[SACD-R][OF] Caspar Frantz - J.S. Bach: Franzoesische Suiten 1 - 2012 (Classical; Piano)

For anyone wanting to know: Caspar Frantz is, indeed, related to his better known & older nephew, Justus. Some years ago (2009), Caspar’s Haydn piano concerti Haydn: Piano Concertos 2, 9 & 11were very well received by John Miller. This recording of Bach’s French Suites, including BWV 818a & 619a, on 2 SACD’s, released 3 years later, is of equally surprising quality.
Like the cover picture on the earlier 1, Frantz is once more sitting on a fence. Any deeper thought behind it? Who knows; just like there is no other explanation about the name of the ‘French Suites’ than that they were composed in a French style. This claim, coined by his 1st biographer, Forkel, can, however, not be sustained as they were all 6 modeled according to the then fashionable Italian style. Certain is, that Bach did not name them as such.
On the other hand, Sarah Grossert (lecturer Humboldt university, Berlin), builds in her liner notes, a well-documented case, linking the suites to the French composer Couperin. This makes for interesting reading & reflection. Question remains to what extent Couperin was influenced by Italian composers. He introduced Corelli’s trio sonata form to France & amalgamated both Italian & French styles into what he called: ‘Les goûts réunis’.
So much for the name. What about the why? There, too, the situation is unclear. For Bach it apparently was an ongoing project. Adding & changing things in most of them, of which BWV 619a & BWV 818a give evidence. Research shows that it was most probably meant or used as study material for his pupils.
But for us, music lovers, the most important question is: how does Caspar Frantz interpret them? As I said before: surprisingly well. We all have our preferred Bach interpreters. New names in that field are regarded with a fair amount of circumspection. I can reassure readers. As already clear from his Haydn concerti, Frantz has the right touch & fingers for the kind of mathematical playing required for Bach: Light, secure & precise.
I compared with Francesco Cera on ARTS Bach: French Suites, Italian Concerto – Francesco Cera, with the Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971 & Fantasia & Fugue in A minor BWV 904 as extras in lieu of BWV 619a & BWV 818a. The 2 readings couldn’t be farther apart. Of course, the piano has a different sound spectrum compared to the (mostly amplified) harpsichord, but that is for me not the main thing. Cera plays with half the speed, or sometimes even less; with lots of ‘hesitance’, as though he is looking for the next key to press. This may all be explained as being a difference in perspective & appreciation, but for me it felt frustrating, like the internet slowing down when the rest of my family is taking away band width for surfing or worse: downloading, while I listen at the same time to 1 of my preferred classical radio stations, WKAR from Michigan State University, on my internet radio.
