Dame Myra Hess plays Bach's Concerto in D Minor BWV 1052

An unissued recording of Dame Myra Hess playing the Bach D Minor Concerto BWV 1052 with the Downe House Chamber Orchestra conducted by Marjorie Gunn, recorded at the Downe House School on June 15, 1958.

The Director of Music at Downe House for over fifty years, Marjorie Gunn (also spelled Gunne) was sister of Anita Gunn, longtime companion and secretary to Hess. The pianist would often give recitals and masterclasses at the school, and this performance comes from the opening concert of their Jubilee Hall. No recording of Hess playing this concerto has officially been issued to my knowledge (she played it with Boult in the 1950s), so this is a document of great historical interest.

The playing of the student orchestra is not at the same standard as the world class soloist, but Hess certainly is in very fine form. Aged 68 at the time of the performance, she plays with the beautiful tone and lyrical phrasing for which she was justly legendary, as well as with wonderful dynamic control and transparency of texture.

While the school's website features the first two movements of this performance in somewhat better sound than the source material provided to me by a subscriber, I have used the same source for all three movements to maintain consistency of sound through the entire performance. Unfortunately the recording cuts quite suddenly on the last note of the final movement, but that is a small inconvenience to be able to hear Hess in a significant concerted work not in her discography.

Sincerest thanks go to Nicholas Brown for having provided this recording for this upload!

For more about Hess and her artistry, my tribute prepared for the 130th anniversary of her birth:

https://www.thepianofiles.com/dame-my...