Bach: The Art Of The Fugue, BWV 1080 Pierre-Laurent Aimard

• 1 Contrapunctus 1 03:01
• 2 Contrapunctus 2 02:38
• 3 Contrapunctus 3 03:11
• 4 Contrapunctus 4 03:05
• 5 Contrapunctus 5 03:07
• 6 Contrapunctus 6. a 4 In Stylo Francese 04:40
• 7 Contrapunctus 7. a 4 per Augmentationem et Diminutionem 04:09
• 8 Contrapunctus 8. a 3 07:01
• 9 Contrapunctus 9. a 4 alla Duodecima 02:18
• 10 Contrapunctus 10. a 4 alla Decima 03:44
• 11 Contrapunctus 11. a 4 07:04
• 12 Contrapunctus inversus 12.1 a 4 03:01
• 13 Contrapunctus inversus 12.2 a 4 03:14
• 14 Contrapunctus inversus 13.1 a 3 02:08
• 15 Contrapunctus inversus 13.2 a 3 02:16
• 16 14. Canon alla Ottava 02:20
• 17 15. Canon alla Decima in Contrapunto alla Terza 04:16
• 18 16. Canon alla Duodecima in Contrapunto alla Quinta 01:59
• 19 17. Canon per augmentationem in Contrario Motu 08:03
• 20 18. Fuga a 3 Soggetti (Contrapunctus 14) 07:24
• 21 12. Canon in Hypodiatesseron al roversio per augmentationem, perpetuus 05:04
• Total Runtime 01:23:43

Info zu Bach: The Art Of The Fugue, BWV 1080

The first recording of the mystical The Art of Fugue by a world-renowned pianist since 1982. A pre-eminent performer of modern music, Aimard brings a unique and exciting approach to Bach.

Aimard is a high-profile, important performer, especially given his links to many of the great contemporary composers; his first Bach recording is certain to generate much of interest in the music press.

“…what Aimard offers is perhaps one of the most intellectually rigorous piano versions available. No contrapuntal density defeats his forensic brain or articulate fingers. He does find lyricism and exhilaration, but there is an evenness of purpose which is both a strength... and a weakness when set against the pronounced poetry of Koroliov or MacGregor.” (BBC Music Magazine)

This is Bach-playing to listen to every day, Fresh, spry and well modulated. If spirituality is to be found in The Art of Fugue, Aimard seems to say, it will not be through slow tempi, dynamic extremes or the quasi-religious trappings… Perhaps no pianist since Charles Rosen has no persuasively demonstrated that this contrapuntal encyclopaedia is to be heard as well as read.” (Gramophone)

“Staggering technique, searching intellect and fantastical imagination” New (York Times)

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano

Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Widely acclaimed as a key figure in the music of our time and as a uniquely significant interpreter of piano repertoire from every age, Pierre-Laurent Aimard enjoys an internationally celebrated career.

Each season he performs worldwide with major orchestras under conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Jurowski, Peter Eötvös, Sir Simon Rattle and Esa-Pekka Salonen. He has created, directed and performed in a number of residencies, including projects at Carnegie Hall, New York's Lincoln Center, Berlin's Philharmonie, Cité de la Musique in Paris, Tanglewood Festival and London's Southbank Centre. Currently Aimard is Artistic Director of the Aldeburgh Festival where he has impressed audiences and critics alike with his innovative programming.

Current and future highlights include solo recitals in London, New York, Chicago, Paris, Tokyo, Vienna, Beijing and Amsterdam. Concerto appearances include performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. In autumn 2014 he joins the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks to give the world premiere of a Piano Concerto by Sir Harrison Birtwistle, with further performances in Porto, London and Boston. In spring 2015 he undertakes a recital tour with Tamara Stefanovich, playing all of Pierre Boulez’s completed works for piano in celebration of the composer’s 90th birthday.

Aimard has had close collaborations with many leading composers including Kurtág, Stockhausen, Carter, Boulez and Benjamin and had a long association with György Ligeti, recording his complete works for piano. Most recently he performed Elliott Carter’s last piece: Epigrams for piano, cello and violin, which was written for him.

Through professorships at the Hochschule Köln and Conservatoire de Paris, as well as concert-lectures and workshops worldwide, he sheds an inspiring and very personal light on music of all periods. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Instrumentalist Award and was named “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America in 2007. In 2015 he launches a major online resource in collaboration with Klavier-Festival Ruhr and Vincent Meyer, centred on the performance and teaching of Ligeti’s piano music featuring masterclasses and performances of the Etudes and other works.

Aimard now records exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon. His first DG release, Bach's Art of Fugue, received both the Diapason d'Or and Choc du Monde de la Musique awards, debuted at No.1 on Billboard's classical chart and topped iTunes’ classical album download chart. In recent years Aimard’s recordings have been honoured with many prestigious awards . A new recording of Bach’s Wohl Tempered Klavier Book 1was released in summer 2014.

Born in Lyon in 1957, Pierre-Laurent Aimard studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Yvonne Loriod and in London with Maria Curcio. He was appointed Ensemble intercontemporain's first solo pianist by Pierre Boulez.

Booklet für Bach: The Art Of The Fugue, BWV 1080