Lea Suter interprets Bach on the clavichord
Bach himself played the Chaconne on the clavichord, but Suter is less concerned with imitating something historical than with showing how the harmonies and affects triggered by the bow pressure and speed of the violin can be reproduced almost perfectly on the sensitive keyboard of the clavichord. Following on from this, the Chromatic Fantasy reveals an intimate intensity that would never be possible on the harpsichord or even the modern grand piano” (DE)
Lisa Eranos, Class aktuell
It takes an artist of Suter’s caliber to coax such depth of expression from this fragile-sounding instrument. (DE)
Lisa Eranos, Class aktuell
“With the E minor partita from the first part of Bach’s “Klavierübung,” she has chosen a demanding work that combines a wide variety of stylistic features, from improvisation to fugue. She plays the seven movements deftly, breathing heavily, as it were, while her clavichord, an instrument built in 2022 based on Jacob Adlung (1699–1762), sounds clear and responds easily.” (DE)
Prof. Klaus Trapp – Klassik-heute
“Your recording is wonderful, not only the program which is very demanding. You play with an amazing virtuosity and a fantastic key touch. The clavichord sound with a long sustain and you use subtile dynamics, everything well related to the expression of the music. You bring Bach’s music with fine retorics and well defined phrases. The sound quality is also very good, one can ‘catch’ the sound easily with the ear, the balance is good and natural. This is a top recording! I am very happy Lea.”
Joris Potvlieghe
“Lea Suter performs two major works in an extremely lively and narrative manner: Partita No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830, and Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903; the intensity is heightened when listening with headphones. Violin works can also be transposed, as Suter demonstrates with the great Chaconne from the Solo Partita BWV 1004. Both the work and the instrument pass the test with flying colors.” (DE)
Sebastian Loskant, Weser Kurier
“I find the tonal range of this instrument in the recording fascinating. When I first listened to it, I thought a second instrument was added in one movement.” (DE)
concertgoers
“Your concert in the Gothic chapel was wonderful and deeply moved me (I told you it was my first clavichord concert since an earlier concert at the Tagen Alter Musik in Herne in the 1970s).
As I drove home that evening with a CD, I thought: CDs brought home from concerts are often disappointing because of poor recording quality and performance.
The second thing that thrilled me about your concert was that when I got home, I saw that your CD had been released by Dabringhaus & Grimm, one of the world’s best labels for classical music sound and performance, and what’s more, it was brand new.
When I listened to the CD, I was completely captivated by the music, just as I had been at the concert, and listened until the very last chord (where you changed to major in the concert). A fascinating, exemplary recording of your selected works by Bach! And the fine booklet text on the instrument, its builder, the music, and contemporary commentary is also by you. Congratulations! I think it’s great that you are bringing the clavichord out of the shadows behind the harpsichord and organ and into the light.“ (DE)
concertgoers
