Concertos For 2, 3 & 4 Pianos

David Fray (piano & conductor), Jacques Rouvier (piano), Audrey Vigoureux (piano), Emmanuel Christien (piano) Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse

The music on this album gives rise to two intriguing questions. Firstly, are these concertos original Bachian creations? Secondly, should they be played on modern pianos. The two issues are in fact closely linked by the idea of transcription.

Four of the keyboard concertos recorded here derive either from works originally composed by Bach for other instruments (this is true of the Concerto in C minor, BWV 1062 for two harpsichords – a transcription of the celebrated and exceptional Concerto in D minor for two violins, BWV 1043), or from works by Bach of which we are more or less aware, but whose initial versions have not survived. This applies to the Concerto in C major, BWV 1061 and the Concerto in C minor, BWV 1060. As for the Concerto in A minor, BWV 1065 for four harpsichords, it is a reworking of the tenth concerto from Vivaldi’s L’Estro armonico, op.3, for four violins.

Bach, J S:
 Concerto for Two Keyboards in C major, BWV1061
 Concerto for Two Keyboards in C minor, BWV1060
 Concerto for Two Keyboards in C minor, BWV1062
 Concerto for Three Keyboards in D minor, BWV1063
 Concerto for Four Keyboards in A minor (after Vivaldi), BWV1065

"The first thing that strikes you about this disc is the acoustic…It’s very boomy…That side, there’s some joyous playing on offer here…First up is the concerto for four keyboards, BWV1065, whose opening movement has plenty of bounce and pinpoint reactions between the four soloists…So overall, don’t let a dodgy acoustic put you off some very fine Bach-playing."
Gramophone Magazine - February 2019