Inventions & Dimensions [Original recording remastered]

Product Description
For his third album, Herbie Hancock chose a very rhythmic setting for his improvised compositions. Supported only by bassist Paul Chambers and percussionists Willie Bobo and Osvaldo Martinez, the pianist creates each tune from scratch and the results are astonishing. The alternate take of "Mimosa" has previously only been available as part of box set.

*bonus tracks, not part of the original LP

HERBIE HANCOCK, piano
PAUL CHAMBERS, bass
WILLIE BOBO, drums, timbales
OSVALDO "CHIHUAHUA" MARTINEZ, congas, bongos, guiro, finger cymbals

Inventions & Dimensions,Herbie Hancock,Blue Note Records,Hard Bop,Jazz,Modal Music,Pop

Average customer rating:

Inventions for the New Season Maserati Manufacturer: Temporary Residence ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Mirrored Confines of Heat The Language Of Cities Icky Thump Tio Bitar ASIN: B000PSJCSS Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

1. Inventions
2. 12/16
3. Kalimera
4. Synchronicity IV
5. This Is a Sight We Had One Day From the High Mountain
6. Show Me the Season
7. Kalinichta
8. The World Outside

Album Description

Maserati features members of !!!, LCD Soundsystem, The Juan Maclean, and Turning Machine. "Inventions" is a sweaty, delirious mix of mid-to-late 70s Pink Floyd, German psych-rock, Krautrock, and mid-80s action film scores. It drags the glory years of psychedelic arena rock kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, with the pomposity (and vocals) carefully removed. The mix is pushed firmly in the red, giving the songs a white-knuckled energy that, coupled with the ethereal guitar theatrics, puts one foot on the dance floor and the other on the ocean floor. For fans of Neu, Battles, Pink Floyd, Trans Am.

Average customer rating: The first of Hewitt's monumental Bach cycle Sophisticated, understated Bach

Bach: Fantasia in C minor; Two-Part Inventions; Three-Part Inventions; Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hewitt, Angela | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach: The Toccatas Bach: French Suites / Angela Hewitt Bach: The Six Partitas / Angela Hewitt Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier (book 1) Goldberg Variations ASIN: B000002ZUY Release Date: 1994-08-30

Tracks:

1. Fantasia In C Minor, BWV906
2. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 1 In C Major
3. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 2 In C Minor
4. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 3 In D Major
5. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 4 In D Minor
6. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 5 In E Flat Major
7. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 6 In E Major
8. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 7 In E Minor
9. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 8 In F Major
10. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 9 In F Minor
11. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 10 In G Major
12. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 11 In G Minor
13. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 12 In A Major
14. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 13 In A Minor
15. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 14 In B Flat Major
16. Fifteen Two-Part Inventions, BWV772-786: Invention 15 In B Minor
17. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 1 In C Major
18. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 2 In C Minor
19. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 3 In D Major
20. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 4 In D Minor
21. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 5 In E Flat Major
22. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 6 In E Major
23. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 7 In E Minor
24. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 8 In F Major
25. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 9 In F Minor
26. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 10 In G Major
27. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 11 In G Minor
28. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 12 In A Major
29. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 13 In A Minor
30. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 14 In B Flat Major
31. Fifteen Three-Part Sinfonias (Inventions), BWV787-801: Sinfonia 15 In B Minor
32. Chromatic Fantasia And Fugue In D Minor, BWV903: Fantasia
33. Chromatic Fantasia And Fugue In D Minor, BWV903: Fugue

Customer Reviews:

The first of Hewitt's monumental Bach cycle.......2006-03-25

In 1994 a mostly unknown 'Canadian' pianist signed with Hyperion Records to begin recording the whole of Bach's keyboard works. Eleven years - and some 14 discs later - the dream was complete, but the pianist was now well known and respected as one of the great Bach interpreters of her generation. This CD was the first of these recordings and the logical place to begin.

The program here ranges from the more simple of Bach's compositions (Two-Part Inventions) to some of the more trecherous, virtuostic masterpieces (the two fantasias). Written by Bach for his son and students around 1723, the Two-Part and Three-Part Inventions form the foundational know-how and skills of Bach's countrapuntal keyboard art. For centuries now these works have been essential for any piano student learning the "basics" of figuration, melodic line, smooth legato, clarity of two and three voices and so on. The Three-Part pieces are fairly advanced pieces possessing complex voicing and passagework. As such they are pre-requisite for learning the more complex preludes and fugues of "The Well-Tempered Clavier." Like the pieces in the WTC, both sets of Inventions show Bach as both a master educator and deft lyricist with their range of emotive qualities. There is delicacy, pensiveness, vivacity, virtuosity and sorrow expressed in these miniatures - all while building the foundational skills (like seamless legato w/o use of the pedal) necessary for performing the major piano repertoire. Pianists worldwide owe a world of gratitude for Johann Sebastian Bach for such foundational compositions which have been reverently played by many of the great composers who followed Bach.

I'm not sure if it is more Bach's multi-faceted compositions or Miss Hewitt's varied and expressive playing of them, but these so-called "piano excercises" sound anything but that. Likely, it is both of the above factors. It was in this first recording that Hewitt showed the music world her ever-so delicate, poised and artistic pianistic mannerisms, transforming these student pieces into delightful little concert performances in themselves. Her readings are worthy role models for students focusing on the long, clear, lyrical line that is essential to Bach's music as well as rewarding to admirers of Bach's art. Perhaps what Miss Hewitt most brings to this music is her tasteful, expressive nuances: a subtle rubato, an enticing dynamic shading and an artistic variety of tone summoned forth from her Steinway Grand. Such qualities create more of an unfolding story within each piece than showcasing mere "finger dexterity exercises." Gramophone recognized this more sensitive tunement to the musical aspects too and gave this CD a solid recommendation.

