Goldberg Variations

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com's Best of 2000
Thanks to the Bach anniversary year, we've enjoyed a bonanza of interpretations of the master. One of the most honestly compelling--Murray Perahia's account of the Goldberg Variations--uniquely underscored the fundamental subtext behind all the celebration: the wondrous inexhaustibility of Bach's creative imagination. Perahia has come to a new understanding of Bach in the full prime of his career, and his first recording of this monument communicates the wealth of his insights with color, depth, and subtly charged poetry. --Thomas May

Amazon.com
Listen to the music first! Perahia's booklet essay is a dry musicological treatise concerned with technical aspects of Bach's music. His performance, on the other hand, is filled with life and excitement. The kind of overt virtuosity heard in some of these variations has been a rarity in Perahia's recordings, but it shows how wide a range he intends to cover in his playing of this masterpiece. Unlike Glenn Gould, who is most listeners' touchstone for piano performances of the Goldbergs, Perahia... read more

Goldberg Variations

Goldberg Variations, Music, Johann Sebastian Bach, Murray Perahia, Baroque Variations for Keyboard, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Keyboard
Bach: The Goldberg Variations 1955 Performance: Zenph Re-performance
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • I was there...and I love the CD.
  • The classics never die; just reborn!
  • sorry I am in the B. Johnson camp
  • Beautiful to a listener unfamiliar with original recording
  • Glenn Gould...without the humming!
 Bach: The Goldberg Variations 1955 Performance: Zenph Re-performance

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000LE0THE
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Tracks:

  1. Aria
  2. Variation 1
  3. Variation 2
  4. Variation 3: Canon On The Unison
  5. Variation 4
  6. Variation 5
  7. Variation 6: Canon On The Second
  8. Variation 7
  9. Variation 8
  10. Variation 9: Canon On The Third
  11. Variation 10: Fughetta
  12. Variation 11
  13. Variation 12: Canon On The Fourth
  14. Variation 13
  15. Variation 14
  16. Variation 15: Canon On The Fifth
  17. Variation 16: Ouverture
  18. Variation 17
  19. Variation 18: Canon On The Sixth
  20. Variation 19
  21. Variation 20
  22. Variation 21: Canon On The Seventh
  23. Variation 22: Alla Breve
  24. Variation 23
  25. Variation 24: Canon On The Octave
  26. Variation 25
  27. Variation 26
  28. Variation 27: Canon On The Ninth
  29. Variation 28
  30. Variation 29
  31. Variation 30: Quodlibet
  32. Aria Da Capo
  33. Aria
  34. Variation 1
  35. Variation 2
  36. Variation 3: Canon On The Unison
  37. Variation 4
  38. Variation 5
  39. Variation 6: Canon On The Second
  40. Variation 7
  41. Variation 8
  42. Variation 9: Canon On The Third
  43. Variation 10: Fughetta
  44. Variation 11
  45. Variation 12: Canon On The Fourth
  46. Variation 13
  47. Variation 14
  48. Variation 15: Canon On The Fifth
  49. Variation 16: Ouverture
  50. Variation 17
  51. Variation 18: Canon On The Sixth
  52. Variation 19
  53. Variation 20
  54. Variation 21: Canon On The Seventh
  55. Variation 22: Alla Breve
  56. Variation 23
  57. Variation 24: Canon On The Octave
  58. Variation 25
  59. Variation 26
  60. Variation 27: Canon On The Ninth
  61. Variation 28
  62. Variation 29
  63. Variation 30: Quodlibet
  64. Aria Da Capo

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I was there...and I love the CD........2007-07-05

A friend of mine is a Yamaha piano technician and he got tickets for my wife and I to attend the recording of the Zenph re-issue at the Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto. It was such a mystical and magical experience, I heard pianists say that "Gould's ghost had walked into the room". The concert was astounding. That's why I bought the CD.
I'm listening to it as I write this and rate it 5 stars.

5 out of 5 stars The classics never die; just reborn!.......2007-06-28

This masterful re-edition allows the new generations may even get closer to what this recording meant in 1955 for the musical universe. It's hard to guess how many listeners became music lovers of this genre, because of Gould was if I may the first and possibly the greates artisitc achievement in the history of the music.

These Goldberg meant a true openess and at the same time the most convincing proof the classic music was far to be considered a status issue reserved just for a minory. Besides it illuminated the interpretative flame of many new pianists who understood had became an icon of the instrument and a key force in what Bach's music concerned.

The superb quality of sound is outstanding, and due the fact that 25 years ago Gould left us, we have the suspect there will be mnusch more pleasant surprises of Sonny in what concerns new releases of this genius of the keyboard.

3 out of 5 stars sorry I am in the B. Johnson camp.......2007-06-26

My heart skipped and my tummy got the butterflies when I saw this in Barnes & Noble. I had not heard anything about it. Well I am not a classical music critic, but I know good recordings. Part of the reason is that I've read every one of B. Johnson's reviews. If you are reading this B. Johnson thanks for your reviews, you even got me into Murakami.

That being said I listened to it in Barnes & Noble. The sound quality was stunning. Yet I too did feel something was missing. So lo and behold I came here first chance I get and see the reviews. And of course B. Johnson stated what I felt was true.

So even me a non-expert knew something was wrong.

I am in the camp that thinks something is missing with this recording. Still it is an interesting idea. Hopefully they will continue to experiment and improve this technology.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful to a listener unfamiliar with original recording.......2007-06-13

I have read several critiques of this "re-performance" claiming that it falls short of the original. While this may be true, I am unfamiliar with the original and find this to be a truly moving and beautiful reproduction. Within minutes of my first listen, I forgot about the technology that made the album possible and found myself captivated by Gould's brilliance.

