Right from my pre-teen years, I learned
to revere the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and to regard him as
Number One in the league of composers. Over the past 70 years or so,
heroes and heroines have come and gone; but Bach is still there in
pole position. In an interesting sleeve note to a recent CD, the
Icelandic pianist Vikingur Olafsson recounts his exposure to
Bach's keyboard music via Edwin Fischer, Rosalyn Tureck, Dinu
Lipatti, Glenn Gould, and Martha Argerich, pointing out that there
are many valid ways of playing Bach's music. Within reason, anything
works with Bach and the music comes through fresh and invigorating.
Olafsson's CD is somewhat unusual in
consisting of a couple of dozen short works -- mainly preludes,
fugues and inventions. Some of the pieces last for less than two
minutes. The longest work is the Aria Varieta BWV 989. The
whole hour or so gives a kaleidoscopic view of Bach's genius and
endless powers of invention and I found it extremely impressive.
Olafsson has a magnificent technique and this is used with gusto in
many of the whirlwind pieces on the CD. This is music, and playing, I shall return to frequently. Olafsson is releasing a new CD featuring
the keyboard music of Couperin and Debussy; an interesting
juxtaposition. I'll buy it when it comes out since he seems to be an
excellent and thoughtful musician as well as a superb pianist.
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