If the Inventions are the "main course" of this set, then the two virtuostic Fantasias which open and close the program are the delectable "appetizer" and "dessert" on the menu. Both show Bach as master of the extemporaneous "Style Fantasticus" that he most likely gleaned in his youth from his visit to hear the great organist, Buxtahude. Even in Bach's day supposedly, the great Chromatic Fanasia in D-minor was among his most popular piece as it is today. Both are exciting, daunting works played to perfection by Hewitt. As noted by Gramophone, "her readings of the fantasias are as eloquent and stimulating as any yet recorded by a harpsichordist." Also in support of the pianist is a fine recording ambiance by Hyperion that is hard to fault. Its rather ironic that this first CD of Hewitt's Bach recordings was the last of her entire discography I acquired. But even after hearing all her glorious performances of Bach's music - from the WTC and Goldbergs to the Toccatas, Suites and Keyboard Concertos - hearing these earliest and more straightforward pieces still brings great refreshment and satisfaction that is so common in Bach's music - and so common too in Angela Hewitt's masterful and colorful playing of them. Compositions - 4.5 stars, Peformance - 5 stars, Sound - 4.5 stars.

Sophisticated, understated Bach.......2002-03-24

I have several recordings of the Inventions and Sinfonias, both on harpsichord (Gilbert, Koopman) and piano-- but this is easily the most satisfying. Less quirky than Gould's, Hewitt's performance is the furthest thing from flashy or idiosyncratic and really allows the clarity and contrapuntal elegance of Bach's keyboard writing to shine through. The result is the furthest thing from didacticism, always a risk with works that have such a central position in every pianist's early training. While eschewing every excess, Hewitt is also unafraid to take some liberaties-- hear, for example, the octave-doubling in the f-minor Sinfonia, easily a highlight of the set and of this performance in particular. Excellent fill-ups as well, the virtuosic c-minor Fantasia (though performed, as is almost always the case, without its fragmentary companion fugue) and the "Chromatic" Fantasie & Fugue. Unhesitatingly recommended.

Average customer rating: Simply incredible - the ultimate groove music ... revealing "essences" ... A Fantastic Original One of the Best of the Sixties Acoustic bliss

Re-Inventions: Best Of The Vanguard Years Sandy Bull Manufacturer: Vanguard Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: E Pluribus Unum Still Valentine's Day 1969: Live at the Matrix, San Francisco The Legend of Blind Joe Death Venus in Cancer The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death ASIN: B00000HF5R Release Date: 1999-01-26

Tracks:

1. Blend
2. Manha De Carnival
3. Carmina Burana Fantasy
4. Gospel Tune
5. Little Maggie
6. Memphis, Tennessee
7. Triple Ballade
8. Carnival Jump

Amazon.com

Sandy Bull's 1965 LP Inventions remains one of those legendary albums that almost no one has heard. Its impact, however, can be scene in the title of this new compilation spotlighting a great unsung hero of "psychedelic folk." "Blend," the 22-minute opus from 1963 that opens this disc, surely fits that designation, perfectly blending folk, jazz, and Indian influences into what Bull called "new guitar raga." An eclectic virtuoso who switched from acoustic guitar to banjo to Stratocaster to oud (mostly backed solely by jazz drummer/Ornette Coleman crony Billy Higgins), Bull was all over the musical map. Thus the beautiful, soothing bossa nova of "Manha de Carnival" gives way to German classical music, which is supplanted by a cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis." The cream of Bull's first three albums can be found here. When those old records were in stores, it's a good bet Leo Kottke, Mark Knopfler, Richard Thompson, George Harrison, and Jerry Garcia were taking notes. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

Simply incredible - the ultimate groove music.......2006-07-20

In the early 80's I was a baker at a cafe in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. I was at work by 5 am to bake the croissants and this album was the early morning treat each day. The waitress had recorded this album on a cassette and we about wore the thing out. I had just started to play oldtime clawhammer banjo and was always attracted to the Indian Raga idiom...this album merged with rockabilly, classical, etc. thrown into the mix.

Sandy Bull is a master genre-twister, and a delight to behold! This album exemplifies the genesis of his astonishing musical journey and the absolute brilliance of both his and Vanguard's vision.

... revealing "essences" ..........2000-03-14

revealing essences of classic, soul chords and riffs of the 1960s post-Shankur, post-Beatles music

A Fantastic Original.......1999-10-16

My old college roomie in New Haven had this album in the mid-sixties, and Sandy was just about the most incredible guitarist we'd ever heard (and both of us played). If you've never heard or heard of this guy, you are in for a special ride. The fabulous, magical cut of "Memphis" -- quietly ethereal, sliding back and forth like Chuck Berry off in some cloud dream -- has haunted me for over 35 years, and it alone is worth ten times the price of this album.

One of the Best of the Sixties.......1999-10-01

This is one I would choose if I could only have ten albums on a deserted isle. Bull was a true master of his instrument. It enjoyed cult status when I was in college in upstate New York in the sixties. A must have.

Acoustic bliss.......1999-04-14

Every song on this CD is very diferent from the other but there is not a bad or boring one among them. There is something very unusual about the way Sandy Bull plays every instrument he picks up. I've never heard of this guy even though he's been around forever. Some of the recordings date back to the 60's but they don't sound dated at all. Re-Inventions would be right at the top of my list of desert island disks.

Average customer rating: It's sad. It's sparkly. It's simply stunning. Dreamy...... Lazy summer ... She sings brightly Wow, don't miss this album!

