Fans of Die Kunst der Fuge will notice that this CD shows small differences with most other recordings. Even the title of the album is different: Die Kunst der Fuga (instead of Fuge). That's because the Accademia Strumentale Italiana plays an early version (1742?) (Autograph Mus. Ms. P 200, Berlin). The great charm of this original version is that it forms a completed and rounded whole, both musically
… and compositionally. Admittedly, after that Bach would break open the project again, leaving it unfinished at his death. Although even that is not certain (see the detailed explanation in the booklet). This CD is not the first to stand up for the elegant primal version. Henk van Zonneveld probably had the scoop (1997, played on clavi-organum). His album also had the peculiar title: Die Kunst der Fuga. Anyway, the Accademia Strumentale Italiana CD received four stars in the Volkskrant: 'Musically the Italians defend their primal Bach with gusto. With the warm layer of viola da gamba and violone they breathe life into fugues and canons. ' (HJ)more
