J.S.バッハ: イタリア風協奏曲集

音色の魔術師、タローによるバッハ
魅惑的な官能すら漂う絶品の緩徐楽章

音色の魔術師、アレクサンドル・タロー、2004年録音の「バッハのイタリア風の協奏曲集」が再登場します。タローは2001年録音のフランス・バロックの巨匠ラモー(1683-1764)の作品をモダン・ピアノで弾いて一躍注目されました。それに続くのがこのバッハ作品集です。イタリア風の協奏曲集、と題し、イタリア協奏曲をはじめ、バッハが魅了されて編曲したヴィヴァルディやマルチェッロの作品をセレクト。ディスク冒頭のシシリエンヌから、モダン・ピアノのひんやりとした質感を漂わせながら、ピアノ、しかもタローの手による演奏でないと為しえないような世界が広がります。イタリア協奏曲では非常に輝かしい第1楽章、第2楽章での静けさ、そして快速パッセージがきらびやかに飛び交う第3楽章は素晴らしい出来栄えです。快速な楽章での雄弁さはもちろんのこと、緩徐楽章での、タローの人の心をわしづかみにして放さないような、魅惑的なまでの官能すら感じさせる音楽はあらためて聴いても圧巻。
キングインターナショナル

Pianist Alexandre Tharaud has put together a program of Bach's "Italian Concertos," (i.e., Bach's Italian Concerto) plus a few of his transcriptions for keyboard of violin and oboe concertos by Italian composers. It's the kind of inspired program that is finally, if slowly, making its way into the world of recorded classical music, and could compete with personalized play lists, if only the artists and producers would put together more than one hour of music. Here, Tharaud could have filled out the program with two more of Bach's transcribed concertos or some of his Italianate movements from the keyboard suites. Tharaud performs what is here imaginatively, with much more color than pianists who prefer their Baroque works more straightforward. He uses everything -- variation in touch, dynamics, pedal, phrasing -- to distinguish the solo and tutti parts of the concertos. He gives the fast movements a Mediterranean sunny demeanor, exuberant, almost begging for attention; while the slow movements are beautiful in tone and shaping, mesmerizing with their philosophical, inner-monologue quality. Tharaud is best in the Italian Concerto and the Concerto in G major, BWV 973, a Vivaldi transcription. He brings out the concerto qualities very successfully in these two pieces, and seems truly to enjoy playing the music as well as the music itself. The disc's sound is also warmly sunny, adding to Tharaud's hearty way with the music.