Bavarian Fruit Bread Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Dream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Shoegazing | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Among My Swan She Hangs Brightly So Tonight That I Might See Suzanne Suzanne ASIN: B00005QB7K Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

1. Hope
2. Suzanne
3. Butterfly Morning
4. On The Low
5. Baby Let Me Go
6. Feeling of Gaze
7. Charlotte
8. Clear Day
9. Bavarian Fruit Bread
10. Around My Smile
11. Lose Me On The Way

Amazon.com

Anyone familiar with Mazzy Star's ethereal, hypnotic music will find singer Hope Sandoval's debut album with the Warm Inventions a welcome return, with its haunting, spaced-out odes to melancholy. It's been five years since Mazzy Star's last album--the rich, evocative Among My Swan--and while Sandoval has appeared on records by the Jesus and Mary Chain and the Chemical Brothers, the At the Doorway Again EP, released at the end of 2000, was the Warm Inventions' first offering. The band--half of which is Colm O'Ciosoig from My Bloody Valentine--favor altogether sparser songs, which suffer somewhat from the absence of David Roback's lush, entrancing slide guitar, which made Mazzy Star so beguiling. Nonetheless, there are delights to be had: Sandoval's voice continues to drip with ennui and a tripped-out nonchalance while the delicate, tinkling songs on display here are eerily romantic, employing soft, beautiful acoustic guitars and occasional strings. Highlights include the relatively upbeat "On the Low," with its gentle swaying rhythm and occasional splashes of harmonica, and the dreamlike "Around My Smile," which features an intoxicated Sandoval singing, "I've got it going on." She may well be right. --Suzannah Brown

Customer Reviews:

It's sad. It's sparkly. It's simply stunning........2006-06-03

With the music, Hope Sandoval's vocals, the album art, and the album cover of "Bavarian Fruit Bread" combined, this has to be my single favorite album. Hope, whether it was when she was with Mazzy Star or went solo with this project, has easily become my favorite vocalist. How could anyone not be drawn to that adorable voice? What's really great about this album is that her vocals become even more of a focal point on "Bavarian Fruit Bread." And what's different about the music here is that rather than the psychedelic bluesy sound of Mazzy Star, there's more of a low-key, folksy approach through the use of acoustic guitar, harmonica, and the glockenspiel. Simple, sparkly, and gorgeous. I wish all music was this good.

I remember hearing "Suzanne" for the first time. I was not yet familiar with Hope, but that song was the beginning to my adoration of dream pop and shoegaze music. What really stood out was the gentle tinkling of the glockenspiel on this track accompanied with Hope and Colm murmuring "Suzanne". There's a certain shimmering, subdued beauty about this entire album that gently pulls you in and keeps you warm and intoxicated with its relaxing and somber nature. It's so easy to just sit back and lose yourself in this kind of music. Of course this isn't the most uplifting or upbeat music I've heard, but there's so much beauty to discover and appreciate in the lethargic dreaminess here.

The only fault I see in this album is the slight mix-up of song titles. I find they're sometimes listed differently, so here's my version:
1. Drop
2. Suzanne
3. Butterfly Mornings
4. On the Low
5. Baby Let Me
6. Feeling of Gaze
7. Charlotte
8. Clear Day
9. Bavarian Fruit Bread (instrumental)
10. Bavarian Fruit Bread
11. Around My Smile
12. Lose Me on the Way

I consider the standout tracks to be "Bavarian Fruit Bread", "Clear Day", "Suzanne", and "Charlotte." All tracks are impressive, though, and it's quite consistent. I can't guarantee you'll love it, but I hope many have been able to enjoy this album as much as I have. Melancholy was never so beautiful before. Whether it makes me want to smile or cry at all its beauty, I just feel pleased to have come across an album created by all very talented musicians.

Dreamy.............2006-02-14

I enjoy this album, the way it's all smoky and dreamy and sensual. If you want to spent a little time floating away, here's a good way to go. To me, it feels like total girl-pouty-attitude, which is kinda satisfying sometimes!

Lazy summer ..........2005-04-20

It's always been hard to try to put Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval's first band) into any category. One could say they're rock or folk or "pop" ... mostly whenever anyone asks me I say they're "psychadelic" or "alternative" country, if such a thing does exist.

Hope is now aligned with a new band called New Inventions, but, goodie for us, there's nothing all that different from Mazzy Star that's going to alienate us away. Hope's sad, pretty melodies and her harmonicas and chiming guitars are still there (though this time they're all acoustic), as well as her somewhat "drugged-up," pondering, meandering, whispering voice.

The music itself reminds me of a hot summer day, and it's the best music to relax to and forget all that's bothering you. Unfortunately, it's still sometimes too difficult to memorize the lyrics because you can't quite understand what Hope is saying or singing, but ... memorizing the lyrics wasn't always the best route to go down anyway; the atmospherics themselves are enough to take you away and bring satisfaction.

She sings brightly.......2005-04-14

Her wispy, soft vocals were the biggest highlight of Mazzy Star's smoky pop. But now that that much-missed band is gone, Hope Sandoval sets out as a solo artist, in the enchanting "Bavarian Fruit Bread." If you can't have Mazzy Star, then this is a pretty good alternative.

It opens with an acoustic guitar playing a slow melody, mellow and gently. That tune doesn't change much throughout the opening song "Drop," except that Sandoval begins singing in a moody, dreamy manner after a minute. That pretty much sets the tone for the entire album, except for a few songs -- sweet vocals, languid melodies, and a few chimes thrown in.

Most of the songs that follow are much the same -- mellow, gentle, sad acoustic ballads. A few break the mold, with an electric guitar riff in the smoldering "On The Low," and a distant piano solo in "Baby Let Me." And the final song "Lose Me On The Way" is a brilliant slice of experimental pop, slowly sliding from guitar to synth and haunted-house effects, and then back again.

"Bavarian Fruit Bread" is undoubtedly Sandoval's own effort, despite all the inevitable comparisons to her defunct band. It's prettier, less jazzy, more delicate, and simpler. And taken only on its own, it's still a remarkably pretty piece of indie folkpop.

Some of the acoustic guitar playing is somewhat weak, which becomes even clearer when the electric one enters the scene. It's far too simple. So, for that matter, is the songwriting ("Gonna find all your trouble/Gonna send them away/Gonna make you feel happy/Gonna be what you say"), although the songwriting's simplicity is something of a blessing.

However, the piano, eerie fuzzy synth, and slightly scratchy violin are well done, and add some extra dimension to the pretty little songs. Perhaps the only instrumental flaw is that Sandoval and her band never pick up the tempo. Everything is slow and languid. Why not a few midtempo songs?

But whatever the melodies are, they seem to exist to frame Sandoval's lovely voice. She puts it to good use here, singing as if she were half asleep. "The way you drop/Is like a stone/Making out you're flying/But you've just been thrown," she murmurs in the opening song. While these are very simple, they are also beautiful in their lack of pretension.