So, Caspar Frantz style is much, much more to my liking. This is the sort of Bach I would expect; no, or hardly audible pedal & no hesitation other than ‘endings’. And the piano sound is quite attractive & realistic, too.
As far as I’m concerned: another job well done.
Blangy-le-Château,
Normandy, France
Copyright © 2016 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

Suite 1 BWV 812
1 Allemande 2 : 53
2 Courante 1 : 40
3 Sarabande 3 : 09
4 Menuet I – Menuet II – Menuet I 3 : 31
5 Gigue 2 : 29
Suite 2 BWV 813
6 Allemande 2 : 56
7 Courante 1 : 37
8 Sarabande 3 : 05
9 Air 1 : 25
10 Menuet I – Menuet II – Menuet I 3 : 22
11 Gigue 1 : 49
Suite 3 BWV 814
12 Allemande 3 : 01
13 Courante 2 : 06
14 Sarabande 3 : 02
15 Anglaise 1 : 32
16 Menuet I – Menuet II – Menuet I 3 : 06
17 Gigue 2 : 04
Suite 4 BWV 815
18 Allemande 1 : 56
19 Courante 1 : 33
20 Sarabande 2 : 58
21 Gavotte 1 : 17
22 Air 1 : 32
23 Menuet 0 : 53
24 Gigue 2 : 17
25 Gavotte II aus BWV 815 a 3 : 26

foobar2000 1.3.10 / Замер динамического диапазона (DR) 1.1.1
Дата отчёта: 2016-08-06 05:06:37
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Анализ: Caspar Frantz / Franzôsische Suiten
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DR Пики RMS Продолжительность трека
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DR11 -11.48 дБ -29.07 дБ 2:53 01-BWV 812, Allemande
DR11 -9.07 дБ -26.23 дБ 1:40 02-BWV 812, Courante
DR13 -12.02 дБ -33.67 дБ 3:09 03-BWV 812, Sarabande
DR12 -9.53 дБ -29.81 дБ 3:31 04-BWV 812, Menuet
DR12 -7.53 дБ -25.92 дБ 2:29 05-BWV 812, Gigue
DR11 -10.94 дБ -29.92 дБ 2:56 06-BWV 813, Allemande
DR11 -6.59 дБ -25.27 дБ 1:37 07-BWV 813, Courante
DR12 -11.06 дБ -32.11 дБ 3:05 08-BWV 813, Air
DR11 -9.19 дБ -27.02 дБ 1:25 09-BWV 813, Sarabande
DR11 -10.98 дБ -28.92 дБ 3:22 10-BWV 813, Menuet
DR11 -6.30 дБ -27.08 дБ 1:49 11-BWV 813, Gigue
DR12 -11.54 дБ -30.15 дБ 3:01 12-BWV 814, Allemande
DR12 -8.62 дБ -28.65 дБ 2:06 13-BWV 814, Courante
DR12 -13.60 дБ -34.19 дБ 3:02 14-BWV 814, Sarabande
DR11 -9.55 дБ -27.62 дБ 1:32 15-BWV 814, Anglaise
DR12 -9.81 дБ -28.34 дБ 3:06 16-BWV 814, Menuet
DR12 -8.28 дБ -27.23 дБ 2:04 17-BWV 814, Gigue
DR11 -9.79 дБ -27.66 дБ 1:56 18-BWV 815, Allemande
DR11 -9.34 дБ -26.54 дБ 1:33 19-BWV 815, Courante
DR12 -10.80 дБ -32.42 дБ 2:58 20-BWV 815, Sarabande
DR11 -10.27 дБ -28.36 дБ 1:17 21-BWV 815, Gavotte
DR11 -7.78 дБ -25.99 дБ 1:32 22-BWV 815, Air
DR10 -11.95 дБ -29.77 дБ 0:53 23-BWV 815, Menuet
DR12 -8.59 дБ -26.71 дБ 2:17 24-BWV 815, Gigue
DR12 -6.16 дБ -26.44 дБ 3:26 25-BWV 815a, Gavotte II
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Количество треков: 25
Реальные значения DR: DR11
Частота: 2822400 Гц / Частота PCM: 44100 Гц
Каналов: 6
Разрядность: 24
Битрейт: 16934 кбит/с
Кодек: DST64
================================================================================
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Анализ: Caspar Frantz / Franzôsische Suiten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Пики RMS Продолжительность трека
