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Bachs Toccaten

2021Berlin Classics0302016BC

Werke von Johann Sebastian Bach (one work arr. Busoni)

Wenn Claire Huangci über die Toccaten ins Schwärmen gerät, spricht sie über die unbekanntere Seite an Johann Sebastian Bach: den „eher skurrilen, fantasierenden und humorvollen Bach“, dessen Toccaten helle Farbtupfer in ihrem letzten Jahr waren. „Manchmal schwankte mein Körper beim Spielen fast wie bei einem Tanzen und die Musik nahm mein ganzes Wesen ein“ – und sie lernte viel über Berührung, um pianistisch zu sprechen: über den Anschlag. Das italienische „toccare“ – „schlagen, berühren, betasten“ vermittelt schon in seiner ursprünglichen Wortherkunft die gesamte Bandbreite an pianistischen Herausforderungen, die Bach auch in der Zusammenstellung seiner sieben Toccaten versteckt. Claire Huangcis Auseinandersetzung mit den Werken geht dabei über die Studioaufnahme hinaus: Für den renommierten G. Henle Verlag editierte sie den Fingersatz, der interessierten Laien und Profis einen ungewohnt persönlichen Einblick in ihr Musizieren gibt. Aufgenommen im traditionsreichen Sendesaal Bremen zeigt sie erneut, wie nah ihr auch das barocke Repertoire ist. Das Album beginnt mit Busonis Transkription der weltberühmten Bach'schen d-Moll-Toccata, die in romantisierender Weise den gewaltigen Barock-Klang der Orgel auf die Klaviatur bannt, dient gleichsam als fesselnder Auftakt, reinigt die Tasten und macht gespannt auf den originalen Bach und seine insgesamt sieben Toccaten. Alle entstanden in Bachs Weimarer Jahren und machen ihn als einen Komponisten erlebbar, der zwar gedankenschwer-barocken Kontrapunkt erkennen lässt, diesen jedoch durch improvisatorische, virtuose Läufe und verträumte Langsamkeit kontrastiert.

Auszeichnungen

Pressestimmen

Claire Huangci's playing reflects from the very first measure an awareness of the great, barely explored pianistic potential of these unique youthful works. In the G major dream the melody is breathed with so little pressure, so high in the keys, that the result stands very far from any kitsch. It bears witness to considerable pianistic finesse.

Matthias Kornemann, FonoForum, 2022

Bach with heart and soul. Claire Huangci takes ownership of these works with a remarkable sense of style and a wonderfully transparent touch — her articulation is exemplary, her sense for the harmonic and contrapuntal architecture impressive. A Bach reading that combines warmth and intellectual clarity in equal measure.

Thomas Gehrig, klassik.com, 2021

Brilliant and full of temperament, present, highly differentiated, lively, with verve and empathy — this is how the pianist grasps the young Bach in this recording. Under nimble pianistic fingers the fugues appear varied and light, the musical world playful, lively and youthfully serene. A particular listening pleasure.

Johannes Vesper, Musenblätter, 2021

A recording of the six Toccatas BWV 910–916 by Johann Sebastian Bach that pleasantly surprises. With outstanding pianistic abilities Claire Huangci reminds us that it was precisely the young Bach who irritated his contemporaries with a sparkling creative vitality — even her fugues she gives a dance-like impulse. Apart and charming.

P. Ob., WAZ / NRZ / Westfälische Rundschau / Westfalenpost / Aachener Zeitung, 2021

With razor-sharp precision Claire Huangci lends the Toccatas an abundance of differentiated colour and expressive nuances. Bach's most famous Toccata in D minor — reduced via Busoni from the great organ sound to the modern concert grand — opens up, thanks to Huangci's subtle touch, fascinating new insights into the clarity and construction of the work.

Fritz Jurmann, Vorarlberger Nachrichten, 2021

Fulminant and virtuosic. This playing is always of a piece and yet seems weightless, sometimes even unburdened — never ponderous. Claire Huangci unfolds Bach's Toccatas with a wonderful sense of imagination and humour.

