Bach: French Overture, Italian Concerto, etc
Angela Hewitt follows her outstanding Bach recordings, including theGoldberg Variationsand theWell-Tempered Clavier, with another sterling disc, highlighted by a gleaming rendition of theFrench Overture, whose half-hour zips by like the wind. Its opening is played with rhetorical grandeur and the dance-based movements pulsate with life. HerItalian Concertois effervescent, as Hewitt's alert rhythmic sense and precise articulation give this atypical work just the bounce it needs. She characterizes the narrative of theCapriccio on the Departure of His Beloved Brotherbeautifully, bringing out the emotions suffusing the departure scene and rendering the posthorn imitations with flair. Throughout, Bach's contrapuntal lines are clarified without didactic underlining. Add realistic sound and Hewitt's own informative notes and this disc is a winner.--Dan Davis