Kenneth V. Kardong

Cui, a member of the original Russian 'Five', was a dedicated encourager of the other members of the group (and indeed of all living Russian composers) to aim at less imitation of the West; and instead to write, without inhibition, more obviously independent Russian-style music. Nevertheless, he seemed to exempt himself from the encouragement, tending to write his own music in a pretty well accepted western European mould.

Kenneth Gilbert's vital rhythmic sense and love of refinement are qualities which can be strongly felt throughout this set.

Although not quite at the level of profundity of his teacher Gustav Leonhardt's recording, Kenneth Gilbert's 1983 recording of Book 1 of Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier does have a style and polish that Leonhardt's too often lacked. Thus, while Leonhardt goes further into some of the minor-key fugues to find intellectual and spiritual depths that Gilbert does not plumb, Gilbert's playing is so much more elegant and graceful than Leonhardt's that it is difficult to choose between them. For listeners who approach The Well-Tempered Clavier as a volume of virtuoso works whose success depends on the effortless refinement of the player, the Gilbert, with its superbly remastered sound, will be the one to get. For listeners who approach The Well-Tempered Clavier as a volume of prayers written as preludes and fugues, the Leonhardt will be preferable. Both are superb and both belong in any Bach collection.

The publication of the Partitas led to some ferment among music lovers in Germany. Some praised the works, others criticised them, but always in terms which suggest that they represented a turning point in harpsichord composition. Following the lead of the theoretician Johann Mattheson, the critics' principal complaint was the extreme technical demands, and the complexity of writing. In his biography of Bach, Johann Nikolaus Forkel writes of the Partitas: »One has hitherto seldom seen or heard harpsichord compositions of such excellence. He who learned to play some of these pieces well, was able to do well with them in the world; and even in our time a young artist can gain honour with them - brilliant, pleasing, expressive, and constantly fresh as they are.«

Although familiar with the Art of Fugue for much of my life, I did not set about learning it in its entirety until 2020. When Covid-19 put all concert life on hold, like my fellow musicians, I was left homebound with an ever increasing calendar of cancellations; my first Art of Fugue recital was the one I mourned the most. I took advantage of the time of seclusion to immerse myself in the work. Day after day, I turned to it for comfort, for inspiration and for connection in an unsure world. To be in constant awe at Bach’s limitless imagination and skill while challenging myself to hear - really hear - all that was going on, elevated my mood and gave me great joy. It was an act of devotion. I cherish the memory of it.

Kenneth Gilbert has been a leading early music keyboard specialist for decades. His 1975 recording of the French Suites represents "Basic Bach" in the best sense: no frills or intervention, just a respectful adherence to the music in order to convey the emotional content. With unerring accuracy, Gilbert strikes to the essence of each movement. Given exceptional sonics for the time, this is a version that most folks should find highly satisfying. Essentially, Gilbert is a most reliable guide into Bach's sound-world.

Bach had written all the music on this disc by his early thirties, and it’s immediately striking for its spontaneity and expansiveness compared with the terse craftsmanship of his later years. Kenneth Gilbert is a thoroughly persuasive advocate, binding together the sectional toccatas and sustaining momentum through the long, potentially rambling, fugues. A high spot is the C minor Toccata with a final fugue so long that its pulse becomes hypnotic: you simply never want it to end.

From 1990 to 1993 Kenneth Weiss was Musical Assistant to William Christie at Les Arts Florissants. He has since focused on harpsichord recitals and Baroque chamber music performing in numerous festivals and concert halls around the world. Kenneth Weiss performs as a soloist with Europa Galante, direction Fabio Biondi, and the Collegium Vocal Gent directed by Philippe Herreweghe, and since 2005 has been giving Bach recitals with Fabio Biondi, including concerts at the Aix en Provence Festival and the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.

The Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest written literary text in Middle Eastern/Western cultural history, predates the Hebrew Bible. The epic relates the story of King Gilgamesh, partly divine, partly human, who may have existed historically circa 2800 BC. From immature youth and a belief in his immortality, he eventually comes to accept the power and reality of Death. The Resurrection of the Soldiers for string orchestra was commissioned by George Vass, to whom it is dedicated, and the English Symphony Orchestra.