Angela Hewitt writes of one of the gigues in this set that it should be rendered with "charm rather than bravura", and on another that it requires "clarity, precision, and a sense of line". These are apt descriptions of her own virtues throughout this set.

Hewitt’s interpretations are thoughtful and detailed, and might seem understated on first hearing.

For all her seeming moderation, Hewitt exploits most of the modern piano’s resources, displaying a wide range of articulation, dynamics and colours. She rarely projects immediate contrasts - sudden transition from loud to soft, or from full-toned to delicate; instead, she prefers constant nuances, subtly shifting attention between different strands in the texture, and cumulatively, almost imperceptibly, delineating a movement’s progression. Repeats are often varied (including additional ornamentation). Through these subtle means Hewitt projects the different characters of individual dances, as well as those of entire suites - from the radiant serenity of the Fourth Suite to the depth and grandeur of the Sixth.

The piano’s sound, and the recording, are sometimes over-resonant, and occasionally I would have preferred more incisive articulation. But these minor reservations hardly detracted from my enjoyment of these moving performances. This is one of the finest achievements in Hewitt’s highly-acclaimed Bach series. Fierce competition from András Schiff and Murray Perahia notwithstanding, this might well be the finest set of the English Suites on the piano. URI GOLOMB