http://transcentury.blogspot.com/2012/05/rethinking-old-thinking-new.html

INFODAD.COM: Family-Focused Reviews
At INFODAD, we rank everything we review with plus signs, on a scale from one (+) [disappointing] to four (++++) [definitely worth considering]. Very rarely, we give an exceptional item a fifth plus. We are independent reviewers and, as parents, want to help families learn which books, music, and computer hardware and software we and our children love...or hate. INFODAD is a service of TransCentury Communications, Inc., 888 South Town & River Drive, Fort Myers FL 33919, infodad@gmail.com.

MAY 31, 2012
(+++) RETHINKING THE OLD, THINKING THE NEW

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: A Composer’s Approach. Don Freund, piano. Navona. $14.99 (2 CDs + DVD).

Cécile Chaminade: The Composer as Pianist—All of Her Known Recordings for G&T and Duo Art. Pierian. $18.99.

Chopin: Ballade No. 3; Scherzo No. 3; Fantasy in F minor; Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23, “Appassionata”; Piano Sonata No. 32. Van Cliburn, piano (Chopin); Claudio Arrau, piano (Beethoven). ICA Classics DVD. $24.99.

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8. Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by William Steinberg. ICA Classics DVD. $24.99.

Mahler: Symphony No. 4; Mozart: Symphony No. 35. Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Klaus Tennstedt. ICA Classics DVD. $24.99.

Scott Brickman: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 and 3; L’Orfeo for guitar; Fiddleheads for violin; Snowball for violin, guitar and piano; Knotty Pieces for violin and guitar; Winter and Construction for violin, guitar and piano. Nathanael May, piano; Matt Gould, guitar; Beth Ilana Schneider-Gould, violin. Ravello. $16.99.

Sophia Serghi: Night of Light; Ikon; Full Moon Haiku; Cantus Integritatis. Alena Hellerová and Lucie Silkenova, sopranos; Eliska Weissova, mezzo-soprano; Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vit Micka. Navona. $16.99.

Sergio Cervetti: Leyenda; Chacona Para El Martirio De Atahualpa; Nazca; Madrigal III. Alena Hellerová  and Eva Kolkova, sopranos; Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vit Micka and Petr Vronský. Navona. $16.99.

      A very interesting combination of performance and pedagogy at a very reasonable price, Don Freund’s performance and discussion of the first book of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier may not be in the forefront of piano versions from an artistic standpoint, but it is well-played, thoughtfully presented and distinguished for Fruend’s genuine attempt to communicate with 21st-century audiences about this brilliant 18th-century music.  Freund (born 1947) presents the music itself, played forthrightly on a modern piano, on two CDs, and then offers a DVD containing “lessons” about four specific pieces – the preludes and fugues in C major, C minor, C-sharp major and C-sharp minor.  Freund clearly understands this music both historically and in terms of its communication potential, and rehearing the four works on the DVD after listening to and watching the “lessons” is quite an interesting experience after initially simply hearing them played on CD.  Freund is himself a composer, as the title of this recording makes clear, but what really comes through in the DVD is that he is a fine teacher (he is professor of composition at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University).  Freund discusses Bach’s compositional process and how it affects specific elements of the performance of The Well-Tempered Clavier, and if his emendations on the basis of his analysis are generally small ones (e.g., a grace note added to the C-sharp minor prelude), they are nevertheless fascinating to learn, and they do add to a listener’s appreciation of Bach’s music.  On its own, the CD performance is all right but scarcely outstanding; even those who like hearing this music on a modern piano will find Freund an adequate but not exceptional player.  Still, this Navona release is a valuable three-disc set for its combination of an understanding rendition of the music with discussions that will help listeners better comprehend and relate to Bach’s work.

(Edited)

INFODAD.COM: Family-Focused Reviews
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: A Composer’s Approach. Don Freund, piano. Navona. $14.99 (2 CDs + DVD).

  A very interesting combination of performance and pedagogy at a very reasonable price, Don Freund’s performance and discussion of the first book of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier … is well-played, thoughtfully presented and distinguished for Freund’s genuine attempt to communicate with 21st-century audiences about this brilliant 18th-century music.  Freund (born 1947) presents the music itself, played forthrightly on a modern piano, on two CDs, and then offers a DVD containing “lessons” about four specific pieces – the preludes and fugues in C major, C minor, C-sharp major and C-sharp minor.  Freund clearly understands this music both historically and in terms of its communication potential, and rehearing the four works on the DVD after listening to and watching the “lessons” is quite an interesting experience after initially simply hearing them played on CD.  Freund is himself a composer, as the title of this recording makes clear, but what really comes through in the DVD is that he is a fine teacher (he is professor of composition at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University).  Freund discusses Bach’s compositional process and how it affects specific elements of the performance of The Well-Tempered Clavier, and if his emendations on the basis of his analysis … add to a listener’s appreciation of Bach’s music. … This Navona release is a valuable three-disc set for its combination of an understanding rendition of the music with discussions that will help listeners better comprehend and relate to Bach’s work.