Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: 1. Adagio
2. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: 2. Allegro
3. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: 3. Andante
4. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: 4. Allegro
5. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: 1. Without tempo indication
6. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: 2. Allegro assai
7. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: 3. Andante un poco
8. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: 4. Presto
9. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: 1. Adagio
10. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: 2. Allegro
11. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: 3. Adagio ma non tanto
12. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: 4. Allegro
13. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: 1. Siciliano. Largo
14. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: 2. Allegro
15. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: 3. Adagio
16. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: 4. Allegro

Disc 2:

1. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: 1. Largo
2. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: 2. Allegro
3. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: 3. Adagio
4. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: 4. Vivace
5. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: 1. Adagio
6. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: 2. Largo
7. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: 3. Allegro
8. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: 4. Adagio
9. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: 5. Allegro
10. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 1 in G major, BWV 1027: 1. Adagio
11. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 1 in G major, BWV 1027: 2. Allegro ma non tanto
12. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 1 in G major, BWV 1027: 3. Andante
13. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 1 in G major, BWV 1027: 4. Allegro moderato
14. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 2 in D major, BWV 1028: 1. Adagio
15. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 2 in D major, BWV 1028: 2. Allegro
16. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 2 in D major, BWV 1028: 3. Andante
17. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 2 in D major, BWV 1028: 4. Allegro
18. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 3 in G minor, BWV 1029: 1. Vivace
19. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 3 in G minor, BWV 1029: 2. Adagio
20. Sonata for viola da gamba & keyboard No. 3 in G minor, BWV 1029: 3. Allegro

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #114355 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 1995-02-07
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .40 pounds

Customer Reviews

quirky but satisfying
Gould's Bach is so iconoclastic that it's sometimes difficult to imagine him playing chamber music, especially the sonatas for obbligato klavier and melody instrument, where the close parity between the solo player and the keyboard player's right hand calls for a sensitivity and flexibility that might have been beyond, or beneath, Gould's reach. So one should be primed for suprises in Gould's collaboration with Laredo-- and indeed, there is no lack of them. While this issue is a questionable choice for a "reference" version of the six sonatas, it is splendid and unusual, making a an excellent alternative to the many excellent performances (particularly on harpsichord) in the catalogue. Particular highlights are Laredo's playing in the final movement of the fourth sonata, and Gould's solo in the third movement of the sixth, for keyboard alone, as well as Gould's creative realizations of the ground bass in sections where the keyboard part is not fully written. Note: while Gould did make some recordings on the harpsichord, this disc (despite the title) gives us Gould on the piano.

Don't forget the cello.
Notice that this contains the marvelous Gould - Rose collaboration on the three cello sonatas, still a perennial favorite of mine. This item may be the only way to come by this recording anymore.

The dynamic duo
Most of the recordings I have heard of the sonatas for Harpsicord and Violin use a Harpsicord not a piano. One of the things that happens is that the harpsicord tends to get "lost" as the violin is such a more powerfull instrument. Here the roles of both are equall and the pianist (Glen Gould) is a strong personality that makes himself felt in the music.

The interaction between Gould and Laredo is electric. Both formidable artist together they create fireworks. The 1014 allegro for example which sounds quite layed back in Biondi's disk here really rocks - you can't help humming along to it (by the way I can't here Gould humming along to anything).

I prefer this version to the Penguin Rosetted Grumiaux version (Harpsicord gets lost) and the highly regarded Biondii version (boring). I guess it is not that authentic but Gould brings out the beauty, liveliness and complexity of Bach better then any other Pianist I know of and Laredo is an exellent Violinist.

I havn't had time to listen to the concertos with Rose yet that end the offering.

This may not be the "reference" but if you are going to buy one recording of these works then buy this one!