THREE TAKES ON THE INVENTIONS

I've now listened to my three recordings of the inventions a few times and I'm ready to say a few words about them. The three recordings are by Glenn Gould, Angela Hewitt, and Andras Schiff, and they could hardly be more different from each other in their musical styles.

Gould's renditions are skeletal. He reveals the bare bones of the structure of each invention, shines a bright light across the counterpoint that throws it into sharp black-and-white relief, displays little interest in sensuality. His playing is elemental, inevitable, compelling. It is also sometimes a little tiring to listen to. I like it in moderate doses.

Hewitt's renditions are zesty. She plays with bright energy, and doesn't shy away from big dynamic contrasts. She carries me along engagingly, and provides occasional surprises that make me smile. She does sometimes have a tendency to play with too much one-sided emphasis on the right hand, making the music a little more like a melody with an accompaniment and a little less contrapuntal. But that's a minor quibble about some very enjoyable performances.

Schiff's renditions are sumptuous. He plays with a lot of texture, with more rubato than the others, with more florid ornamentation, with richness. All in all, his playing is the most romantic, and in this he is at the opposite pole from Gould. His playing radiates warmth.

So which is my favorite? I was afraid you'd ask that. Having heard them all, I wouldn't want to do without any of them. They all illuminate these kaleidoscopic works in their own way. I know I'll listen to different ones at different times depending on my mood.