BACH : English Suite No4- Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, ,Menuets I & II, Gigue : English Suite No5 – Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Passepieds I and II, Gigue: English Suite No6 .- Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Double, Gavottes I & II , Gigue.
Montenegrin Guitar Duo
Naxos: 8.573676
Bach’s instrumental keyboard works can sometimes be quite awkward when transferring them to one or more guitars, but the suites, are written in such a way that they do fit remarkably well onto 2 guitars, as I know having myself done various French Suites, and English Suites for 2 guitars .They are never so densely packed with so many lines that two guitars cannot cope, whereas some of the Well-Tempered Klavier Preludes and Fugues don’t always work this way.
So I was surprised and delighted to see this second of two volumes where the Montenegrin Guitar Duo, namely Danijel Cerovic, and Goran Krivokapic, have done the very same. (I have not yet seen Volume 1, with the Suites 1 – 3)
As always with Bach , the suites are made up of various standard movements , namely a Prelude, Allemande, Courante , Sarabande, and a Gigue, with usually one or more extra movements between the Sarabande and the Gigue, the fourth suite having two Menuets, the fifth, two Passepieds, and the sixth having a Double of the Sarabande, and two Gavottes.
All I can say is that the performances are perfect, the arrangements very natural and very close to the original keyboard originals, the speeds of the various movements superb and the recording very clear, and so I can only say that if this set appeals to you, you will be delighted with what you receive.
Chris Dumigan