It's to be expected that music lovers will compare the Zenph performance against the original, but I think listeners should also try enjoying this CD on its own merits. It's a great way for those of us accustomed to high quality recordings to appreciate a great performance of the past.

3 out of 5 stars Glenn Gould...without the humming!.......2007-06-09

Well...not exactly. When I originally heard of this recording, I was intrigued with the concept. I've been a huge fan of the Gould versions of the Goldberg Variations for quite awhile, but more so of the 1980 rendition than the 1955 version, largely because the latter's sound quality was so relatively poor (recorded in mono, lots of hiss and background noise, etc.). So the idea that I could obtain a cleaned up version of Mr. Gould's breakthrough recording, not only in stereo but in SACD was immediately appealing to me. As such I purchased a copy as soon as I could.

My biggest concern was that the "performance" would be mechanical and not sound like a human playing the piano, let alone not sound like Mr. Gould himself at the keyboard. That concern was quickly wiped away as I started to listen to it. There is not a hint of mechanical, overly systematic playing. It truly sounds like there is a person stroking the keys to Bach's magnificent composition. But is that person Glenn Gould resurrected from the dead? I checked this out by playing each movement from this recording back to back with each movement from the original 1955 recording. What I found was that, while this "re-performance" certainly captures the tempo and pacing of the original recording, and much of it's height and depth of playing, it failed to retain the energy of many of the intensely struck notes or the gentleness of many of the softly struck notes. As a result, the liveliness and tenderness of Gould's playing is significantly lost in this production, which is what I thought made his playing so unique in the first place.

As such, while I recommend this recording as an interesting experiment in technology, and definately an enjoyable rendering of the Goldberg Variations, don't think that you will be getting a true "cleaned up" version of the 1955 recording. It comes surprisingly close, but sadly no cigar. Glenn Gould unfortunately remains in his grave.
Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Awesome CD
  • He started dancing as soon as we put it on!
  • Better than baby einstein
  • great music at a great price
  • A Wonderful CD for all ages
 Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music

Manufacturer: Ent. Media Partners
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002XE8
Release Date: 1997-10-24

Tracks:

  1. Clair de Lune
  2. Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Romance: Andante
  3. Moonlight Sonata: Adagio sestonuto
  4. Minute Waltz
  5. On The Beautiful Blue Danube
  6. The Nutcracker Suite: Russian Dance
  7. El Amor Brujo: Danca del Terror
  8. Grand Valse Brillante, Waltz No. 1 op. 18
  9. Scenes Of Childhood Op. 15: Knight Of The Rocking Horse; Important Event
  10. Goldberg Variations: Aria
  11. The Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance
  12. Symphony No. 7: Allegro molto
  13. Symphony No. 94: Menuetto: Allegro molto
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Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Awesome CD.......2007-05-11

Have enjoyed this CD immensely with our four-year old. Great price for the quality. Thank you.

5 out of 5 stars He started dancing as soon as we put it on!.......2007-01-09

My 12 month old loves this CD and happily bops away to the music (in the car he sometimes even starts singing!). We like it too and not being very well versed in Classical music, it is a nice mix for us.

5 out of 5 stars Better than baby einstein.......2006-02-26

This is a great CD, with great music, at a great price. Everyone seems to love Baby Einstein, but I don't like the plinking music on those CD's, I like real orchestral pieces to stimulate my child. This is exactly what parents need, at a good price!

5 out of 5 stars great music at a great price.......2006-02-02

I got this cd to use as background when putting my 18 month old to sleep and for car rides. So far it has not made it out of the car. The cd is wonderful. The first song is the Luftansa airline comercial song (that is what my husband calls it) and is beautiful. I didn't think my husband would enjoy the cd at all but he doesn't mind one bit listening to it, he actually will put it on himself when we get in the car. My daughter loves it and will often start nodding her head back and forth to songs. I actually listen to it even when my daughter is not in the car. The music is soft and relaxing but not boring. It is also one of the only cd's that my in laws don't mind listening to when they are in the car with us.

I only paid like $4 here on amazon for it and I gladdly would of paid more for such a great cd. Its a great cd for such a great price!

5 out of 5 stars A Wonderful CD for all ages.......2002-11-03

My whole family has enjoyed this CD. It is very upbeat and easy to listen to. I think there is something for everyone on this one.
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • the most relaxing classical music in the university
  • Relaxing Classical Music
  • Stress-freedom
  • Greatly enjoy!
  • the most relaxing classical music in the universe
 The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Johann Sebastian Bach , Ralph Vaughan Williams , George Frideric Handel , Gustav Holst , Samuel Barber , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Antonin Dvorak , Franz Liszt , Charles Gounod , Fryderyk Chopin , Alexander Borodin , Maurice Ravel , Antonio Vivaldi , Satie, Erik , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008RH16
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

  1. Canon - Pachelbel
  2. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Andante - Mozart
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  10. Greensleeves - Vaughn Williams
  11. Largo from Xerxes - Handel
  12. Prelude in C - Bach
  13. The Planets - Venus - Holst
  14. Goldberg Variations - Aria - Bach
  15. Adagio for Strings - Barber

Tracks:

  1. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun - Debussy
  2. Fur Elise - Beethoven
  3. Holberg Suite - Sarabande - Grieg
  4. Valse Triste - Sibelius
  5. Concerto in F Minor - Largo - Bach
  6. Serenade for String - Moderato - Dvorak
  7. Liebestraume - Liszt
  8. Ave Maria - Bach/Bounod
  9. Etude in E Major - Chopin
  10. String Quartet No 2 - Nocturne - Borodin
  11. Arabesque - Debussy
  12. Pavane for Dead Princess - Ravel
  13. The Four Seasons - Largo - Vivaldi
  14. Gymno0pedie 1 - Satie
  15. Moonlight Sonata - Adagio - Beethoven
  16. Piano Concerto No 21 - Andante - Mozart "Elvira Madigan"

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars the most relaxing classical music in the university.......2007-05-12

All my favorites. I can start the CD player, which is wired to speakers in every room of my house, and just let it play, along with "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World" and "The Most Relaxing Classical Guitar in the World." I enjoy an awareness of familiar and beautiful strains of my favorites all day long and never get tired of it.