Alexander Walther, Online Merker, 2021

Phenomenal! In this CD programme the musical versatility of Claire Huangci comes perfectly into its own — whether in the finely traced slow middle movement of the D major toccata, the dazzling brilliance of the beginning of the G minor toccata, or the romanticised excesses of the Busoni transcription of BWV 565.

Michel Dutrieue, Stretto, 2021

Claire Huangci is a mistress of differentiation. With wit and a sure sense of architecture she reveals the quirky, fantasising and humorous side of Bach in these early works. Unbeatable.

Thomas Rothschild, Kultura-Extra, 2021

Joy and freedom, but without ostentation: the version of the young American even slightly surpasses that — itself highly remarkable — of the rare and precious Laurent Cabasso. Lisible polyphonic structure and subtle ornamentation.

An audiophile tip and an exemplarily well-sounding piano CD. The Yamaha CFX in the Bremen Sendesaal is captured with such transparency and presence that one experiences every nuance of Huangci's touch — the recording itself is a small reference event.

Heinz Gelking, image hifi, 2021

A brilliant choice, for Claire Huangci transfers these harpsichord pieces to the piano with much inspiration. Her playing finds a convincing balance between Baroque articulation and the colouristic possibilities of the modern grand.

Bernhard Schrammek, rbbKultur, 2021

Rhythmically pointed, subtle and full of feeling, Claire Huangci shapes the Toccata and Fugue in D minor in Busoni's transcription. The remaining Toccatas BWV 910–916 are presented with the same expressive imagination and tonal refinement.

Sven Godenrath, Ihr Opernratgeber, 2021

Tracklist

  1. 1
    Bach (arr. Busoni): Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565I. Toccata
    2:36
  2. 2
    Bach (arr. Busoni): Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565II. Fugue
    6:00
  3. 3
    Bach: Toccata in G minor, BWV 915I. Introduction. Adagio
    1:19
  4. 4
    Bach: Toccata in G minor, BWV 915II. Allegro
    2:06
  5. 5
    Bach: Toccata in G minor, BWV 915III. Adagio
    1:34
  6. 6
    Bach: Toccata in G minor, BWV 915IV. Fugue
    3:48
  7. 7
    Bach: Toccata in E minor, BWV 914I. Introduction. Un poco allegro
    2:01
  8. 8
    Bach: Toccata in E minor, BWV 914II. Adagio
    2:07
  9. 9
    Bach: Toccata in E minor, BWV 914III. Fugue. Allegro
    2:36
  10. 10
    Bach: Toccata in C minor, BWV 911Introduction. Adagio
    3:15
  11. 11
    Bach: Toccata in C minor, BWV 911Fugue. Allegro
    6:38
  12. 12
    Bach: Toccata in G major, BWV 916I. Introduction
    1:54
  13. 13
    Bach: Toccata in G major, BWV 916II. Adagio
    2:17
  14. 14
    Bach: Toccata in G major, BWV 916III. Fugue. Allegro e Presto
    2:44
  15. 15
    Bach: Toccata in D minor, BWV 913I. Introduction. Presto
    2:00
  16. 16
    Bach: Toccata in D minor, BWV 913II. Thema. Presto
    5:09
  17. 17
    Bach: Toccata in D minor, BWV 913III. Allegro
    3:59
  18. 18
    Bach: Toccata in F-sharp minor, BWV 910I. Introduction
    1:07
  19. 19
    Bach: Toccata in F-sharp minor, BWV 910II. Adagio
    2:07
  20. 20
    Bach: Toccata in F-sharp minor, BWV 910III. Presto e staccato
    6:25
  21. 21
    Bach: Toccata in D major, BWV 912I. Introduction
    0:27
  22. 22
    Bach: Toccata in D major, BWV 912II. Allegro
    2:07
  23. 23
    Bach: Toccata in D major, BWV 912III. Adagio
    4:28
  24. 24
    Bach: Toccata in D major, BWV 912IV. Fugue. Presto
    2:55