Search - Johann Sebastian Bach :: Bach: Works for lute

Lute music for a snowy evening.

Mike C | Richardson, TX USA | 06/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll start by saying that I cannot be objective about this recording. I love lute music, especially Bach, and this CD brings together the first recordings of Bach lute music that I listened to seriously. Nonesuch had two recordings of Walter Gervig playing Baroque lute music. The "white" album had the g minor suite that ends this album, and the "black" album (Bach on the Lute) had the rest of the contents of this CD. Stupidly, I loaned out the white album, never to get it back; I was very pleased to be able to purchase this CD with, as I understand it, all of Gerwig's Bach recordings. It's lute music for a snowy evening. I'll work backwards, the suite in g minor is what I really bought this disk for. From the opening ornament in the Prelude, there is a gravity and seriousness to this suite that I have never even heard from the original cello versions. Gerwig gets the sense that Bach does not require fast tempi as much as rhythmic understanding and solidity. The suite in E minor is more familiar. Again, it has the rhythmic solidity that is vital for Bach. There are only two movements here, unfortunately; one wishes this whole suite had been recorded.The G Major suite is a transcription of the first Bach Cello suite. This particular suite works (for me) better on lute (or classical guitar, though I prefer lute) than the original cello because the arpeggiated nature of the prelude lends itself to a sustaining instrument which inadvertently forms chords. Here, Gerwig, again, makes this music a journey.One other comment on the works: the fugue in g minor (a slightly different version of which is also found one of the violin sonatas) is a real masterpiece. It's one thing to write many types of fugues as Bach did in Art of the Fugue, where the pieces could be played by any number of instruments; it's quite another to write a fugue for a solo violin, cello or lute, where there are real limits to the number of simultaneous voices that can be realized by a single player. This is a perfect example of an almost illusory contrapuntal writing style that seems to imply more separate voices than are really present. Gerwig's sound and the recording quality is great throughout, despite being recorded on analog in the 60's. Highly recommended."

Wonderful rendition of well known Bach works

J. Schrader | St. Louis, MO United States | 04/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have become a bit of a connoisseur of baroque lute music in the last year, collecting at least 15 cd's and a couple of albums to date....



Walter Gerwig's 1964 recording of Works for Lute is by far the best rendition of Bach's Lute suites and partitias i have heard. there are countless recordings of these works on the guitar. but they lose the texture that only the lute can provide.



the recording is smooth, well paced, without added unadornments, yet with great feel. the quality of recording itself is excellent also. he plays it like it was written, how i imagined it would sound played in the 18th century."

Two Geniuses Together

bamajama | CROPWELL, AL United States | 08/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A timeless and elegant masterpiece by one of the greatest composers who ever lived and one of the greatest lutists of all time. Gerwig's transcriptions, execution, and performance are brilliant. This is music to get lost in, to dream by, to let yourself be carried away to a different time and place. We probably will never see the likes of either of these gentleman again, and to have them together on one CD--there is nothing more to ask for. It is getting harder and harder to find Walter Gerwig--his Baroque Lute album is nearly impossible to find, never mind a CD--so take advantage of buying him while you still can. You won't regret one single beautiful moment."