Bellissima interpretazione al clavicembalo di Kenneth Gilbert del Clavicembalo ben temperato di Bach, particolarmente chiara e luminosa, oltreché comprensibile e solare. Kenneth Gilbert suona su un clavicembalo d'epoca con l'intonazione più bassa di un tono rispetto a quella di oggi.
There is little in this world that sounds better than a Bach keyboard piece played on a fine harpsichord. And there are few harpsichord players who can compete with Kenneth Gilbert. So this recording is a real winner, and its 1980s era digital sound is actually not bad (though fine analog would probably have been better at that point in time).
Out of all the Well-Tempered Clavier recordings available through Amazon, this is the only one played on its original instrument. As far as I'm concerned, you can keep all those piano recordings. Bach doesn't take too well to the piano, I'm afraid (though I'm forced to do it that way at home, I wish I had a harpsichord). Bach was famously not too fond of pianos when they came on the scene near the end of his career, and he certainly didn't compose anything that works well on one.
The Well-Tempered Clavier is one of the most thrilling collections of harpsichord music ever created, every one is truly a masterpiece. The complete selection of keys and styles is truly delightful. Reading along with the recording on a sheet score is always fun, too, for the amateur musician, especially when your own playing is too poor to tackle most of these. The fugues are a celebration of counterpoint and part-writing.
It is possible to listen to the same piece over and over again before even moving on to the next one, that's how thrilling and fulfilling each one is.