To the Editors:

Samuel Lipman’s “Reflections on Bach” (September 1989) left me somewhat perplexed. Surely no one should be that indignant about “Mooged” or “Kurzweiled” Bach. Its proper place could only be in an advertisement for an expensive German car. What is disturbing is his failure to name names. While the attack on present-day Bach scholarship hits the mark, it would be helpful to know which performers fit into this crabby and unimaginative lot.

To my mind, the best Bach playing has always come from more eccentric talents: from Edwin Fischer and Wanda Landowska to Glenn Gould and, I would argue, Trevor Pinnock and Andras Schiff. Their passion and extravagance is evident in their playing regardless of the intellectual baggage or fear they may or may not carry.

Please, we don’t want gossip: just a few specifics to clarify his position.

Edmund D. Pitaro
New York,

 

A Message from the Editors

Your donation sustains our efforts to inspire joyous rediscoveries.

Popular Right Now