CD Hotlist

The title of this recent Bach recording might lead you to expect some kind of minimalist – or perhaps even New Age – approach to the music. But that’s not what’s happening. Jonathan Phillips’ solo piano recording is straightforward: it’s a warmly produced and intimate-sounding collection of selections from Bach’s keyboard compositions including assorted preludes and fugues, sections and movements from the Goldberg Variations and various concertos, arrangements of cantata extracts, etc.

All are selected with the purpose of helping “anyone hoping to gain an overriding sense of stillness, calm, contemplation and reverence.” Phillips makes no sacrifices of rigor in his interpretations, which are both emotionally rich and stylistically thoughtful — but he has successfully selected a program that gently feeds the soul.

—Rick Anderson