Stripped-down songs and airy melodies are at the heart of "Bavarian Fruit Bread," the solo debut by Hope Sandoval. Sweet and languid all around.

Wow, don't miss this album!.......2005-02-23

Flat out a great album. Clear Day, On the Low & Around My Smile have rocketed up to my all time favorite songs list, with Clear Day's slightly haunting, slightly entrancing ambiguity being possibly one of my top favorite songs ever. Not to build it up to much, but if your favorite songs trend moody then you'll likely find something deeply beautiful about it. The rest of the album is good too. Different than Mazzy, but not by much. I'm so hoping she'll keep both bands going. A total gem of an album that so many will surly fall in love with.

Average customer rating: FOR THE FAITHFUL Expect excellence, Get genius Performance versus Technology benchmark for the initiated This is just great music greatly interpreted

Inventions & Sinfonias - 70th Anniversary Edition Glenn Gould , and Bach Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: French Suites - 70th Anniversary Edition Art of the Fugue - 70th Anniversary Edition The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981) Partitas 4 5 & 6 - 70th Anniversary Edition ASIN: B00006FI9S Release Date: 2002-09-03

Customer Reviews:

FOR THE FAITHFUL.......2006-08-20

To get the terminology clear - the 3-part Bach `Inventions' also go by the name of `Sinfonias'. There are 15 2-part and 15 3-part Inventions, and on this disc they are presented grouped in pairs by key, one of each type per pair.

The liner-note makes rather a song and dance of its own about the piano used for the recordings. It apparently suffered certain vicissitudes in the course of being transported around north America, and the first attempts at using it for recording these works had to be abandoned. With patience and perseverance they all got it back into an acceptable condition, and Gould himself contributes a commentary on the matter. He points out certain shortcomings in the sound of the instrument which have then been acutely perceived by others although not so much by myself even after being told about them. The only objective fault I find is a curious subdued `tick', and I can only say that after a lifetime of putting up with far worse on LP this minor blemish gives me no problem whatsoever. As often there is some background vocalising by the maestro himself. This is quiet, it is only intermittent, it is at least tuneful and I am accustomed to it from Gould, and again I simply could not care less. What I would say is that I like the sound of the instrument in general rather less than on some of Gould's other recordings, and that is a perception of my own and not something I have been told to look for, but once again it bothers me very little indeed.

The playing itself is exactly as one would expect it to be. The touch is non-legato, the precision of the fingerwork is phenomenal, little or no use is made of the pedals, there is comparatively little in the way of dynamic variation but there are enormous contrasts in the speeds adopted. This is Gould as we know him and either love him or do not love him. Myself, I find him a prodigy of the first magnitude, and in Bach he has never done any wrong from my point of view. You will not be amazed to be told that I recommend this disc wholeheartedly despite any minor reservations, and I have done what I can to make it clear what I consider recommendable and why.

Expect excellence, Get genius.......2006-07-04

I have to smile at the constant complaints over Gould's many eccentricities, especially in this recording of Bach. If one puts on their memory cap, it is Bach who was the iconoclast of his day, the one who went to jail rather than conform, the one who established modern music with his advocacy of a "well-tempered" instrument. (One wonders what he would think of the incredible Symphonic organs that transformed composition and performance so drastically.)

I simply choose to ignore (or smile at) the occasional hum. When we deal with people we deal with their falacies. Good art is not sterile but (I prefer to think) important, creative and more than anything, human. I am not sure if Gould was not slyly trying to tick off the critics with some of his antics. After the Goldberg I was expecting big things from this album and I was not disappointed. Gould has an inimitable manner in which he seems to imbue each note with his entire being, with all the artistry that he possesses. He excells at structure and has the ability to rework the architecture of a piece (think of his Brahms), maintaining the form while emphasizing a phrase here, a pause there, bringing out an internal melody not apparent in other hands, pouring his soul into each note. He becomes his music as few artists are able to do.

The Inventions were sheer prefection and the 3-parts were even better. It goes without saying that the tone of the instrument was superb. Even after only a few seconds, one easily detects that Gould "touch" - the purity of tone, the clarity of note, the almost imagined hesitancy in the performance as if the artists were still searching for the best presentation. My grade: A

Performance versus Technology.......2005-06-25

One can tolerate Glen Gould's grunting and groaning throughout, as his interpretation of the Bach inventions is outstanding. However, despite Sony's reputation the recording is flawed. The first track (Invention 1 in C major) has a "tic-tic-tic" for the first few bars that is unacceptable. Amazon very kindly replaced the disc free of all charges, including freight, but the replacement had the same flaw. I noticed that the disc played OK on my computer so I tried burning a copy. Lo, it was fine on my hi-fi gear so that solved the problem. But take care; why should we have to go to the trouble to make allowances to fix a technical fault when we are paying good money for a faultless one?

benchmark for the initiated.......2005-06-05

I first heard the Bach Inventions/Sinfonias in a performance by Andras Schiff, which is a terrific album in its own way, should you happen upon it. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock that the Gould performance is. Yet time and repeated listening has made this my own personal favorite performance, as it is one of the most original musical utterances anyone could find anywhere.

For the uninitiated Gould listener, this album is eyebrow-raising. Some might even find it vulgar and off-putting. There's many obstacles in the way: the piano in this recording has serious malfunction, with a pronounced "hiccup" heard in the low-middle range. You'll also have to contend with Gould's creaking, noisy chair, which sometimes makes it sound as if this album were recorded in front of a large bonfire. Then there's the oft-mentioned Gould vocalise, which is more audible than ever here. The tempos are almost bi-polar in nature; either excruciatingly slow or hyper-fast, with not too much gray area in between. If that proves anything, it's that Gould had an almost superhuman technique which allowed him to play clean at extremely fast tempos, and with a profound emotional depth at slower tempos. No one can play as well at slow tempos as Gould does.

It has gotten to the point where I don't even have to make any attempt to block out these extraneous sounds. It's all part of what is, in summation, one of the most highly original and musical Bach albums ever issued.

