Colin Tilney – a luxurious reading of Bach’s Partitas
English/Canadian harpsichordist Colin Tilney’s recording of J.S. Bach’s Partitas was issued in 2020 under the Music and Arts label and is now also available on the main streaming services. These are luxuriant, elegant Partitas which, with their slower tempi, highlight the compelling emotional warmth of these works. This three disk recording is accompanied by erudite, yet highly accessible, notes on each of the Partitas. The recording was done on an after-Zell instrument built by English early keyboard builder and harpsichordist Colin Booth in 1984. Its wonderful balance, depth of tone, and bell-like clarity make it particularly well-suited to this music.
What the reviewers say:
Jed Distler, Classics Today: ‘Tilney retains his masterful legato finger technique, and the ability to make the quills on his resplently engineered harpsichord sing…the sheer beauty that Tilney creates in Bach’s more reflective movements may well be worth the price of admission.’
FanFare: ‘…what makes this a superior set is the adroit and lively performance by Tilney. He instinctively knows where the phrasing emphasis is to be placed, how the registrations on his instrument work to the best advantage, and how to accomplish the often tortuous interweaving lines that Bach includes.’
