From the House of Master Böhm

01/01/2013
Michael Southern
Pittwater Life (Australia)

Georg Böhm was a leading baroque master of the harpsichord. The young JS Bach in 1700 spoke of Böhm as the greatest keyboard virtuoso he had ever met. Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach said he loved and studied with this master with reverence, according to the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs 2005 edition. His suites, four of which are presented on this disc followed the formal conventions of the day but are of high quality. O’Donnell who studied keyboard at Sydney Conservatorium and turned to harpsichord and organ at Durham in the UK gives a splendid performance on a modern instrument. In addition, there is a terrific performance of the great Praeludium in G minor on a disc which once again displays Melba’s talent for showcasing local performance. The founding benefactor of Melba was the late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. We shall always be grateful.