This is just great music greatly interpreted.......2005-01-22

I remember what film made me look into classical music and what made my life different. It was the film "A CLockwork Orange". I remember hearing all the Beethoven sections and saying "Hey classical music is cool!!" I found this album in a similar manner. Instead of hearing this music in a film I read about it in Thomas Harris' novel "The Silence of the Lambs". Oh yes the film references the aria from the Goldberg Variations but not only is Glenn Gould's name left out of the film but also another famous piece of work that Dr. Hannibal loved dearly. The two and three part invention by Glenn Gould. Hannibal Lecter asks for this very piece of music specifically while he is hiding away in a fancy hotel. Well I ran out and purchased this recording and all I have to say is that this is probably a better overall set of music that the Goldbergs as far as I'm concerned. There's a playfulness and longing here that Gould absolutely nails. And yes his piano in this recording is indeed defective. Some of the notes "stick" occasionally. I'll honestly tell you that this sticky and awkward piano sound SOMEHOW matches the music and is quite fun to listen to. Don't hesitate to buy this great album.

Average customer rating: THIS IS BAD! Bobby is in a class by himself on this album.... An essential recording of an essential artist Simply amazing! THIS IS IT!

Spontaneous Inventions Bobby McFerrin Manufacturer: Blue Note Records / © 1986 Manhattan Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Bebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Voice Beyond Words Simple Pleasures Medicine Music Play ASIN: B000005H4A Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Thinkin' About Your Body
2. Turtle Shoes
3. From Me To You
4. There Ya Go
5. Cara Mia
6. Another Night In Tunisia
7. Opportunity
8. Walkin'
9. I Hear Music
10. Beverly Hills Blues
11. Manana Iguana

Album Description

This 1986 completely improvised one-man show at the Aquarius Theatre in Los Angeles is the essence of Bobby McFerrin's magic. Using only his pliable voice and his body as percussion instrument, McFerrin lets his fertile imagination and vast musical knowledge run in free-association overdrive, dipping into jazz tunes, arias and Beatle songs along the way. Wayne Shorter joins him for a duet on Miles Davis's "Walkin'".

Added to this remarkable concert are the two videos that McFerrin made in support of his "Simple Pleasures" album, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and a tour-de-force "Good Lovin'". Total running time is 55 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

THIS IS BAD!.......2005-05-29

I was chokin' to death when I heard this which I checked off from a library near Fulton County 'cross Roswell GA. It has a full blast and has amazing songs in it that I loved from: Turtle Shoes, Talkin' Thru My Body, Walkin, Beverly Hills Blues, Another Night in Tunisha, etc.

This is sumthin I gotta have if I luv the man and 'specially fans to George Benson, Miles Davis, The Temptations, Herbie Hancock, Kanye West, The Manhattan Transfer, Wynton Marsalis, among others especially my main man and inspiration Mr. Quincy Jones.

Bobby is in a class by himself on this album...........2004-06-10

Sigh, I long for the early days of Bobby McFerrin and this album reiterates that opinion for me. This is an unbelieveably beautiful, innovative, humorous, creative and unique little album that introduced Bobby to the world. This man who has the unusual talent/ability to sing two (count them, TWO) notes at one time, mimic virtually every musical instrument known, impersonate other famous singers, and come up with wonderfully catchy and innovative covers of well-known songs does not fail us on this CD!

"Thinkin' About Your Body" kicks it all off. The whole time I listened to the song I tried to figure out how he could possibly provide not only all of the instrumentation using only his voice and body, as well as all of the vocalizations! It sounded like there were 20 Bobbys up there on stage and not just one! Amazing! The rest of the album featured the brilliant Bobby and some special guests who "dropped in." "Another Night in Tunisia" features The Manhatten Transfer. The hysterical "Beverly Hills Blues" features the wonderful Robin Williams. Check this wonderful, melodious album out. There is something for everybody, and it is lives up to its "Spontaneous" title.

An essential recording of an essential artist.......2004-01-20

As time goes on, it becomes ever apparent that Bobby McFerrin was the best young jazz singer of the past 20 years; and classical music's gain is the jazz world's loss. My personal favorite of Mr. McFerrin's portfolio is "Medicine Music"; but for pure "chops", this is his "piece d'resistance." The thing that amazes me about him as a singer is that he must have about a 4 octave range; and it sounds like that's the case because he figured out how to free the restrictions brought on by his larynx. "From Me to You" sticks out in memory, as does his impromptu riff with Robin Williams on "Beverly Hills Blues." Highly recommended, not so much for the end product, but for the parts that make up the whole.

Simply amazing!.......2002-06-14

From start to finish, this is Bobby McFerrin's finest release of the eighties! From the first track, "Thinkin' About Your Body", with its simple lyrics and wooderful tune, to the catchy closing track "Mañana Iguana", this album shows off Bobby's unmatched vocal (and other) talents. Besides playing with guest musicians on a few tracks ("Turtle Shoes" with Herbie Hancock, "Another Night In Tunisia" with Manhattan Transfer, "Walkin" with Wayne Shorter, and in an amusing appearance, Robin Williams in "Beverly Hills Blues), there's a cover of The Beatles "From Me To You" that even Beatles fans will like. If you're not a Bobby McFerrin fan, after the purchase of this album you will be!

THIS IS IT!.......2000-01-27

If you have to get only one Bobby McFerrin album, this is the one. The later _Simple Pleasures_ is slicker, more commercial, and better suited to a wider audience, but this disc showcases his vocal talents at their truest and best. Most of the cuts are live and unaccompanied, though there are three duets and a smashing rendition of "Another Night in Tunisia" with Manhattan Transfer (at least according to Amazon; on my original cassettes, that cut is on the _Simple Pleasures_ album).

Duets with Herbie Hancock on piano and Wayne Shorter on soprano sax ("Turtle Shoes" and "Walkin' " respectively) are fine. The collaboration with Robin Williams, "Beverly Hills Blues," is just plain fun, as is the playful throwaway "Manana Iguana" (how did that ever make it onto the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" best-of collection?). McFerrin does another excellent cover of a Beatles tune whose pallid original would seem to have made it a poor choice, "From Me to You."

