David Fray's disc of Bach's keyboard concertos, performed with the German Chamber Philharmonic, Bremen, will not attract Baroque purists, but will appeal to a more impartial audience that can accept the ideas and performances of a pianist compared most often to
Glenn Gould.
Fray's playing seems somewhat more like a Classical-era interpretation of Bach. This stylistic ambiguity, heightened by the use of modern instruments, makes the listener hesitate in confusion about how to take
Fray's intentions. He offers neither historically informed performances in authentic Baroque style nor a fully modernized one, but something that can't be defined or pinned down for a snap judgment. His challenge to think about the music is a good thing, and even if
Fray's idiosyncratic choices don't sit well with every listener, he has at least presented a thought-provoking album that is quite listenable.