The English suites

Angela Hewitt (piano)

With the English Suites (the 'English' is not Bach's and there is nothing particularly English about them) Angela Hewitt all but completes her survey of Bach's keyboard works (there will be one further CD mopping up various odds and ends). These six suites, along with the French Suites and the six Partitas, present Bach's mature thoughts on the standard baroque suite of dances and as such are the greatest examples of the form. Unlike the smaller scale French Suites the English all begin with a large-scale prelude, often rather concerto-like and very virtuosic; these are works for a very accomplished professional player rather than the amateur that much keyboard music of the 18th century would have been aimed at. Angela Hewitt rises to all the challenges in her usual superb style and needless to say these performances will meet with the acclaim of her previous Bach recordings.

Bach, J S - English Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV806-811
 No. 1 in A major, BWV806
 No. 2 in A minor, BWV807
 No. 3 in G minor, BWV808
 No. 4 in F major, BWV809
 No. 5 in E minor, BWV 810
 No. 6 in D minor, BWV811

"If you've ever shuddered at the extremes of expression, interpretation, tempi and noises-off in Gould's Bach, then Hewitt should be a profound pleasure...That's not to say that there isn't effervescent, energetic playing - there's plenty, but while brisk tempi are allowed, there's no rush, which gives Hewitt time to let every voice speak, and for her ornamentation to be impeccably delivered."
bbc.co.uk - 30th November 2003