But for me, the best cuts on this disc are the utterly infectious "Thinkin' About Your Body"; the sharp, bluesy rendition of Joan Armatrading's "Opportunity"; and "I Hear Music," the best McFerrin/audience collaboration on record (although I've heard and participated in much better examples, alas).

Get this one for its musical artistry and sheer joy of life.

Average customer rating: Unlike any Herbie Hancock you've heard before Nice "out-lite" record

Inventions & Dimensions Herbie Hancock Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: My Point of View Speak Like a Child Oblique Empyrean Isles Judgment! ASIN: B0009VNCAK Release Date: 2005-07-19

Tracks:

1. Succotash
2. Triangle
3. Jack Rabbit
4. Mimosa
5. A Jump Ahead
6. Mimosa (Alternate Take)

Album Description

For his third album, Herbie Hancock chose a very rhythmic setting for his improvised compositions. Supported only by bassist Paul Chambers and percussionists Willie Bobo and Osvaldo Martinez, the pianist creates each tune from scratch and the results are astonishing. The alternate take of "Mimosa" has previously only been available as part of box set.

*bonus tracks, not part of the original LP

HERBIE HANCOCK, piano
PAUL CHAMBERS, bass
WILLIE BOBO, drums, timbales
OSVALDO "CHIHUAHUA" MARTINEZ, congas, bongos, guiro, finger cymbals

Customer Reviews:

Unlike any Herbie Hancock you've heard before.......2006-05-25

I am a jazz pianist and Herbie Hancock is a personal favorite of mine, and he is certainly one of the most versatile musicians to ever come out of jazz. His music and his playing is anywhere from ridiculously funky to absolutely beautiful to out there and crazy. This album, from 1963, most closely follows the third option. One has to wonder where this session came from; Hancock had found his first hit with "Watermelon Man" and spent his second session trying to duplicate that success, albeit with mixed results. This third session for Blue Note sounds nothing like the first two or almost anything in the Blue Note catalogue at that time. Stripped down to trio plus auxiliary percussion with Paul Chambers on bass, Willie Bobo on drums, and Osvaldo Martinez on auxiliary percussion, the group explores Latin grooves in a very subtle way that I can only label "concept-based post-bop." There aren't really any written tunes ("Mimosa" was a set of chord changes and the other tunes are completely improvised) so sketches are built more off of fragments and ideas born in the studio. For example, one tune features the bass playing a pedal tone for four bars followed by Hancock's improvisation in that key for sixteen bars. The music, while abstract, is oddly infectious through the rhythmic approach. In addition, Hancock was working with fairly "inside" musicians, especially Chambers, a first call bop musician. As a result, though free, this music is fairly conservative. Whether or not this is a good thing is a matter of taste; it is controlled and in what many would call "good taste" but at the same time, sometimes that control inhibits the musicians from reaching the full potential of the wild and crazy things that *might* have been born. Thus, this was never able to reach the classic status of the great "out" sessions but it was also kept from descending into meaningless noise that happens when free jazz finds itself uninspired. Instead, it walks a middle path, a relatively safe (though still more adventurous than either of his prior two releases) "free" session which is very interesting, sometimes catchy, but not really a classic. I find it difficult to call any of this session to mind because there aren't memorable melodic moments; it's more about texture. I still enjoy this quite a bit, though, and anyone interested in Herbie Hancock would do well to check out this album to see the germ of his playing with Miles, or perhaps a road he chose not to take.

Nice "out-lite" record.......2005-10-07

Don't let the whole thing about "improvised music" fool you - this is not like an Ornette Coleman or Art Ensemble of Chicago disc. It's very structured and accessible - you wouldn't realize it was all improvised unless you read the liner notes.

It's a side of Herbie Hancock you probably haven't heard before. First, he's playing over Latin-tinged grooves. Second, it's rather minimalist, both in instrumentation and in the simplicity and repetitiveness of the melodies. That said, he really tears it up - this is one of my favorite Herbie records. Practically anyone who's into jazz in general or Herbie in particular would dig this side.

Average customer rating: One of the best piano performances of the Inventions Bach:Tow part Inventions/Three part Inventions Average What is all this fuss about Gould being better than Schiff? A Somewhat "Romanticized" Bach Performance

Bach: Two part Inventions/Three Part Inventions Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Schiff, András | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier Book II Bach: The Six French Suites Bach: English Suites BWV 806-811 Inventions & Sinfonias - 70th Anniversary Edition ASIN: B0000041PL Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Two-Part Inventions: No. 1 In C Major
2. Two-Part Inventions: No. 2 In C Minor
3. Two-Part Inventions: No. 3 In D Major
4. Two-Part Inventions: No. 4 In D Minor
5. Two-Part Inventions: No. 5 In E-Flat Major
6. Two-Part Inventions: No. 6 In E Major
7. Two-Part Inventions: No. 7 In E Minor
8. Two-Part Inventions: No. 8 In F Major
9. Two-Part Inventions: No. 9 In F Minor
10. Two-Part Inventions: No. 10 In G Major
11. Two-Part Inventions: No. 11 In G Minor
12. Two-Part Inventions: No. 12 In A Major
13. Two-Part Inventions: No. 13 In A Minor
14. Two-Part Inventions: No. 14 In B-Flat Major
15. Two-Part Inventions: No. 15 In B Minor
16. Three-Part Inventions: No. 1 In C Major
17. Three-Part Inventions: No. 2 In C Minor
18. Three-Part Inventions: No. 3 In D Major
19. Three-Part Inventions: No. 4 In D Minor
20. Three-Part Inventions: No. 5 In E-Flat Major
21. Three-Part Inventions: No. 6 In E Major
22. Three-Part Inventions: No.7 In E Minor
23. Three-Part Inventions: No. 8 In F Major
24. Three-Part Inventions: No. 9 In F Minor
25. Three-Part Inventions: No, 10 In G Major
26. Three-Part Inventions: No. 11 In G Minor
27. Three-Part Inventions: No. 12 In A Major
28. Three-Part Inventions: No. 13 In A Minor
29. Three-Part Inventions: No. 14 In B-Flat Major
30. Three-Part Inventions: No. 15 In B Minor

Customer Reviews:

One of the best piano performances of the Inventions.......2007-04-12

I can't believe the negative reviews about Schiff's performance of this work.

