Bach: The Two and Three Part Inventions  (Audio CD) 
by Johann Sebastian Bach

This new reissue of Glenn Gould's recording of Bach's Inventions enshrines one of his finest ventures into the work of the composer with whom Gould is indelibly identified. In the hands of most other keyboard artists these miniatures sound like student exercises, but Gould gives each one an individual profile, finding more to savor. As always with Gould, you'll notice details and secondary accompaniments often buried in a welter of notes. But you'll also find charm, as in the Sixth Invention; introspection, as in several of the Sinfonias, and lightening finger work, each note precisely articulated. The net result is a vivacity and listenability not always associated with these pieces. Gould's reading of the Sinfonia No. 9, played with spare beauty, is, like so much else here, very special for the intimacy it evokes. Fillers include some previously unreleased Sinfonias and unedited takes from the recording sessions that illustrate the pianist's perfectionism. Perhaps best of all, the remastered sound is much better than that on previous issues of the disc. --Dan Davis