My brother visited me recently and noticed it right away. That will be another order for this fabulour music.

5 out of 5 stars Relaxing Classical Music.......2007-01-08

I was not really a classical music fan but I am now. I purchased this cd for my 14 year old grand-daughter, not knowing we would both enjoy the music so much. She has always enjoyed classical music along with all of the other teen music, rap, rock, country, etc.
Also, it really helped being able to listen to parts of the music before purchasing.

2 out of 5 stars Stress-freedom.......2006-03-14

Perfect music to end the work day. After listening to this I can face the evening. If the morning is hard, a little at lunch time gets me through the afternoon.

5 out of 5 stars Greatly enjoy!.......2006-02-23

I first developed a taste for this music a number of years ago when my daughter started playing in the orchestra. The reason I made this purchase however, was because I have a great deal of difficulty with anxiety and I was looking for ways to find help. I love these CDs. It helps so much to sit and close my eyes and enjoy the music. The CDs are full of beautiful music.

5 out of 5 stars the most relaxing classical music in the universe.......2005-09-21

it's the best next to the first one...
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • something to have
  • Excellent Music
  • buy now
  • Lovely
  • Aesthetically Pleasing
 The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
  2. The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
  3. The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
  4. The Most Relaxing Jazz Music in the Universe
  5. The World's Favorite Piano Music

ASIN: B000059Q4Q
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

  1. II: Andante - Stephen Hough
  2. I: Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
  3. Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) - Dame Moura Lympany
  4. Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat - John Ogdon
  5. Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
  6. II: Adagio - Cecile Ousset
  7. Tango - Dame Moura Lympany
  8. Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - John Ogdon
  9. Waltz No. 9 In A Flat - Dmitri Alexeev
  10. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Cecile Ousset
  11. Traumerei - Dame Moura Lympany
  12. La Maja Y El Ruisenor - Magda Tagliaferro
  13. Nocturne No. 5 In F-sharp Minor - Maurizio Pollini
  14. Gymnopedie No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
  15. Fur Elise - Dame Moura Lympany
  16. Etude In E 'Tristesse' - John Ogdon
  17. Fruhlingslied - Daniel Adni
  18. II: Andante - Dmitri Alexeev

Tracks:

  1. II: Adagio Cantabile - Walter Gieseking
  2. II: Romanze - Annie Fischer
  3. Aria - Maria Tipo
  4. II: Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
  5. Granada - Gonzalo Soriano
  6. Waltz No. 15 In A Flat - Maura Lympany
  7. II: Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
  8. An Den Fruhling - Daniel Adni
  9. Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat - Daniel Adni
  10. II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Walter Gieseking
  11. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Dame Moura Lympany
  12. Cancons I Dansas No. 1 - Gonzalo Soriano
  13. II: Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
  14. Prelude No. 15 In D Flat 'Raindrop' - Dmitri Alexeev
  15. Gnossienne No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
  16. Berceuse - Jean-Philippe Collard
  17. Minuet In G - Dame Moura Lympany
  18. Berceuse In D Flat - Peter Donohoe

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars something to have.......2007-03-14

These CD's are filled with all the awesome relaxing songs for the evening when you need it. It is just one of those must have items in your CD collection.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Music.......2007-02-19

This album was a "try and see" purchase but I love it. It makes great dinner music, great music to drift off to sleep with, or just nice background filler during social events needing a softer tone. It is not all solo piano music if that s what you are after; the other instruments blend very well however and don't challenge the piano playing. It is a piano album after all!

5 out of 5 stars buy now.......2006-09-01

Want to know why I think the piano is the best musical instrument ever invented? Because no matter how the piano is played, it will always sound good. Whether the music is fast, slow, quiet or loud, it ALWAYS delivers with an appealing sound. This is something you need to buy.

5 out of 5 stars Lovely.......2006-02-22

This is a beautiful calming cd. The playing is excellent and the pieces are well chosen.

5 out of 5 stars Aesthetically Pleasing.......2005-09-14

I simply love piano music. If you're looking to relax, enjoy a peaceful time, then you must check out this album. If you truly enjoy piano music, this album is by far one of the best you can purchase.

As it says....it is the "Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever..." Well, I haven't listened to all piano albums in the world, but I don't need to, this one is just perfect for me, and I think you will agree!

I would say the pianists' are extremely accomplished. At times, I would admit-it's a bit 'spine tingling'!

