Bach: Sonatas & Partitas

Digital recordings are unforgiving. One review referred to the beathing that can be heard on this recording. That is about the only comment he made with which I can agree. It is impossible, however, to listen to any recording these days (try a Keith Jarett album ...) without hearing breathing, mechanical movements of the instruments, and other extraneous sounds. The performance, however, is simplly amazing. Romantic? Traditional? This is Bach, for heaven's sake! Clarity and intensity are called for with each singular interpretation. For anyone who has seen Khachatryan live, this recording reproduces the intensity and brilliance he brings to any performance (he restricts himself to only 50 a year ... would that other young artists would do the same). At 24 his reading of some of the most difficult of works for the violin rivals those of many more mature artists. The music speaks, not the artist. If you want flash, go somewhere else. If you want the music to sparkle with renewed brilliance, buy the album.

Serge plays through the motions in an old-fashioned romantic approach. This wouldn't have been so bad but he doesn't quite have the chops of a Ehnes. The close mic placement shows this to be true, especially in the fuges and ciaccona. Also apparent is his breathing which I normally don't gripe too much about but the sup-par perfomance added made it too distracting. He's done better work and there's still lashes of better albums of these works to choose from. -Bz