Jacques Loussier - Play Bach Aux Champs-Élysées (2CD) (2002)

Fans of Jacques Loussier who - like me - feel the Play Bach Trios (all three of them) did/do their best work before a live audience have long wondered what became of the unused 25 min. or so of material comprising the full evening's performance from which the initial DECCA (London) 2 Lp set of 1965 was drawn. With advent of the CD it was hoped that the 82 min. of material on the two Lp set could have applause edited down to where it would be allowed onto a CD. (A CD can be made to hold up to 82 min. but then does not conform to Red Book standards). But no such release was forthcoming. There was A CD release of the 2 disc Lp set material by Polydor of Japan under the London label but this disc omitted the Concerto no.2 entirely.

Well, this may be the end of the wait. Here is a little over 107 min. of the "Live at the Theatre Champs Elysees" performance of 1965 - which was probably all there was allowing for a 15 min. intermission. This CD set is beautifully packaged in a release by DECCA France and although the $30 price is a little steep for what is essentially long amortized material the Overture to Cantata no.29 (BWV 645) which concludes the disc - and which, although I have not heard ALL the innumerable tracks that encompass ALL the multiple label releases of the three Trios, I have not heard before - is in itself worth the price of admission.