‘Switched-On Bach’ Gets 25-Year Tuneup

“SWITCHED-ON BACH 2000.” Wendy Carlos, synthesizers. Telarc CD-80323. Carlos updates her 25-year-old classic with new, digital versions of the original “Switched-On” program, adding a brief “Happy 25th, S-OB” parody-tribute as prelude and a new arrangement of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor as a bravura closer. The reinterpretations are generally more mellow and stylistically aware accounts than the originals, slower in tempo and using unequal tunings. Imitations of acoustic instruments are much more convincing, and the new sounds suavely manipulated, but the brash energy and cheerfully cheesy sonics of the earlier takes are missed in many places. Still, this makes for some sophisticated easy listening, and a valuable document for 25 years’ worth of technological and interpretive developments.