Simply Baroque
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Simply the Best
 Simply Baroque

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Yo-Yo Ma - Simply Baroque II ~ Bach & Boccherini / ABO, Koopman
  2. Vivaldi's Cello
  3. The Dvorak Album
  4. Classic Yo-Yo
  5. Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites

ASIN: B0000CD5G9
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

  1. Sei Lob Und Preis Mit Ehren
  2. Erbarme Dich
  3. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
  4. Ertot' Uns Durch Dein' Gute
  5. Ich Ruf' Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ
  6. Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel Herunter
  7. Lab Mein Herz Die Munze Sein
  8. Dein Blut, Der Edle Saft
  9. 'Air On A G String'
  10. Cello Concerto In G Major
  11. Cello Concerto In G Major
  12. Cello Concerto In G Major
  13. Cello Concerto In D Major
  14. Cello Concerto In D Major
  15. Cello Concerto In D Major
  16. Cello Concerto In D Major
  17. Was Gott Tut, Das Ist Wohlgetan
  18. Aria From Goldberg Variations
  19. Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Simply the Best.......2005-05-31

I can only say, that as far as I am concerned, this is just some of the best music I have ever heard.... Im guessing this is the way Bach intended his music to sound in the first place, and who better for that than the AMO and Koopman...and of course YO YO... if u love classic music, you are absolutly going to LOVE this cd..I highly recommend it
A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing playing but
  • Absolutely maddening
  • "Oddly ferocious attacks"
  • One for the ages.
  • A Life-Affirming Adventure
 A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Johann Sebastian Bach , Glenn Gould , and Tim Page
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Art of the Fugue - 70th Anniversary Edition
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  5. Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41

ASIN: B00006FI7C
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Tracks:

  1. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria
  2. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 1
  3. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 2
  4. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 3. Canon On The Unison
  5. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 4
  6. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 5
  7. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 6. Canon On The Second
  8. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 7
  9. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 8
  10. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 9. Canon On The Third
  11. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 10. Fughetta
  12. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 11
  13. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 12. Canon On The Fourth
  14. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 13
  15. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 14
  16. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 15. Canon On The Fifth
  17. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16. Overture
  18. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 17
  19. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 18. Canon On The Sixth
  20. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19
  21. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 20
  22. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 21. Canon On The Seventh
  23. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 22. Alla Breve
  24. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 23
  25. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 24. Canon On The Octave
  26. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 25
  27. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 26
  28. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 27. Canon On The Ninth
  29. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 28
  30. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 29
  31. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 30. Quodlibet
  32. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria Da Capo

Tracks:

  1. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria
  2. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 1
  3. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 2
  4. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 3. Canon On The Unison
  5. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 4
  6. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 5
  7. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 6. Canon On The Second
  8. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 7
  9. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 8
  10. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 9. Canon On The Third
  11. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 10. Fughetta
  12. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 11
  13. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 12. Canon On The Fourth
  14. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 13
  15. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 14
  16. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 15. Canon On The Fifth
  17. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16. Overture
  18. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 17
  19. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 18. Canon On The Sixth
  20. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19
  21. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 20
  22. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 21. Canon On The Seventh
  23. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 22. Alla Breve
  24. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 23
  25. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 24. Canon On The Octave
  26. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 25
  27. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 26
  28. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 27. Canon On The Ninth
  29. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 28
  30. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 29
  31. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 30. Quodlibet
  32. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria Da Capo

Tracks:

  1. Glen Gould Discusses His Peformances Of The Goldberg Variations With Time Page, August 22, 1982, Toronto, Canada
  2. Studio Outtakes From The 1955 Goldberg Variations Recording Session

Amazon.com

Glenn Gould's recording debut in 1955 of Bach's Goldberg Variations took the world by storm. His decidedly un-Romantic view, absolute technical skill, startling lucidity, and right-on rhythmic changes, combined with his eccentricities--audible humming, sometimes outrageously fast tempi--made him an instantly legendary pianist and elucidated Bach's music in a whole new way. Gould's final recording, 26 years later, was also of the Goldbergs. It's a more relaxed, sometimes much slower, more inward reading (although still very much his own, complete with oddly ferocious attacks and accents), in which he offers repeats of the first half of 15 of the Variations. Both performances are glorious, each in its own way, and this luxurious new set of three CDs is entertaining, a joy to hear, and revelatory; it belongs in any music lover's collection. The third CD is devoted to outtakes and chatter from recording sessions. At one point, Gould improvises "God Save the King" and exhibits how it turns into "The Star-Spangled Banner." And a long interview with critic Tim Page offers great insight into Gould's weird humor and unique outlook. A must-have collection. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Amazing playing but.......2007-07-14

Glenn Gould has mastered the Bach, Goldberg Variations with out a question of doubt. His playing and style is absolutely amazing. The part that spoils the whole thing for me is when he starts humming. If you listen to it with the head phones on you can hear him humming away in the back ground. It is such a shame as he spoils his own brilliant performance.

1 out of 5 stars Absolutely maddening.......2007-07-10

Imagine going to live piano recital. The music is gorgeous, you're really getting into it - and the person next to you starts humming along. You try to block it out, but the more you do, the more conscious of it you become. It becomes all you can hear, and suddenly the performance is just background noise to the humming. That's my experience with these CDs, the 1981 version more so than the 1955. Perhaps the humming's not so prominent when played on a proper stereo system, but listening on my PC with a pair of headphones, the humming is all I hear, and it's absolutely maddening. I can deal with the hiss, but the infernal humming is just too much for my mere mortal concentration. It may be the most amazing performance of anything ever, but if you can't listen to it, does it matter?

1 out of 5 stars "Oddly ferocious attacks".......2007-05-08

My title comes from the editorial review above. Why such attacks? Bach wrote the Goldberg Variations for a harpsichord with two registers (two keyboards). Until Wanda Ladowska revived them in the 1930s, on a "pian-arpsichord" built specially for her, they were considered unplayable on piano. That opinion was correct, like it or not. The contrasts of register, intrinsic to the music, CANNOT be rendered intelligently merely by hammering ornaments and dancing on the pedals. Some pianists, however, come closer to making decent music of the Goldbergs by subduing their egos and letting the delicacy of the counterpoint be heard. There may be a case for playing Bach's other harpsichord solo works on piano -- Richard Goode does a decent job, for instance -- but the Goldberg Variations belong on harpsichord only forevermore.

