Christian Zacharias (piano)

Christian Zacharias plays Bach. The master of subtle and elegant piano playing has chosen three "French Suites". It is astonishing what these supposedly "light" pieces contain: Bach ingeniously combines a strictness of form (due to the underlying dance rhythms) with his sophisticated signature style. At once effortless yet full of depth - in the best of hands with Christian Zacharias.

The suites were composed at the height of Bach's years in Kothen. Writing music for the court was Bach's daily bread, but at the piano he could let his imagination run wild. Only on first glance is it surprising he uses the tight constraints of the suite with its fixed movements. On closer inspection we find a gigue concluding the G Major Suite and a three-part fugue in Partita No. 3.

In contrast to the "English Suites" composed around the same time, in the "French Suites" Bach discards with a prelude at the beginning. Only the Partita from the first part of the "Piano Exercise" is preceded by a Fantasia composed in the "scholarly style". Contrary to what the title suggests, this is set strictly in the style of a two-part invention - Bach remains true to himself even as a composer of dance suites.

Christian Zacharias makes it all sound so natural, as though it couldn't be any other way. The phrasing is clear and organic, and the tonal brilliance is unparalleled: On this carefully produced Super Audio CD, the powerful-sounding Steinway concert grand "Manfred Burki" from 1901 with Zacharias at the helm is clearly the best choice for Bach aficionados.

• Bach, J S: French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV813
• Bach, J S: French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV814
• Bach, J S: French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV816
• Bach, J S: Partita No. 3 in A minor, BWV827

September 2023