Bach Recommendations


Bach is my favorite composer. Please recommend his best recordings. I'm making a Christmas list!

TIA

klimt

Anything by  Virgil Fox. Best recordings of his that I have were on Crystal Clear D2D.

Michael Murray was also very good on Telarc recordings, not sure if he did Bach but I would think so. I may even have some, I simply don't remember all that I have in my collection. 

Older E Power Biggs was also very good. Technically, more correct than Fox but I preferred the Fox versions. They just weren't possible in the days of Bach, so were written in such a way that they could be played on a baroque organ. 

If you don’t have Glenn Gould’s Goldbergs they are highly recommended 

Bach is a world unto himself.  I agree with all the recommendations made so far.  Martha Augerich too for the Goldbergs, but there are others.  My best, first recommendation would be to buy the whole thing, meaning every J.S. Bach piece that has survived into the modern era.  For that turn to Helmut Rilling's Complete set.  147 cds if memory serves.  They can be stolen almost at today's knock down prices.  For something completely different, try Wendy (nee Walter) Carlos' Switched On Bach.  Whatever you acquire try to get at least a sampling of each of his major genres:  Keyboard (i.e. organ, harpsichord, piano - he did not like this instrument, it was not the sophisticated thing it was to become in his lifetime), orchestral (The Brandenburgs etc.), cantatas (his forte), motets.