5 out of 5 stars One for the ages........2007-02-14

To be a sonic witness to this music is a real treat. Gould's approach both times is so personal and probing. What is really satisfying is how the 1981 recording is not just a rehash of 1955. Each era has it's own unique and distinct personality. This is a "must" in your musical collection.

5 out of 5 stars A Life-Affirming Adventure.......2007-01-06

If you are new to Bach and Gould, "A State of Wonder" offers you a life-affirming adventure. This 3-disc package includes Glenn Gould's 1955 recording of the Goldberg Variations, with raw exuberance and breakneck speed. Disc 2 contains his 1981 reinterpretation, and this music has never sounded more divinely beautiful to this perpetual Bach student. Disc 3 is icing on the cake, featuring Gould's professorial zeal and musical logic (also lame but endearing humor). If you love the Goldberg--and I passionately hope you will--then curiosity will lead you to superb piano versions by Andras Schiff and Murray Perahia, and Wanda Landowska on the harpsichord. For further Bachian "wonder," Artur Schnabel's recording of the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue is awesome. Gould's Bach, however, remains my favorite. As for the brouhaha about his sometimes audible humming, I love it: Glenn lives!
Essential Bach
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • so amazing
  • Essential Bach is OK
  • Excellent collection of mostly recognizeable music
  • Exquisite Essential Bach
  • Good
 Essential Bach

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004SPLF
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

  1. Toccata And Fugue In D Minor: Toccata in D minor
  2. Orchestral Suite No. 3 In D Major: Air
  3. Prelude in C major
  4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G Major: Allegro
  5. Goldberg Variations: Aria
  6. Sleepers Awake: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
  7. Violin Concerto No.1 In A Minor: I Allegro moderato
  8. Jesu, joy of man's desiring
  9. Keyboard Concerto No.4: Allegro: I Allegro
  10. Cello Suite No.3: Bourees I & II: Bourrees I And II
  11. Concerto for Oboe & Violin In C Minor: Adagio
  12. Mass In B minor: Crucifixus
  13. Cello Suite No.1 in G Major: Praeludium
  14. French Suite No.5 in G major: Gigue
  15. Prelude in D Minor
  16. Brandenburg Concerto No.5 In D Major: III Allegro
  17. Matthaus-Passion: St Matthew Passion

Tracks:

  1. Brandenberg Concerto No.2 In F Major: I Allegro
  2. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: II Largo, ma non tanto
  3. Lute Suite In E Major: Prelude
  4. Cantata: Sheep may safely graze
  5. Cello Sonata In G Minor: II Adagio (excerpt)
  6. Italian Concerto In F Major: II Allegro
  7. Weihnachtsoratorium: Pastoral sinfonia
  8. Violin Concerto No.1 In A Minor: II Andante
  9. Partita No.1 In B Flat Major: Gigue
  10. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor: Menuet
  11. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor: Badinerie
  12. Oboe Concerto In F Major: Siciliano
  13. Brandenberg Concerto No.3 In G Major: I Allegro
  14. Violin Partita No.2 In D Minor: Allemande
  15. Violin Partita No.2 In D Minor: Gigue
  16. Keyboard Concerto No.2 In E Major: I Allegro (excerpt)
  17. Cantata: Sanctify us by thy goodness
  18. Keyboard Concerto No.5 In F Minor: II Largo
  19. Concerto In A Minor: I Allegro

Amazon.com

It is not possible to fit 36 Bach masterpieces on two CDs, so what Essential Bach does is present individual movements from across a range of the composer's work. The anthology is clearly aimed at the newcomer, and the absence of booklet notes to put the music in context is disappointing. We are only given titles, performers, and what films the extracts have been featured in, from Rollerball to The English Patient.

On the plus side, most if not all of the music is instantly recognizable, by melody if not by name. Everything from the Brandenburg Concertos to "Air on a G String" to the B Minor Mass and St. Matthew Passion is represented. Performances range from 1960 to 1993, encompassing both early instrument and modern orchestra interpretations by a wide variety of forces, including Sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Raymond Leppard leading the English Chamber Orchestra. Given such diversity the result is unavoidably a patchwork, albeit one made from the finest materials, and as such is perhaps best treated as a sampler to aid exploration of the vast legacy of one of the very greatest composers who ever lived. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars so amazing .......2006-06-14

I love this kind of playing. this is my favorite classical cd.

3 out of 5 stars Essential Bach is OK.......2005-09-29

This is a good basic primer. A true Bach lover might find a better selection/orchestra.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of mostly recognizeable music.......2005-03-18

LOVE LOVE LOVE this 2-CD set. I bought I a awhile back and have enjoyed it very much. My toddler likes it too. I think it's a great value for the money and may have to get another copy if this one wears out.

5 out of 5 stars Exquisite Essential Bach.......2005-02-01

Value and exquisite sampler of Bach on two CD's at an affordable price. Recorded by the likes primarily of Academy of the St. Martin-in-the-fields, Chicago Sympony, Boston Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra and with virtuoso performers as William Bennett, Heinz Hollinger, Pepe Romero, and Wolfgang Rubsam, one gets treated to wonderful Bach exerpts of all his fantastic breath and depth of chamber, symphony and choral works.

One will have to go to other places to find background on these marvelous compositions as the liner notes only list perfomer and date recorded.

