Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performers: Lucy Carolan
Record Label: SIGNUM
Record Number: SIGCD102
Recording Dates: May and June 1998
Total Duration: 146.07 minutes
Lucy Carolan’s interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Partitas, recorded in 1998 on the SIGNUM label (SIGCD102), is a collection of intrinsic radiance and agility that allows listeners to immerse in the profundities of Bach’s iconic masterworks through the lens of a performer well-attuned to style and musical epoch.
Recorded across two months, May and June of 1998, Carolan demonstrates a sincere commitment to Bach’s music, navigating the complex interactions between counterpoint and rhythm with delicate precision. The notes dance under her fingers, the harpsichord woven into a musical conversation between composer’s intent and modern elucidation. The disc totals 146.07 minutes of contemplative offerings and astonishing realisations from a musical maestro.
Carolan draws upon a wealth of musical and contextual scholarship in her interpretation, the partitas not presented solely as vivacious exercises in ornamentation, but as living, breathing dialogues that mirror the polyphonic era they were born from. Her skill extends far beyond mechanical correctness, enveloping listeners in a compelling audio landscape that is as thought-provoking as it is satisfying to the auricular senses.
The chaconne, arguably the most recognised piece among the Partitas, reverberates with a clear voice under Carolan’s deft touch. Her rendition of the allemandes comes across with elegant lightness, intricate ornamentation riding upon harmonic underpinnings, reminding us that these movements were designed as engaged dance forms.
Aesthetically, the recording and mixing quality of the disc are beyond reproach, balancing the natural resonance of the harpsichord with a clarity of sound that ensures no note or phrase buries beneath an excess of echo or poor acoustics. The instrument possesses an authentic timbre that embodies baroque vibrancies, with every pluck, trill, and run crystalline in their audio presentation.
Carolan’s interpretation of these Partitas on this SIGNUM disc (SIGCD102) is a worthwhile investment for those seeking an intimately engaging Bach experience. Her performance breathes new life into these classical suites while maintaining an unshakeable reverence for Bach’s compositional prowess.
In summary, Carolan’s take on Bach’s Six Partitas is a worthy addition to the classical corpus, offering an enlightening journey through the ornamental world of baroque music. It’s a window into Bach’s mind, delightfully opened by Lucy Carolan’s skillful artistry.
