically for the violin and the ease with which he composed counterpoint between the solo violin and the obbligato harpsichord. Heard on this album are Baroque violinist Ingrid Matthews and harpsichordist Byron Schenkman. Both of these artists give admirable and convincing performances of these works. It is difficult, though, not to draw comparisons between this recording and the gold-standard recording made by Carmignola. Through this comparison, Matthews and Schenkman fall just short of what is achievable in these works. Intonation is very good, but there are notes -- particularly at the tops of phrases -- that fall a little flat. Articulation is clean, but not as crisp and sparkling as Carmignola. Ornaments are well-chosen and executed nicely, but not with the electricity that Carmignola delivers. While sound quality is nice overall, various registers of the harpsichord are not always crystal clear. Listeners seeking just to add to their collection and enjoy another well-performed set of these sonatas, then this album is sure to satisfy. If, however, this is to be the first and maybe only recording of these works, better to pass on this one in favor of Carmignola's more definitive performance.