This is a perfect performance, perfect in every respect: tempi, ornaments, dynamics, technique etc. and of course the overall feeling that this performance exhudes.

Highly recommended.

Bach:Tow part Inventions/Three part Inventions.......2007-03-12

The CD arrived the same week I ordered it. I am very pleased witht this recording.

Average .......2005-07-03

Writting reviews about lesser talented pianists who are now building their house in the wake of Gould always seems to be the perfect occasion to say astoundingly stupid things about Gould - the wolf hunted down by dogs scarving to turn him into a dog.
Schiff, as with other Bach works he recorded up to now (2005), offers an average, good, gentle but non remarquable nor memorable performance here, with dubious legatos, superfluous qualm and unjustified sentimentality.
May cause deception and drowsiness.

What is all this fuss about Gould being better than Schiff?.......2001-10-28

Schiff plays Bach extremely well with a beautiful tone. I personally think that Schiff plays better than Gould. An eccentric person, Gould mainly does what he wants. In some pieces, he plays them extroadinarily, but most pieces, they are a mess of complete rushing and absolutely no dynamics. In almost every song he plays, Schiff shows a perfection that no one else could have. I enjoy listening to him and learn a lot.

A Somewhat "Romanticized" Bach Performance.......2000-06-13

The first problem I have with this recording is the performer's extremely free additions of ornaments that are not in Bach's scores. While these may be somewhat justifiable as common practice in Baroque period music, they are rather unlikely considering the pedagogical nature of the composer's original intentions for these works. Schiff's use of outright RUBATO in places absolutely kills the forward-moving rhythms that one longs to hear in these pieces. Schiff's fabulous technique is evident in every piece, but his phrasing is almost as though he were playing Brahms, rather than Bach. Purists who are looking for an accurate performance from a historical perspective will NOT enjoy this CD. But again, the pianist's technical prowess is quite praiseworthy, despite the CD's lack of historical style considerations.

Average customer rating: Stunning - buy it while you can ! A delightful listen Solid odd I have already worn the plastic nubs off the jewel case

J.S. Bach: Inventions; Sinfonias; Little Preludes Johann Sebastian Bach , and Richard Troeger (performer) Manufacturer: Lyrichord Discs Inc. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Instruments | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: J.S. Bach: The Seven Toccatas Bach: Six Partitas / Richard Troeger Art of Fugue/Violin Transcriptions/Fantasias (Bach on Clavichord Vol. 4) Playing Bach on the Keyboard: A Practical Guide Bach: Inventions and Sinfonias (Complete) ASIN: B00004Y6MJ Release Date: 2000-10-24

Tracks:

1. Two-Part Invention No.1 in C, BWV772
2. Two-Part Invention No.2 in c, BWV773
3. Two-Part Invention No.3 in D, BWV774
4. Two-Part Invention No.4 in d, BWV775
5. Two-Part Invention No.5 in E flat, BWV776
6. Two-Part Invention No.6 in E, BWV777
7. Two-Part Invention No.7 in e, BWV778
8. Two-Part Invention No.8 in F, BWV779
9. Two-Part Invention No.9 in f, BWV780
10. Two-Part Invention No.10 in G, BWV781
11. Two-Part Invention No.11 in g, BWV782
12. Two-Part Invention No.12 in A, BWV783
13. Two-Part Invention No.13 in a, BWV784
14. Two-Part Invention No.14 in B flat, BWV785
15. Two-Part Invention No.15 in b, BWV786
16. Little Prld No.1 in C, BWV924
17. Little Prld No.2 in C, BWV939
18. Little Prld No.3 in c, BWV999
19. Little Prld No.4 in D, BWV925
20. Little Prld No.5 in d, BWV926
21. Little Prld No.6 in D, BWV940
22. Little Prld No.7 in e, BWV941
23. Little Prld No.8 in F, BWV927
24. Little Prld No.9 in F, BWV928
25. Menuet & Trio (Prld No.10, BWV929)
26. Little Prld No.11 in g, BWV930
27. Little Prld No.12 in a, BWV942
28. Sinf No.1 in C, BWV787
29. Sinf No.2 in c, BWV788
30. Sinf No.3 in D, BWV789
31. Sinf No.4 in d, BWV790
32. Sinf No.5 in E flat, BWV791
33. Sinf No.6 in E, BWV792
34. Sinf No.7 in e, BWV793
35. Sinf No.8 in F, BWV794
36. Sinf No.9 in f, BWV795
37. Sinf No.10 in G, BWV796
38. Sinf No.11 in g, BWV797
39. Sinf No.12 in A, BWV798
40. Sinf No.13 in a, BWV799
41. Sinf No.14 in B flat, BWV800
42. Sinf No.15 in b, BWV801
43. Little Prld No.1 in C, BWV933
44. Little Prld No.2 in c, BWV934
45. Little Prld No.3 in d, BWV935
46. Little Prld No.4 in D, BWV936
47. Little Prld No.5 in E, BWV937
48. Little Prld No.6 in e, BWV938

Customer Reviews:

Stunning - buy it while you can !.......2006-02-13

I don't have much to say. The subtle beauty of this recording (and others by Troeger) is self-evident. Five stars is not enough.

A delightful listen.......2003-03-24

This is the best recording of these works I have ever heard. The sound quality is outstanding, the playing is superb. I was initially reluctant to purchase this cd (not being familiar with Troeger and hesitant about the sound quality of a clavichord recording). I am fortunate that I took a chance and bought it as this is the best recording of the two and three part inventions and preludes. One reviewer reported that the tempo was too fast for his liking, although I disagree. I don't give five stars often, but this recording deserves it.

