Bach: Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1014-1019
The Strad, December 2002 Bach: Six sonatas for violin and harpsichord BWV 1014-1019 Emlyn Ngai (violin) Peter Watchorn (harpsichord) MUSICA OMNIA MO0112 (3 discs) Baroque violinist Emlyn Ngai proves the point that you do not have to be world-famous to give celebratory performances. Here, he and his thoughtful accompanist, Peter Watchorn, offer enough musical magic to make many of their illustrious counterparts head for the practice room. Many so-called authentic performances of Bach s masterpieces are distorted by an over-indulgence in rubato, on over-abundance of swells in the middle of phrases and an over-reliance on erratic tempos; Ngai and Watchorn show the listener that less is more in their no-nonsense approach. Armed with an admirable bow arm and a refreshingly centred concept of intonation, Ngai proves himself as a true servant of the musical score. In the opening Adagio of the Sonata in B minor, BWV 1014, Watchorn sets a flowing tempo at exactly the right dynamic level to accommodate Ngai s dreamy entrance. The fugue that follows is presented with an assurance based on technical ease combined with musical intuition. As Ngai and Watchorn proceed through Bach s inventive repertoire, one senses their delight in making sense of complex counterpoint and unexpected harmonic patterns. The stretto material in the closing Presto of the Sonata in A major BWV 1015 is crafted with wit and élan in sharp contrast to the poignant beauty of Ngai s sweetly singing Largo introduction which ushers in the Sonata in C minor BWV 1017. Heather Kurzbauer --The Strad, December 2002Bach: Six Sonatas For Violin & Harpsichord / Ngai, Watchorn What struck me immediately listening to these new Musica Omnia recordings of J.S. Bach's familiar sonatas for violin and harpsichord is how similar they sounded to one of my longstnding favorite cycles, the long-deleted Philips recording with Monica Huggett and Ton Koopman. Like Huggett and Koopman, violinist Emlyn Ngai and harpsichordist Peter Watchorn's performances share a similar swagger, panache, and emphasis on the dance. The differences between their tempo timings in most movements are also only within 10 and 20 seconds of one another (no one compares with Huggett's fleet bravura in the faster movements). The most remarkable similarity between the two cycles however, is the way they sound: both the violin and harpsichord are afforded a stunning equal sonic weight and presence. When the Philips cycle was first issued, this acoustic equality often was criticized as being too up-front and unrealistic. To my ears though, this balance made wonderfully refreshing musical sense. Watchorn feels the same way, explaining in his copious notes that the successful performance of these pieces depends on this sonic relationship between the instruments. He posits that the harpsichordist's right hand often is the equal partner with the violin, while the left hand supplies the bass line usually provided by a cello or viola da gamba. He further explains how difficult this balance is to achieve in live performance (or recorded for that matter, regardless of how closely each instrument is miked), the key being how well the instruments are matched. Like Koopman, Watchorn has selected an ample harpsichord capable of this desired dynamic equilibrium. And also like the regrettably deleted Philips set, this Musica Omnia recording auspiciously succeeds on a sonic level that only a handful of currently available recordings do. Unlike any other recording, Musica Omnia offers a free third CD titled "Bach as Kapellmeister". Here W -- --John Greene, ClassicsToday.comBach: Six Sonatas For Violin & Harpsichord / Ngai, Watchorn What struck me immediately listening to these new Musica Omnia recordings of J.S. Bach's familiar sonatas for violin and harpsichord is how similar they sounded to one of my longstnding favorite cycles, the long-deleted Philips recording with Monica Huggett and Ton Koopman. Like Huggett and Koopman, violinist Emlyn Ngai and harpsichordist Peter Watchorn's performances share a similar swagger, panache, and emphasis on the dance. The differences between their tempo timings in most movements are also only within 10 and 20 seconds of one another (no one compares with Huggett's fleet bravura in the faster movements). The most remarkable similarity between the two cycles however, is the way they sound: both the violin and harpsichord are afforded a stunning equal sonic weight and presence. When the Philips cycle was first issued, this acoustic equality often was criticized as being too up-front and unrealistic. To my ears though, this balance made wonderfully refreshing musical sense. Watchorn feels the same way, explaining in his copious notes that the successful performance of these pieces depends on this sonic relationship between the instruments. He posits that the harpsichordist's right hand often is the equal partner with the violin, while the left hand supplies the bass line usually provided by a cello or viola da gamba. He further explains how difficult this balance is to achieve in live performance (or recorded for that matter, regardless of how closely each instrument is miked), the key being how well the instruments are matched. Like Koopman, Watchorn has selected an ample harpsichord capable of this desired dynamic equilibrium. And also like the regrettably deleted Philips set, this Musica Omnia recording auspiciously succeeds on a sonic level that only a handful of currently available recordings do. Unlike any other recording, Musica Omnia offers a free third CD titled "Bach as Kapellmeister". Here W ----John Greene, ClassicsToday.com