5 out of 5 stars Good.......2004-07-13

This is a good album but for information on real choral music visit www.freewebs.com/bachster67/
Bach - Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook (highlights) / Hunt-Liberson, McGegan
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • lovely music, but . . . . .
  • Anna Magdalena Notebook-- a treasure trove of Baroque music
  • Music for Bach's Katy
  • Charming and beautiful
  • Bach's wifes' collection of her favorite pieces
 Bach - Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook (highlights) / Hunt-Liberson, McGegan
Lorraine Hunt , and Nicholas McGegan
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Classical Express
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Bach: Cantatas BWV 82 and 199
  2. Lorraine Hunt - Handel Arias
  3. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias
  4. Music of Peter Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto
  5. Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000056F7M
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Allemande
  2. Courante
  3. Sarabande
  4. Minuet I & II
  5. Gigue
  6. Aria: 'Bist Du Bei Mir', BWV 508 Stl - Lorraine Hung Lieberson
  7. Aria: 'Willst Du Mein Herz Mir Schenken', BWV 518 - Lorraine Hung Lieberson
  8. Solo Per Il Cembalo
  9. Polonaise In G Minor
  10. March In D Major
  11. March In E Flat Major
  12. Rondeau In B Flat Major
  13. Chorale: 'Wer Nur Den Lieben Gott Lasst Walten', BWV 691
  14. 'Goldberg' Variations: Aria, BWV 988
  15. Recitative: 'Ich Habe Genug', BWV 82 - Lorraine Hung Lieberson
  16. Aria: 'Schlummert Ein', BWV 82 - Lorraine Hung Lieberson
  17. Aria: 'Gedenke Doch, Mein Geist', BWV 509 - Lorraine Hung Lieberson
  18. Allemande
  19. Courante
  20. Sarabande
  21. Prelude No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846
  22. Polonaise In G Major
  23. Polonaise In D Minor
  24. Polonaise In G Minor
  25. Polonaise In F Major
  26. Two Minuets
  27. Musette In A Major
  28. 'Menuet Fait Par M. Bohm'
  29. Minuet In G Major

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars lovely music, but . . . . ........2007-07-03

No one doubts that Bach's music is beautiful, and so many of the pieces in this album, favorites of his second wife, are lovely. Here are my objection. First of all, nowhere on the outside of this CD does this indicate that these are only *highlights* of the Anna Magdelena notebook. Furthermore, many of the tracks (from French Suites #1 & #2, from the Well-Tempered Clavier, from the Goldberg Variations) are pieces I already own in high quality recording by virtuosi. This CD does not limit itself, say, to pieces that Bach composed originally for this collection; in other words, there is nothing scholarly about the pieces that were chosen for these highlights. Rather, it is essentially selling a "Bach's Greatest Hits" kind of CD under a more respectable name. For those whose classical collections consist primarily of "Greatest Hits" collections of various composers, you might as well toss in this CD. For the discriminating collector, though, interested in collecting serious works by Bach, this CD is entirely unworthy.

5 out of 5 stars Anna Magdalena Notebook-- a treasure trove of Baroque music.......2006-03-20

This is music for contemplating number and time and not realize you are doing that. These pieces from Anna Magdalena Bach's notebook are a significant part of the history of western culture, and the music is brilliant, lucid, and passionate. Just as, I suppose, Bach's wife was. Played on harpsichord and clavichord, the work-- not all by Bach-- seems rigourously, mysteriously modern, and the anonymous "Musette in A Major" one could even say had in it the roots of ragtime piano. Last but not least, it's quite possible that Lorraine Hunt Lieberson can never be less than sublime.

5 out of 5 stars Music for Bach's Katy.......2005-03-31

Luther had his Katy who supported him and the Reformation magnificently and faithfully. Bach who was real student and follower of Luther's, had his second wife, Anna Magdalena who was so much for him and his family and music.

Here great notebook of the music she enjoyed immensely so we can as well.

Especially fond of harpsichord music, this has marvelous selection of that, but fond of Rondeau in B-flat major. Minuet in G major is one of my favorites. New to me are the Arias, especially "Bist du bei mir" and ""Ich habe genug". If you're not conversant in German, do go on the website the liner notes provides and get the translation in English for these are marvelous testimonies of their faith in words and song.

5 out of 5 stars Charming and beautiful.......2004-12-13

This CD is a collection of music from the notebook of Bach's wife, who was a singer. It includes dances, arias and other favorite songs. Most of the pieces range from peppy little dance tunes(like Musette in A Major) to delicate baroque airs (like Prelude no.1), all played on the harpsichord, clavichord or cello. The pieces that really stand out are the arias, sung beautifully by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson in German. Most are religious, but there is one that is a nice love song "Willst du mein Herz mir schenken." The website on the back of the liner notes has the lyrics for the arias and they are worth reading. Besides the fact that this is good music, it also provides interesting insight into Bach's life and family and the liner notes have some interesting information about Anna and her notebook. This is a charming collection of music that is a great and cheap addition to any classical music collection.

5 out of 5 stars Bach's wifes' collection of her favorite pieces.......2001-06-10

Yes Music of JS Bach chosen by his wife who was a singer. This collection is a lovely and beautifully performed collection of harpicord and intimate pieces that were Anna's most cherished favorites composed by her husband. What a lovely addition to any chamber music lovers collection. It affords not only wonderful selections but a rare window into the behind the scenes aspect of Bachs life and the commanding role music played in his and his family's life. The performances range from delicate to sublime and are beautifully recorded. It is an amazing bargin to have such an esoteric collection of Bachs' work so well done and so cheap. My god run and get the whole series; I have and when I want a perfect day I just pile them in my CD and press the forward button. The result is a day of glorious music on a scale to be both background as well as a breathtakingly elegant listening experience.
Baby Bach
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Relaxing music for baby's bedtime
  • Baby loves this music!
  • yikes! would say any lover of classical music
  • ANOTHER FANTASTIC CD
  • Excellent CD
 Baby Bach
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Buena Vista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000065VBH
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Product Description