Solid.......2001-03-26

Troeger has delivered on all three clavichord recordings of Bach thus far. This particular volume contains "less sophisticated" works by Bach, more didactic pieces for his sons (and everyone else today) to learn fingering, composition, and sensitivity. In this last case, Troeger sounds like a master on this quiet instrument, and he gives us an intimate sense of the music (these pieces could very likely have been played by Bach's sons in this manner at home, on the clavichord). A delightful recording in many respects.

odd.......2001-02-12

Poor ole Bach. Sax choirs, Swingle singers. Synths and Bongos.. well at least the clavichord predates the light bulb.

Don't get me wrong this is not a wretched CD. I even play it ... sometimes. It may not be `whatever' but the artiste Maybe he had a hot date or the Celtic Gaol Squad was after him something but he just plays the music too fast for me. The playing sounds rushed [which one doesn't `pick up' on the samples]. I wouldn't want to see a comparison of this and, say, Glen Gould playing Bach on the piano in terms of tempi.

This is a nice `specimen' CD IF you already own a CD of these works.

I have already worn the plastic nubs off the jewel case.......2001-02-03

Like another recent Lyrichord recording (the Trio Sonatas, played on twin gut-stringed lautenwercke), this wonderful package is beautiful and revelatory. The individual lines of each work are clearly audible, and while they are simpler overall than some of Bach's more extended works, these pieces are very, very sweet, melodic and enjoyable. Sorry for all the vague words. The performance is full of energy, occasionally making this listener, anyway, want to jump up and down. I'll be checking out *all* the releases by Richard Troeger: this is the sort of music to listen to when Bach is all you can possibly stand. It will make you feel good about humanity, if you don't already.

Understand, this comes from a lover of Bach's music who has *no* formal training in music theory, history or performance - which could be a caveat or not, depending on your opinions.

Average customer rating: Beautifully Played Crisp and Clean Bach Fresh, but fails to move Straightforward playing

Bach: Inventions and Sinfonias (Complete) Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Musettes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Carl Philipp Emman. Bach | Bach, Carl Philipp Emman. | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bach, Carl Philipp Emman. | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach: Piano Works J. S. Bach: Favourite Piano Works J.S. Bach: Inventions; Sinfonias; Little Preludes Keyboard Music Bach: Two part Inventions/Three Part Inventions ASIN: B0000013W7 Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

1. Inventions: No. 1 In C Major, BWV 772
2. Inventions: No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 773
3. Inventions: No. 3 In D Major, BWV 774
4. Inventions: No. 4 In D Minor, BWV 775
5. Inventions: No. 5 In E Flat Major, BWV 776
6. Inventions: No. 6 In E Major, BWV 777
7. Inventions: No. 7 In E Minor, BWV 778
8. Inventions: No. 8 In F Major, BWV 779
9. Inventions: No. 9 In F Minor, BWV 780
10. Inventions: No. 10 In G Major, BWV 781
11. Inventions: No. 11 In G Minor, BWV 782
12. Inventions: No. 12 In A Major, BWV 783
13. Inventions: No. 13 In A Minor, BWV 784
14. Inventions: No. 14 In B Flat Major, BWV 785
15. Inventions: No. 15 In B Minor, BWV 786
16. Sinfonias: No. 15 In B Minor, BWV 786
17. Sinfonias: No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 788
18. Sinfonias: No. 3 In D Major, BWV 789
19. Sinfonias: No. 4 In D Minor, BWV 791
20. Sinfonias: No. 5 In E Flat Major, BWV 791
21. Sinfonias: No. 5 In E Flat Major, BWV 791
22. Sinfonias: No. 7 In E Minor, BWV 793
23. Sinfonias: No. 8 In F Major, BWV 794
24. Sinfonias: No. 9 In F Minor, BWV 795
25. Sinfonias: No. In G Major, BWV 796
26. Sinfonias: No. 11 In G Minor, BWV 797
27. Sinfonias: No. 12 In A Major, BWV 798
28. Sinfonias: No. 13 In A Minor, BWV 799
29. Sinfonias: No. 14 In B Flat Major, BWV 800
30. Sinfonias: No. 15 In B Minor, BWV 801
31. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Minuet In G Major, BWV Anh. 114
32. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Minuet In G Minor, BWV Anh. 115
33. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Minuet In G Major, BWV Anh. 116
34. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Polonaise In G Minor, BWV Anh. 119
35. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: March In D Major, BWV Anh. 122
36. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Polonaise In G Minor, BWV Anh. 125
37. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Musette In D Major, BWV Anh. 126
38. Fragments Of Anna Magdalena's Notebook: Minuet In D Minor, BWV Anh. 132

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully Played .......2007-01-18

A Bonus is several pieces from Mary Magdelina's famous Notebook (Bach's Second Wife's book of beginning pieces of which most piano students have played for centuries) which the artist plays with great command. It is rare to hear great pianists play these kind of supposedly simplistic pieces that Bach evidently composed for his several genius sons and other children of which he had 20!

Crisp and Clean Bach.......2006-04-27

Sebestyen's rendering of Bach is very clean and precise, something which is very important in contrapuntal compositions. However, I must level one critique against the performance on this CD. It seems a bit too "laid-back" and carefree at times. In my humble opinion, I wish he would have a bit more passion and nuance in dynamics and punctuation. Nevertheless, his crisp style does do much to show the beauty of Bach's work. A further positive note is the inclusion of Minuet in G Minor, BWV Anh. 115, a simple, yet rich, Minuet that I have had some difficulty finding next to its Major counterpart. Overall, at its low price, I must thoroughly suggest this collection because it is executed well, albeit a bit dispassionate.

Fresh, but fails to move.......1999-11-24

Janos has an effortless way of playing, although he misses out on the more deliacte nuances found in other recordings. More interesting recordings are Glenn Gould (intoxicating) or Andras Schiff (featherlight and bouncy).

Straightforward playing.......1999-04-04

Janos Sebestyen plays these study pieces clearly, crisply, and cleanly. The tempi are nicely set, and his delicate use of rhythms sounds as though he is playing on the harpsichord. Included on this album are a few selections from the notebook Bach made for his second wife Anna Magdalena, including that perennially charming Minuet in G, Anh. 114.

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