This is the second installment in Phantasm’s series of recordings dedicated to the keyboard music of J. S. Bach. The first was named a Chamber Choice by BBC Music Magazine and Prise de son d’exception by Diapason. This new recording explores further riches from both volumes of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier arranged by director Laurence Dreyfus for viol consort. Reimaging Bach’s keyboard polyphony as consort music has the dual benefits of expanding Bach’s chamber oeuvre whilst also presenting these highly-cherished works as seemingly new, never before heard gems, ripe for discovery. Despite its pedagogical inception Bach’s musical imagination imbues the Well-Tempered Clavier with intellectually complex fugues and preludes bursting with dancing melodies. Phantasm offers a wealth of insights into these highly artistic works revealing sonorities and colors that are both dynamically expressive and revelatory.

REVIEWS:

In this superb new recording, Phantasm present a beautifully realised transcription of preludes and fugues from both sets of Bach’s monumental survey of all 24 major and minor keys, known as The Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV846-869 and BWV 870-893).

...It is remarkable how fully realised these transformed pieces are, and it is a testament to Dreyfus’ deep understanding of Bach’s polyphonic textures, that render them utterly compelling.

Given the consistently outstanding standard of playing throughout the 24 pieces, identifying highlights seems a hollow exercise...There is clear separation of the parts throughout, allowing each strand to be followed, but the production is also open and warm. It strikes me that the size and space afforded within Magdalen Chapel, Oxford is perfect for such small scale chamber ensembles, but the engineers should also be roundly congratulated for so perfectly capturing this music.

I first became aware of Phantasm on the release of Bach’s Art of Fugue in the late 1990s, and it has been a great pleasure to follow their recordings since, each one marked by erudite scholarship, and expressive and convincing playing. Engineering of their more recent performances (particularly for the Linn label) is consistently outstanding and it all comes together superbly in this second instalment which, unlike the first...is solely dedicated to preludes and fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. That first disc received outstanding reviews across the board, but this new recording is an even greater triumph. I hardly need to add that it will unquestionably be considered one of the recorded classical music highlights of the year.

-- Musicweb International