Leonhardt: Bach – Art of Fugue (2 CD, FLAC)

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Gustav Leonhardt
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Vanguard Classics
Size: 440 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
01. Simple Fugue (Gr.I, D.I)
02. Simple Fugue – theme inverted (Gr.III, D.II)
03. Simple Fugue (Gr.II, D.III)
04. Simple Fugue – theme inverted (Gr.IV, D.IV)
05. Fugue in contrary motion (Gr.V, D.IX)
06. Double Fugue in the 12th (Gr.IX, D.VI)
07. Double Fugue in the 10th (Gr.X, D.VII)
08. Fugue in contrary motion, with diminution (Gr.VI, D.X)
09. Canon in the 10th (Gr.XIV, D.VIII)
10. Fugue in contrary motion, with double augmentation (Gr. VII, D.XI)
11. Canon in the 12th (Gr.XIII, D.V)

CD 02
01. Canon in the octave (Gr.XII, D.XII)
02. Triple Fugue – three voice (Gr.VIII, D.XIII)
03. Triple Fugue – four voice (Gr.XI, D.XIV)
04. Canon in contrary motion, by augmentation (Gr.XV, D.XV)
05. Mirror Fugue (Gr.XVIIIa., D.XVI)
06. Mirror Fugue – inverse of (5) (Gr.XVIIIb, D.XVII)
07. Mirror Fugue (Gr.XVIa., D.XVIII)
08. Mirror Fugue – inverse of (7) (Gr.XVIb., D.XIX)
09. Unfinished Fugue, on B A C H (Gr.XIX, D.XX)

A vade mecum for a departed artist

Those interested in the harpsichord and Baroque music will mourn the loss of Gustave Leonhardt in 2012. This 1953 interpretation of Die Kunst der Fuge will enjoy Gustav’s earlier interpretation, for its boldness and its timely restraint in the more reflective passages. This is (one must confess . . . ) a young man’s “take” on Bach– an interpretation full of vigor, repose, and confidence. Leonhardt bless us for more than 40 years with his inspired musicianship, and we are not likely to see another of his genius in our lifetime.