Tracks from this delightful music CD are featured on Baby Einstein's Baby Bach video. The Baby Bach music CD is a 17-track, 28-minute musical excursion through some of Johann Sebastian Bach's most memorable scores. Recipient of the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, the Baby Bach music CD has been re-orchestrated for little ears to help your child discover the melody and harmonic movements of Bach's best-known compositions.Musical Selections:1. Minuet in G from the Anna Magdalena Notebooks2. Flute Sonata in Eb, 3rd movement, BWV 10313. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, 3rd movement, BWV 10474. Orchestral Suite No. 4, Rejouissance, BWV 10695. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, 1st movement, BWV 10496. Flute Sonata in Eb, 1st movement, BWV 10317. Toccata in D, BWV 565 (excerpt)8. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, 3rd movement, BWV 10509. Orchestral Suite No. 2, Badinerie, BWV 106910. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, BWV 14711. Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, Air, BWV 106812. 2-Part Invention, No. 1, BWV 77213. Goldberg Variations, No. 1, BWV 98814. Goldberg Variations, No. 4, BWV 98815. Goldberg Variations, No. 30, BWV 98816. Goldberg Variations, Canons, BWV 98817. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, 3rd movement, BWV 1047 Age: birth +Award: Billboard Magazine Top Midline Classical Albums (#3) - 2004

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Relaxing music for baby's bedtime.......2007-04-27

While I do want my baby to listen to Bach's music played with "real" instruments in an authentic style (which Baby Bach is NOT), Baby Bach is a very sweet, soothing selection of music. My newborn son and I both find this music very relaxing and it works like a charm to calm him down at bedtime! I would recommend this CD to any parent looking for new music to add to a baby's or young child's bedtime routine.

5 out of 5 stars Baby loves this music!.......2007-02-17

Puts our 6-week old daughter to sleep. What more could you ask for!

1 out of 5 stars yikes! would say any lover of classical music.......2007-01-05

The baby einstein series of music CDs is the equivalent of muzack for babies- horror to the ears!
I don't think babies need their music dumbed down to that degree.
Anyway, for the parent it's awful to hear. The beauty inherent in the muusic is completely lost, and replaced with whistles, goofy chimes, and plastic pianos. Absolutely horrible.

5 out of 5 stars ANOTHER FANTASTIC CD.......2006-04-25

This cd absolutely calms my newborn - and I like the music also. Everyone with children should have this cd.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent CD.......2005-10-12

Loved the CD, same music as on the DVD which my 20-month-old grandson loves. Falls asleep at night with the CD on, and I leave it on all night to soothe him if he wakes. Great puchase, worth the money!
Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Perfection - Hums and all...
  • Words cannot decribe it
  • Blissful music, divine playing.
  • WHAT ARE WORDS?...
  • THE FI IS TOO HI
 Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Johann Sebastian Bach , and Glenn Gould
Manufacturer: CBS Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
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  2. The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
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  4. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (The Historic 1955 Debut Recording)
  5. French Suites - 70th Anniversary Edition

ASIN: B0000025PM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Aria
  2. Variation 1
  3. Variation 2
  4. Variation 3
  5. Variation 4
  6. Variation 5
  7. Variation 6
  8. Variation 7
  9. Variation 8
  10. Variation 9
  11. Variation 10
  12. Variation 11
  13. Variation 12
  14. Variation 13
  15. Variation 14
  16. Variation 15
  17. Variation 16
  18. Variation 17
  19. Variation 18
  20. Variation 19
  21. Variation 20
  22. Variation 21
  23. Variation 22
  24. Variation 23
  25. Variation 24
  26. Variation 25
  27. Variation 26
  28. Variation 27
  29. Variation 28
  30. Variation 29
  31. Variation 30
  32. Aria

Amazon.com essential recording

The clear-cut rhythms, riveting articulation, and contrapuntal acumen of Glenn Gould's 1955 debut Goldberg Variations characterize this 1981 remake to strikingly different results. This later version is more deliberate in pacing, stark in expression, thoughtful with ornamentation, and tightly organized (if a mite theatrical) in terms of tempo relationships. Whereas there are no repeats from 1955, Gould now observes "A" section repeats in the canons, the Fughetta, and other fugue-like variations. The rapid, cross- handed sequences still dazzle with pinpointed fingerwork, yet the slower tempos better serve the music's dance-like qualities. Unlike Sony Classical's better sounding Glenn Gould Edition transfer, the original CBS Masterworks CD still has no banding cues. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Perfection - Hums and all..........2007-07-15

One wonders what it takes to impress some people. One reviewer actually said that Gould "possibly wasn't a great pianist"! Who should I believe? Such luminaries as Yehudi Menuhin and Vladimir Ashkenazy who stated "Gould was an idol of mine", or someone who's written a lot of internet reviews and is therefore somehow above world class musicians by default? I agree with the reviewer who stated that it doesn't get any better than this. This is one of the greatest composers and one of the greatest pianists of all time at their absolute best. If the humming distracts you that much, take some Ritalin or learn to focus.

5 out of 5 stars Words cannot decribe it.......2007-03-21

I love Bach's music, and generally insist on two things; firstly, that it is played a little slower than we are generally served it; and secondly that it is played on traditional instruments. When I first heard Glenn Gould's 1981 recording, I realised how ridiculous that second requirement was, and how important that first requirement was. The music on this album just swept me away. There is no other recording of the Goldberg Variations that I've listened to that even comes close to it.

The technical mastery of Gould goes without saying, but what really struck me with this album was the spirit with which this music is played - the feeling Gould breathes into the work. This is most evident in the opening Aria, which takes you on a journey of the most exquisite emotions. It is played very slowly than any other known recordng. I lack the words to describe it - words like "subliminal", "instropective" bubble to the surface, and above all very human. Bach can be played very mechanically, but not here. Complimented by Gould's ghostly humming, occasionally rising to the level of audibility, Aria sounds like it comes straight from his soul, and allows you to experience a range of extraordinary emotions. It takes you out of yourself. Not once does he use the pedals.

