Bach: The English Suites

Jonathan Ferrucci claims to be ‘addicted’ to Bach. For the Florence-born pianist with Australian-Italian roots, Bach’s works are an inexhaustible universe: “When I prepare a complete cycle, I gain a deeper understanding of the music.” Following his recording of the Bach toccatas, Ferrucci now turns to the six English Suites.

For their interpretation, he deliberately chooses a modern concert grand piano, a Yamaha CFX. Ferrucci combines its sonic possibilities with nuanced touch, personal ornamentation, expansive dramatic arcs, and flexible tempo. The result is a vision of Bach that is as individual as it is contemporary.

The English Suites, whose (later added) titles have inspired considerable speculation, were composed during Bach’s Köthen years and reflect the musical fashions of the time. French dance movements meet preludes in which Bach reflects the cutting-edge Italian concerto form. At the same time, the works display the complexity that fascinates Ferrucci so much about Bach: virtuosity, expressiveness, and compositional refinement combine to create one of the most important cycles in piano literature.