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -10.19 дБ -24.71 дБ 2:53 01-BWV 812, Allemande
DR11 -7.53 дБ -21.85 дБ 1:40 02-BWV 812, Courante
DR13 -10.61 дБ -29.31 дБ 3:09 03-BWV 812, Sarabande
DR13 -9.46 дБ -25.48 дБ 3:31 04-BWV 812, Menuet
DR12 -6.46 дБ -21.57 дБ 2:29 05-BWV 812, Gigue
DR12 -9.51 дБ -25.67 дБ 2:56 06-BWV 813, Allemande
DR11 -6.79 дБ -21.04 дБ 1:37 07-BWV 813, Courante
DR12 -11.17 дБ -28.08 дБ 3:05 08-BWV 813, Air
DR11 -8.09 дБ -22.96 дБ 1:25 09-BWV 813, Sarabande
DR11 -10.10 дБ -24.78 дБ 3:22 10-BWV 813, Menuet
DR11 -6.76 дБ -23.01 дБ 1:49 11-BWV 813, Gigue
DR11 -11.15 дБ -26.00 дБ 3:01 12-BWV 814, Allemande
DR12 -9.67 дБ -24.57 дБ 2:06 13-BWV 814, Courante
DR12 -12.91 дБ -30.17 дБ 3:02 14-BWV 814, Sarabande
DR12 -9.19 дБ -23.56 дБ 1:32 15-BWV 814, Anglaise
DR12 -8.05 дБ -24.32 дБ 3:06 16-BWV 814, Menuet
DR12 -8.87 дБ -23.25 дБ 2:04 17-BWV 814, Gigue
DR11 -8.28 дБ -23.40 дБ 1:56 18-BWV 815, Allemande
DR11 -7.77 дБ -22.34 дБ 1:33 19-BWV 815, Courante
DR13 -10.33 дБ -28.12 дБ 2:58 20-BWV 815, Sarabande
DR11 -10.34 дБ -24.09 дБ 1:17 21-BWV 815, Gavotte
DR11 -7.37 дБ -21.76 дБ 1:32 22-BWV 815, Air
DR10 -11.88 дБ -25.50 дБ 0:53 23-BWV 815, Menuet
DR12 -8.44 дБ -22.43 дБ 2:17 24-BWV 815, Gigue
DR12 -6.82 дБ -22.17 дБ 3:26 25-BWV 815a, Gavotte II
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Количество треков: 25
Реальные значения DR: DR12
Частота: 2822400 Гц / Частота PCM: 44100 Гц
Каналов: 2
Разрядность: 24
Битрейт: 5645 кбит/с
Кодек: DST64
================================================================================

Suite 5 BWV 816
1 Allemande 2 : 52
2 Courante 1 : 39
3 Sarabande 4 : 02
4 Gavotte 1 : 11
5 Bourrée 1 : 20
6 Loure 1 : 46
7 Gigue 3 : 22
Suite 6 BWV 817
8 Allemande 2 : 34
7 Courante 1 : 29
10 Sarabande 2 : 56
11 Gavotte 1 : 03
12 Polonaise 1 : 24
13 Menuet 1 : 13
14 Bourrée 1 : 38
15 Gigue 2 : 17
Suite a-Moll BWV 818a
16 Fort gai 1 : 46
17 Allemande 2 : 57
18 Courante 1 : 14
19 Sarabande 2 : 46
20 Menuet 1 : 16
21 Gigue 2 : 24
Suite Es-Dur BWV 819a
22 Allemande 3 : 05
23 Courante 1 : 58
24 Sarabande 3 : 07
25 Bourrée 1 : 45
26 Menuet I – Menuet II – Menuet I 2 : 45

foobar2000 1.3.10 / Замер динамического диапазона (DR) 1.1.1
Дата отчёта: 2016-08-06 05:36:30
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Анализ: Caspar Frantz / Franzôsische Suiten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Пики RMS Продолжительность трека
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DR11 -10.99 дБ -30.20 дБ 2:52 01-BWV 816, Allemande
DR11 -8.45 дБ -28.28 дБ 1:39 02-BWV 816, Courante
DR12 -11.84 дБ -33.73 дБ 4:02 03-BWV 816, Sarabande
DR11 -8.73 дБ -27.73 дБ 1:11 04-BWV 816, Gavotte
DR11 -9.96 дБ -29.00 дБ 1:20 05-BWV 816, Bourrée
DR12 -12.13 дБ -34.24 дБ 1:46 06-BWV 816, Loure
DR11 -7.96 дБ -27.02 дБ 3:22 07-BWV 816, Gigue
DR11 -8.92 дБ -27.88 дБ 2:34 08-BWV 817, Allemande
DR11 -9.36 дБ -27.83 дБ 1:29 09-BWV 817, Courante
