Bach: Arrangements

Bach Arrangements

£10.99

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

Hyperion Records CDA 67309

A choice selection of Bach Arrangements by Wilhelm Kempff, Myra Hess, Eugen d’Albert, and many others, including Angela Hewitt herself.

‘A magnificent addition to both the Bach repertoire and Angela Hewitt’s artistically unparallelled survey of Bach’s keyboard compositions’ (Fanfare, USA)

BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM (SOLO OR CHAMBER), JUNO AWARDS 2002, CANADA

1. Sinfonia in D major, arranged by Wilhelm Kempff (4’01)
from Cantata No 29, BWV29
2. Siciliano in G minor, arranged by Wilhelm Kempff (3’54)
from Flute Sonata in E flat, BWV1031
3. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV659, arranged by Wilhelm Kempff (5’43)
from Leipzig Chorales (the ‘Eighteen’)
4. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV645, arranged by Wilhelm Kempff (4’18)
from Schübler Chorales
5. Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV639, arranged by Wilhelm Kempff (2’48)
from Orgelbüchlein
6. Sheep may safely graze,arranged by Mary Howe (5’47)
‘Schäfe können sicher weiden’ from Cantata No 208, BWV208
7. Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, arranged by Myra Hess (3’50)
‘Jesu bleibet meine Freude’ from Cantata No 147, BWV147
8. Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein BWV641, arranged by Angela Hewitt (2’29)
from Orgelbüchlein
9. Das alte Jahr vergangen ist BWV614, arranged by Angela Hewitt (2’40)
from Orgelbüchlein
10. In dulci jubilo BWV729, arranged by Lord Berners (2’01)
11. Herzlich tut mich verlangen BWV727, arranged by William Walton (2’36)
12. Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn BWV648, arranged by John Ireland (1’20)
from Schübler Chorales
13. O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross BWV622, arranged by Herbert Howells (5’24)
from Orgelbüchlein
14. Sanctify us by Thy goodness, arranged by Harriet Cohen (2’28)
from Cantata No 22, BWV22
15. Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen, arranged by Harold Bauer (5’29)
from Cantata No 127, BWV127
16. Passacaglia in C minor BWV582, arranged by Eugen d’Albert (11’45)
17. Alle Menschen müssen sterben BWV643, arranged by Angela Hewitt (3’15)
from Orgelbüchlein

This special disc offers a selection from the wealth of piano transcriptions of Bach’s music. The Bach revival that gathered momentum during the nineteenth century created a climate for many composer-pianists to interpret his works through their own piano transcriptions, whether of chorale preludes, organ works or other instrumental music. Much of Bach’s music was made domestically available via such arrangements. Indeed, the practice of transcriptions was widely used by Bach himself, who freely adapted his own and others’ music for different instrumental settings.

On this CD, dedicated to her organist father Godfrey Hewitt, Angela Hewitt chooses her favourite Bach transcriptions by Wilhelm Kempff (including his rousing “Wachet Auf”), Eugen d’Albert (C minor Passacaglia), Myra Hess (Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring), as well as several of her own. It also includes a number of arrangements from A Bach Book for Harriet Cohen rarely heard before.

Recorded in Henry Wood Hall, London, on 1-4 April 2001

For online sales in Canada, please go to: http://angelahewitt.ca

Available audio excerpts from this recording

Alle Menschen muessen sterben (Hewitt)
Die Seele ruht in Jesu Haenden (Bauer)
Jesu joy of man’s desiring (Howe)
Passacaglia in C minor (D’Albert)
Sheep may safely graze (Howe)
Siciliano in G minor (Kempff)
Sinfonia in D (Kempff)

Reviews of this record

Winnipeg Free Press / James Manishen