J S BACH

“The Art of Fugue”

This recording includes the fourteen Contrapuncti and the Inversus sections of Contrapuncti 12 and 13, but not the optional Canons.

Diana Boyle, piano

A very distinctive and thoughtful interpretation of Bach’s ‘academic exercise’, imbued with classical/romantic phrasing which brings the music out of its formalistic background.

Diana Boyle was born in London and educated at St. Paul's Girls' School and as a Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music. After making her London recital debut in 1979 she gave concerts in the USA, Canada, Spain, Portugal and England. She also taught piano and chamber music in London and in the USA. In 1987, Diana was invited to make a series of recordings for National Public Radio in Boston. This included performances of the Bach Partitas, the late Schubert Sonatas, and Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. In 1990 Diana returned to the Bach Partitas, recording this time at Forde Abbey in Dorset. She then turned to the late Brahms piano works Op 76 and Op 116-119, Bach's Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 followed in 2000, Bach Goldberg Variations in 2003 and now this recording of Bach Art of Fugue - All taking place at Forde Abbey.

”As a Bach player Diana Boyle is at once fastidious and a free spirit. Everything is newly invented, and crackling with intellectual energy. These pieces emerge in truly towering sequence.” - Paul Driver (The Sunday Times)

“There is so much to enjoy in her playing. It is wonderfully clear, bringing out Bach's counterpoint to perfection and this recording is a must for those who want to study these works from the academic point of view of Bach's counterpoint. She also has a marvellous way to make some of the music very robust and does not play Bach in that wishy washy, pastel and affected way. For this and many other qualities she is to be commended.” – MusicWeb

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