Who has recorded the Bach Partitas? Specifically, I'm looking for No. 5, but I may as well get them all while I'm at it.
Mark
P.S. I'm looking for good recordings...

Glenn Gould should be one to check out of course, and Goode (nice name similarity!) also recorded them, although I am less familiar with his set.

Even though GG is generally not my cup of tea for Bach besides the two GVs. His Partita No.5 is outstanding. (Particularly the live performance in Moscow around 1958?) I have yet to find one COMPLETE set that is equally successful in all 6 of them. Of course my listening experience is rather limited. I'd love to see some recs.

Rgds,
AndrewG

Well, I only have Glenn Gould's and Richard Goode's complete sets, but I like both.

You MUST hear Lipatti play the Bb Major. It is simply outstanding. There are two or three recordings, I think. I'm not sure which I have, but I doubt if any of them disappoint.


David

For the Bb, yes Lipatti is excellent. Another very strong contender is by Igor Zhukov.

Besides GG (no re ^_^), consider Angela Hewitt, Richard Goode, and Andras Schiff. I'm not so familiar with 'golden age' recordings of these works, unfortunately.

Here's a sample from the first two sets (1st movement of the 6th Partita):

Hewitt.

Goode.

The suggestions and samples are much appreciated. I'm surprised there aren't any recordings by the standard people coming up (Richter, Horowitz, etc.)

I've got Glenn Gould's version (piano), and Trevor Pinnock's version (harpsichord). I love the Gould, but have never really been able to get into Pinnock on the harpsichord. It's not bad, really, just not my cup of tea.

The Gould version -- highly recommended.

People often single out Lipatti for no 1 in B-flat, but Gould is absolutely sublime here. It's one of his best recordings, made in the 1950s and still sounding fresh.

Also good for the complete set are Goode, Schiff. Hewitt, too, though she can sometimes be a bit precious in bringing out the dance elements of the music. There's a fine recording of 1,3,6 from Anderszewski (when will he do 2,4,5?).

Favourite no 5? Probably Schiff for me.

I agree completely, Andrew. As much as I like Lipatti's, I wouldn't want to be without Gould's.


David