DR12 -13.99 дБ -34.58 дБ 2:56 10-BWV 817, Sarabande
DR11 -7.74 дБ -28.35 дБ 1:03 11-BWV 817, Gavotte
DR11 -10.72 дБ -30.42 дБ 1:24 12-BWV 817, Menuet polonaise
DR11 -12.23 дБ -31.09 дБ 1:13 13-BWV 817, Petit Menuet
DR11 -7.70 дБ -26.20 дБ 1:38 14-BWV 817, Bourrée
DR11 -7.86 дБ -25.94 дБ 2:17 15-BWV 817, Gigue
DR11 -7.26 дБ -26.09 дБ 1:46 16-BWV 818a, Forgai
DR11 -11.70 дБ -30.43 дБ 2:57 17-BWV 818a, Allemande
DR11 -9.92 дБ -28.01 дБ 1:14 18-BWV 818a, Courante
DR12 -13.95 дБ -33.69 дБ 2:46 19-BWV 818a, Sarabande
DR12 -9.33 дБ -29.15 дБ 1:16 20-BWV 818a, Menuet
DR11 -7.63 дБ -27.10 дБ 2:24 21-BWV 818a, Gigue
DR12 -7.91 дБ -28.15 дБ 3:05 22-BWV 819a, Allemande
DR11 -9.01 дБ -27.56 дБ 1:58 23-BWV 819a, Courante
DR13 -10.41 дБ -31.08 дБ 3:07 24-BWV 819a, Sarabande
DR11 -8.85 дБ -27.34 дБ 1:45 25-BWV 819a, Bourrée
DR12 -11.23 дБ -31.74 дБ 2:46 26-BWV 819a, Menuet
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Количество треков: 26
Реальные значения DR: DR11
Частота: 2822400 Гц / Частота PCM: 44100 Гц
Каналов: 6
Разрядность: 24
Битрейт: 16934 кбит/с
Кодек: DST64
================================================================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Анализ: Caspar Frantz / Franzôsische Suiten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Пики RMS Продолжительность трека
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR12 -11.83 дБ -26.44 дБ 2:52 01-BWV 816, Allemande
DR12 -9.84 дБ -24.59 дБ 1:39 02-BWV 816, Courante
DR13 -10.62 дБ -30.05 дБ 4:02 03-BWV 816, Sarabande
DR12 -9.83 дБ -24.08 дБ 1:11 04-BWV 816, Gavotte
DR12 -10.19 дБ -25.54 дБ 1:20 05-BWV 816, Bourrée
DR13 -13.13 дБ -30.59 дБ 1:46 06-BWV 816, Loure
DR11 -8.59 дБ -23.30 дБ 3:22 07-BWV 816, Gigue
DR11 -10.01 дБ -24.22 дБ 2:34 08-BWV 817, Allemande
DR11 -10.59 дБ -24.12 дБ 1:29 09-BWV 817, Courante
DR12 -14.90 дБ -30.97 дБ 2:56 10-BWV 817, Sarabande
DR11 -10.00 дБ -24.68 дБ 1:03 11-BWV 817, Gavotte
DR12 -11.16 дБ -26.66 дБ 1:24 12-BWV 817, Menuet polonaise
DR11 -12.58 дБ -27.31 дБ 1:13 13-BWV 817, Petit Menuet
DR11 -8.31 дБ -22.69 дБ 1:38 14-BWV 817, Bourrée
DR11 -8.13 дБ -22.26 дБ 2:17 15-BWV 817, Gigue
DR11 -6.64 дБ -22.28 дБ 1:46 16-BWV 818a, Forgai
DR12 -10.93 дБ -26.50 дБ 2:57 17-BWV 818a, Allemande
DR10 -9.43 дБ -24.18 дБ 1:14 18-BWV 818a, Courante
DR12 -13.80 дБ -29.87 дБ 2:46 19-BWV 818a, Sarabande
DR13 -8.37 дБ -25.28 дБ 1:16 20-BWV 818a, Menuet
DR11 -8.55 дБ -23.19 дБ 2:24 21-BWV 818a, Gigue
DR12 -9.39 дБ -24.31 дБ 3:05 22-BWV 819a, Allemande
DR11 -8.34 дБ -23.72 дБ 1:58 23-BWV 819a, Courante
DR12 -9.37 дБ -27.04 дБ 3:07 24-BWV 819a, Sarabande
DR11 -8.75 дБ -23.33 дБ 1:45 25-BWV 819a, Bourrée
DR11 -11.85 дБ -27.88 дБ 2:46 26-BWV 819a, Menuet
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Количество треков: 26
Реальные значения DR: DR12
Частота: 2822400 Гц / Частота PCM: 44100 Гц
Каналов: 2
Разрядность: 24
Битрейт: 5645 кбит/с
Кодек: DST64
================================================================================