Bach: The Two and Three Part Inventions

Glenn Gould

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Bach: The Two and Three Part Inventions Review

by Blair Sanderson

For many, the albums Glenn Gould recorded for Columbia between 1955 and 1981 are documents of unalloyed genius, particularly in his imaginative and masterful performances of Bach's keyboard works. For others, less enamored of Gould's recondite theorizing, studio editing, and distracting personal eccentricities (such as humming along out of tune while he played), these recordings are nonetheless fascinating documents of an original mind and still worth studying for their undeniable musicality. This Sony reissue in the revamped Great Performances series -- offered with original LP cover art, complete liner notes, and DSD remastering -- presents Gould at the peak of his creativity. Yet his 1964 recording of the Two- and Three-Part Inventions, BWV 772-801, was made less than a month before he made his abrupt departure from public performance, and that fact may affect how listeners receive these performances, as if signs of stress are detectable in his interpretations. Not so: Gould's accurate touch, transparent voicing, smooth legato, and controlled dynamics indicate quite the opposite. If there was any tension affecting Gould at this time, then it led to music-making at its finest, and Sony's superb remastering has brought all the subtleties of Gould's impeccable execution to the fore. Unfortunately, the improved sound quality has also made his humming even more pronounced than it was on vinyl, and it is unavoidable in the softer two-part inventions. This quirk may be bothersome to first-time listeners, even more than the slight traces of tape hiss or other background noises that are still evident. But with some careful volume adjustments, it is still possible to minimize this peculiar feature and appreciate Gould's brilliant performances in spite of it.

Track Listing

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
1
Invention No. 1 in C Major, BWV 772
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:30 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
2
Sinfonia No. 1 in C Major, BWV 787
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:45 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
3
Invention No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 773
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 02:54 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
4
Sinfonia No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 788
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 03:01 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
5
Invention No. 5 in E-flat Major, BWV 776
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:21 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
6
Sinfonia No. 5 in E-flat Major, BWV 791
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 03:06 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
7
Invention No. 14 in B-flat Major, BWV 785
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:36 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
8
Sinfonia No. 14 in B-flat Major, BWV 800
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:08 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
9
Invention No. 11 in G Minor, BWV 782
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:54 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
10
Sinfonia No. 11 in G Minor, BWV 797
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 03:43 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
11
Invention No. 10 in G Major, BWV 781
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:40 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
12
Sinfonia No. 10 in G Major, BWV 796
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:56 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
13
Invention No. 15 in B Minor, BWV 786
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:51 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
14
Sinfonia No. 15 in B Minor, BWV 801
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:04 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
15
Invention No. 7 in E Minor, BWV 778
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:54 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
16
Sinfonia No. 7 in E Minor, BWV 793
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:31 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
17
Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 02:41 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
18
Sinfonia No. 6 in E Major, BWV 792
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:49 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
19
Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:44 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
20
Sinfonia No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 799
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 02:13 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
21
Invention No. 12 in A Major, BWV 783
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:55 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
22
Sinfonia No. 12 in A Major, BWV 798
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:15 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
23
Invention No. 3 in D Major, BWV 774
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:00 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
24
Sinfonia No. 3 in D Major, BWV 789
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:06 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
25
Invention No. 4 in D Minor, BWV 775
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:44 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
26
Sinfonia No. 4 in D Minor, BWV 790
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 03:14 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
27
Invention No. 8 in F Major, BWV 779
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 01:03 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
28
Sinfonia No. 8 in F Major, BWV 794
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:58 SpotifyAmazon
Two-Part Inventions (15), for keyboard, BWV 772-786 (BC L42-56)
29
Invention No. 9 in F Minor, BWV 780
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 02:48 SpotifyAmazon
Three-Part Inventions (Sinfonias) (15), for keyboard BWV 787-801 (BC L42-56)
30
Sinfonia No. 9 in F Minor, BWV 795
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 04:22 SpotifyAmazon
31
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 8 in F major, BWV 794 (BC L49)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:53 SpotifyAmazon
32
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 15 in B minor, BWV 801 (BC L56)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 00:55 SpotifyAmazon
33
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 9 in F minor, BWV 795 (BC L50)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 05:08 SpotifyAmazon
34
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 8 in F major, BWV 794 (BC L49)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 02:14 SpotifyAmazon
35
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 15 in B minor, BWV 801 (BC L56)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 05:38 SpotifyAmazon
36
Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia), for keyboard No. 9 in F minor, BWV 795 (BC L50)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Glenn Gould 05:09 SpotifyAmazon
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Bach: The Two and Three Part Inventions

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