Angela Hewitt's poised playing here wonderfully matches the spirit of this noble music and is best described as refined, elegant and with great artistry. Her decorative touches never seem overdone and always delightfully enhance the atmosphere of the music. Penguin Guide gave this set their "Recommended Recording" of all the available recordings of the French Suites, which seems to attest to Hewitt's ability to match her style and execution with the intent of the composition. It all just sounds "right" for this type of music. Addtionally, the sound quality is clear and without extraneous noise and has a somewhat-spacious but pleasant ambiance.

The so-called "Little Preludes" were exercises for Bach's son or pupils but really are not so "little" in terms of style or substance. Most are light and delightful - with some pure charm (BWV933). Notably Hewitt makes them all sound - not as mere exercises - but as viable performances in themselves. On a more virtuostic scale are the "filler works" on this CD: the Sonata in D minor and the Prelude/Fugue in A minor - the former being transcribed from the solo violin sonata in A minor (BWV 1003) and the latter being a work Bach later encorporated into the "Triple Concerto (BWV 1044, on Hewitt's Bach Concertos Vol. I). The closing allegro of the Sonata is a highlight and is played by Hewitt with an effortless radiance. Her galloping triplets and ever-so delicate and deft shifts in dynamics and touch here create the famous Bach "echo" that gives a facinating and larger-than-life quality to the movement. All-in-all, a most pleasant, accessible and artistic recording from one of the most talented pianists playing Bach today.

If you are trying to sort out Bach's great solo keyboard music, you can characterize them like this in general: the French Suites are overall the most refined, elegant and 'restrained' musically (French courtly style) as compared to the more dynamic preludes and dances in the English Suites (but also having haughtingly-beautiful sarabandes to contrast). Along with the great showpiece, the Chromatic Fantasy/Fugue in C minor, the Partitas and Toccatas are certainly the most outright virtuostic of the sets - with the latter being the most free of form and the most extemporaneous sounding. The two books of Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" are in a class of their own from the often-charming preludes in Book I to the most complex musical-intelligence contained in the fugues of Book II. Bach's WTC is both systematic and pedogogic but also delightfully lyrical and often deeply meditative. This wide range of contrasting emotional qualities (movements) is really characteristic of nearly all of Bach's keyboard music and is most marvelously showcased in the legenday 30 Goldberg Variations. All of Angela Hewitt's Bach recordings are excellent (no 'dogs') and are consistently rated among the top 2 or 3 choices in the field.


Fluent but shallow   October 11, 2004
 7 out of 18 found this review helpful

Technically very accomplished and fluent that is deceptively attractive on first hearing, but not much goings on musically, especially in left hand part. Another pianist who plays Bach like Schubert. Can not stand repeated listening.


Top-notch Bach   August 9, 2001
 10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Angela Hewitt brings the French Suites dazzingly to life. It's hard not to fall in love with this set, which is carried throughout by a lightness of touch and rhythmic lilt that captures all the grace of Bach's keyboard writing. A real selling-point of this enchanting disc must also be the so-called fillers: a Sonata for D originally scored for another key on the violin, and the 18 little preludes so familiar to learners of the piano. The preludes in particular are played with such a sense pure delight that the disc would be well worth the money for these alone. More please, Angela!


Intelligent, articulate, beautiful, clear, faithful - buy it   May 6, 2000
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is a stunning recording. The readings are faithful and clear, and I don't think I've ever heard the different lines of Bach's polyphony so well articulated. Her tone is absolutely beautiful and without any suggestion of pedal. Sometimes I've caught my breath in wonder at a particular effect she's created. Underneath it all lies a strong intelligence, and the recording quality is faultless. There are some wonderfully daring fast moves. Eat your heart out, Glenn Gould - I think you've just been knocked off a perch.