JS Bach’s The Art of Fugue – Angela Hewitt

The Art of Fugue is an acknowledged marathon, for both the performer and the audience. Sixteen fugues, each a contrapuntal masterpiece, with four complex canons and a concluding chorale prelude make for very concentrated listening that’s only possible with a virtuoso like Angela Hewitt playing. Her carefully paced, illustrated introduction explained the milestones of this performance and augmented the splendid programme notes considerably.

After a while the subjects, inversions, elaborations and expositions started to meld. Losing count, I sat back and just let the marvellous sounds flow over me; a wonderful sensation on a warm Sunday afternoon. A festival triumph.

Glyndebourne, 4 May 2014
Rating:
Andrew Connal