Bach’s 3rd Keyboard Partita isn’t often programmed and isn’t particularly well-known, perhaps because its mood of gentle restlessness is less immediately striking than what you find in the other 5 partitas. Yet it’s a wonderful set. It opens with a little gem of a Fantasia – a 2-part invention that’s a model of intelligently deployed imitative counterpoint, descending sequences, and contrary motion. It looks unassuming on paper, yet it’s strangely moving in a way that’s hard to articulate. An elegant Allemande follows, and a perky Corrente with delicious dotted rhythms. The Sarabande is a strangely orchestral thing, and sounds almost like a transcribed triosonata. The use of triplet semiquavers gives it a murmuring, introspective air. The Burlesca is a taut and rather funny thing – note its Scarlatti-esque use of parallel 4ths, and the descending run in octaves at [13:29]. The Scherzo – the only piece Bach ever gave this title to – is a dramatic and fleet-footed, full of Vivaldi-like energy. The closing Gigue features some very fuguelike 3-part counterpoint, and since it comes after the relatively light-hearted Burlesca and Scherzo, it is more intense and expressive than its form would lead you to expect. Blechacz’s playing here has a lovely quiet intensity to it, with extremely well-balanced voicing, precise articulation, and not the slightest hint of artifice: listen to how the Allemande unfurls with minimal fuss but maximal emotional intensity, or the gently relentless internal momentum of the Gigue. Anderszewski ploughs this partita for maximal expressive effect: the Burlesca and Scherzo are played to perfection, with bracing accents and crisp staccati, and the slightly slower tempo taken for the Gigue gives it something of the colour of a lament. Anderszewski’s also got a real eye for creative voicing and variation on repeats – the whole recording is a delight to listen to. Blechacz: 00:00 – 1. Fantasia 02:11 – 2. Allemande 05:55 – 3. Corrente 08:52 – 4. Sarabande 12:16 – 5. Burlesca 14:21 – 6. Scherzo 15:24 – 7. Gigue Anderszewski: 18:27 – 1. Fantasia 20:29 – 2. Allemande 23:28 – 3. Corrente 26:14 – 4. Sarabande 30:07 – 5. Burlesca 32:03 – 6. Scherzo 33:03 – 7. Gigue