This is just mind-blowing - buy it!

5 out of 5 stars Blissful music, divine playing........2007-01-19

For a long time I have not had anything to do with JS Bach's music or any baroque music. Being a piano student I thought I should listen to this record.

I have to say that this is easily one of the most beautiful music I have listened. Glenn's playing is divine, no one could have played it better. Musically I doubt anyone will find a downside of this recording.

There are 2 issues that might bother future buyers. I have to state here that, none of these problems are important as far as I am concerned, they do not present a problem while listening to me.

The first one is, as everyone is aware, Glenn's humming while playing. I don't mind it that much, and unless you seek for this, there are very little occasion's you will be aware of it. It can enhance the liveliness of the CD for some (me), just like you are listening to Glenn right in your room.

The second issue is that at times you can hear other music played in the background. Mind you, you will have to listen to find these sounds. They appear when the piano is not heard, or is played "piano". Again nothing so important for me.

These two do not degrade the record in any way in my eyes But I thought people should be aware if they are overly mindful of these stuff in recordings.

To finish, I will urge any piano player, any music enthusiast who is yet to hear this delightful work, do not hesitate at all.

5 out of 5 stars WHAT ARE WORDS?..........2006-08-03

Reading some of the other reviews for this CD, one can't help feel amused by the sheer intensity of the enthusiasm. I believe one other customer even hinted that this is music that belongs to the sphere of God...

The question is: ARE THESE REACTIONS HYPERBOLE?

My answer is NO. If there is someone guilty of getting carried away by enthusiasm, it would be me. But this recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations by Gould -forshadowing his premature death- is, in a sense, as extraordinary as, indeed, the supernatural.

Words are truly inadequate to illustrate the perfection, sensual beauty, intense sadness (and ecstasy) of Gould's swan song. Only a handful of true geniuses have been able to take us to the realm of what is TIMELESS. This performance is in a category of Art shared by Shakespeare's Sonnets, Degas's ballerinas, Rembrandt's luminosity, and the Psalms of David.

Words are nothing.
Listen to this CD, and you will be forever transformed.




4 out of 5 stars THE FI IS TOO HI.......2005-09-14

Before we even get to the performance, this is a rather odd production in two ways. The first oddity is that a short description of each variation goes across the display on one's cd unit, rather like the news and stock-market announcements in Times Square, before settling back to the normal display of cd-number, track-number and time taken. These abbreviated descriptions are only what we can read perfectly well from the back of the box - indeed they're not even that because they get truncated to the right. When it comes to the canons this docks them of the significant distinction among the canons, namely the pitch-intervals at which the canons are set, (4th, 5th, octave etc). Even with the `normal' variations all that either the box or the display tells us is the number of keyboards that Bach specifies for each, which is relevant only to a harpsichord and not to a piano. The other unusual extra is much more important. After the performance ends the theme starts again but taken much faster. This is Gould himself in his 1955 performance, and it leads in a discussion with the critic Tim Page. I was completely fascinated to hear one of the 20th century's greatest players tell us so much about his thinking. Gould comes across as not only intellectual but as friendly and affable. There are background issues mentioned, and I was more than pleased to find that he shares my own thorough dislike of the minimalist school, but the main topics are central to the work on the disc - the questions of tempo, of expression, and of how to play Bach on the piano.

Gould takes the theme very slowly indeed here, and while I like it to be slow I'm not sure I want it quite this slow. In general he is more measured than in 1955, although not to the degree he is in the theme, and this time he observes some of the repeats. The playing, technically speaking, is as super-perfect as ever, with all his familiar ultra-precision in the ornaments and ultra-clarity in the runs. This performance doesn't have quite the verve of 1955, but there's plenty of that left. In the matter of expression the interlocutors take Gould's reading of the famous 25th variation from 1955, and the maestro likens it to a performance of a Chopin nocturne. The new Mr Gould wants no more of that and goes much straighter in this account. For what it's worth my own feeling is that I can take it either way - what I'm not so convinced by is the general thinking behind the change. Gould draws a parallel with the Art of Fugue, and I'm decidedly on his side in not wanting over-expressed readings of that. I doubt all the same whether the parallel holds with the Goldberg variations. These show much more of Bach's human face and were written to be entertainment, albeit pretty lofty and intellectual entertainment. There is more than one Bach, and the new performance, for me, lacks some of the eventfulness of its predecessor.

I think that what really goes slightly wrong (by Gould's transcendent standards) this time is actually where his thinking about piano performances of Bach has led him. I couldn't agree more that instruments are there to support, express and serve music, and that the same music can work perfectly well on many different sorts of instruments. What doesn't seem to me to follow from that is that music written specifically for one instrument, in this case the harpsichord, can just be `walked' on to another, even so closely related an instrument as the piano. In 1955 Gould seemed to me to solve the issue brilliantly. He exploited in that performance the additional resources of the modern grand with imagination and discretion, and even varied his reading with some highly original and witty semi-imitations of harpsichord effects. This time round his playing, although clean, lithe and spare as ever, seems to assume that nothing is needed except to play the work as if it had been written for the instrument he's playing, which of course it wasn't. There are dozens and scores of different ways of approaching the matter, but a completely literal translation doesn't convince as being one of them. The problem is actually emphasised by the excellent recorded quality - this is how a piano ought to sound, and it just makes me the more conscious that the clothes don't quite fit. Fidelity is great, and this may be the first time I have felt it can actually be overdone, or not done in quite the right way.

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