An intimate peep into the domestic life of the Bach family is what makes Anna Magdalena's Notebook such a treasured collection, exceeding the didactic popularity which it has enjoyed in the last 100 years. This recording attempts to banish haunting memories of erroneous fingering in the Minuet in G and a ruler deftly placed on the offending digit. A degree of creativity from Tragicomedia should help: their selection takes full advantage of the flexibilities of Hausmusik and is performed not on keyboard instruments (which the Bachs would doubtless have used in the majority of cases) but on a variety of harps and lutes. In his note Andrew Lawrence-King explains the popularity at the time of plucked instruments in the interchangeable world of domestic music, though he does so without forcing the point. Tragicomedia's performances, then, are presented in a spirit of practical recreational music played on instruments that were 'at hand'. I would not argue with that for a minute—there is something extraordinarily restful about the harp—but so much ethereal plucking removes some of the earthy homeliness and immediacy which, say, a clavichord would undoubtedly provide. I wonder also whether such large-scale adaptation would appear as agreeable without someone of the imagination and talent of Lawrence-King.
The music which Anna Magdalena chose for her collection reflects many values of the Bach family, from the central place of religion (hence the number of chorales) to pieces by musical friends, admired colleagues and members of the family, as well as old favourites. The texts reveal an environment where peace, rest and comfort are highly prized, enhanced by an attraction to pastoral genres and 'slumber' pieces. This cosy world is acutely represented by Tragicomedia both in the undemonstrative settings and the warmth of expression which prevail throughout. The chorales are lovingly crafted and I found Francois Couperin's Rondeau, ''Les Bergeries'' (a great favourite) particularly charming. I am less persuaded, however, by John Potter's solo contributions, which sound too much like hard work While the tone blends finely in consort (at which he is a renowned exponent), solo singing of this nature does him a disservice, exposing vocal limitations (too often the high range forces him to resort to a pinched falsetto, as in ''Gedenke doch'') which neutralizes his genuinely natural sense of characterization. He appears as soloist in no less than a third of the programme and it is a shame that his music is not shared with other notable singers in the group. A project of mixed success then, but certainly performed in the right spirit. Only average recorded sound.'