Bach: Toccata in F Sharp Minor, BWV 910 (Mndoyants, Peterson)

Bach’s F Sharp Minor Toccata in a good example of his mastering in using the counterpoint. After a brief introduction in the toccatistic style, we have a noble adagio in a rhythm of a sarabande. The first of the fugues is marked ‘Presto e staccato’ and its pointed subject no more than a descending scale with a short cadential trill attached, after that, we have a rather startling section in which the same arpeggiando figure is stated twenty-one times in a strange series of harmonic progressions, this leads us to the final fugue in 6/8 time, where the chromatic theme of the adagio is livened up, but made to be no less expressive. Mndoyants fully embodies Bach’s virtuosistic style, in this performance there is a good attention to voicing in the first adagio that contrasts with the presto and staccato section and the fugues have a strong character. Peterson is softer in every passage, more pianistic, but with a good attention to ornamentation. 00:00 - Mndoyants 10:26 - Peterson