Bach’s Six Partitas BWV 825-830 Interpreted by Martin Helmchen
Johann Sebastian Bach’s collection of six partitas, published as his Opus 1 during his tenure in Leipzig, is a cornerstone of keyboard literature. These works encapsulate the essence of Baroque dance forms and are a profound testament to Bach's ingenuity and his deep understanding of keyboard mechanics and musical structure. The new recording of these seminal works by Martin Helmchen, released under the Alpha label and recorded at the Haus des Rundfunks, Berlin, presents a bold, albeit unconventional, foray into the rich soundscape of Bach’s partitas using a tangent piano—an early keyboard instrument that boasts the dynamic control of a clavichord and a timbre somewhat louder and more metallic than a harpsichord.
Martin Helmchen, a professor of chamber music at the Kronberg Academy and not primarily known as a historical keyboardist, embarks on this musical journey with a palpable respect for historical context paired with a modern interpretative zest. The choice of the tangent piano, which is not a historically accurate instrument for this repertoire, immediately sets this recording apart. Its unique sound profile—louder and as metallic as a harpsichord but endowed with the dynamic delicacy of a clavichord—provides a fresh aural perspective on these well-trodden compositions.
Bach's partitas were crafted after his move to Leipzig and were self-published—a venture that underscores his entrepreneurial spirit. They represent a mature synthesis of the German, French, and Italian styles that Bach had absorbed throughout his career. Each partita, while structured around a series of dances, offers a kaleidoscope of affections, technical challenges, and compositional innovation.
Helmchen's approach to these pieces is commendably organic. He manages to evoke the human element behind the music, steering clear of overly romanticized interpretations but imbuing the pieces with warmth and personal nuance. His phrasing is broad, focusing on larger musical ideas rather than the minute details—a choice that might not satisfy purists but certainly lends a coherent narrative to each partita. The opening toccata of the sixth partita, for instance, could benefit from more dynamic emphasis, yet this is balanced by his compelling articulation in the courante of the second partita and the lively capriccio that follows.
An interesting aspect of this recording is how Helmchen exploits the sonic capabilities of the tangent piano. In the third partita’s Burlesca, he engages a buff stop, altering the instrument’s timbre to mimic a harpsichord, thereby adding a delightful contrast within the movement. This playful manipulation of sound colors enhances the rhetorical impact of the dances, such as the Preambulum of the fifth partita, which seems almost tailor-made for the unique qualities of the tangent piano.
The recorded sound quality deserves special mention. The engineering team—Sebastian Stein, Nikolaus Löwe, Benjamin Ihnow, and Philipp Reif—has done an excellent job capturing the novel sonorities of the tangent piano, maintaining a fine balance between detail and the spacious acoustic environment of the recording venue.
While this recording may not eclipse other benchmarks in the discography of Bach’s partitas (such as the historically informed interpretations on period instruments), it certainly carves out a distinctive niche. It is a commendable 4 out of 5 stars for those open to experiencing these masterpieces through the novel sonic lens of the tangent piano. Helmchen's rendition offers a fascinating, if untraditional, perspective that underscores both the timeless appeal of Bach's music and the continuing evolution of its interpretation.
