Search - Bach, Kirkpatrick :: Bach JS: Goldberg Variations

Unqualified opinions here

Wyote | Seoul | 12/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't have any musical training to justify my review - but there are no reviews here so I thought I'd throw one down for now. If you are a normal person, you can consider my opinion, but you if you are a particularly well-informed listener you should get this and review it for us!



On the music: In general I'd say baroque music is a thinking person's music. The pleasure is not often emotional rapture as it is in romantic music, but in hearing the way the lines of the music interact with each other. Once you start doing that, it will be impossible to listen to baroque music while working or having a conversation, because it commands your attention. Of course most "art" music does so - not only western classical music but jazz, classical Indian music, and tango nuevo. It's all good, friend. The point is that if you are a person who does not plan to pay close attention to the music, then there's still plenty of "classical" music for you out there, though baroque period music is probably not. But if you intend to put in a little work, baroque music is very rewarding. Once you begin to find the patterns in the music (fugues, variations, and so on) your experience of music - all music - will be transformed. (Some music will not benefit from the transformation, but that's the price of consciousness.)



The Goldberg Variations may be especially good for aspiring listeners than more complex works like the Brandenburg Concertos because it is easier to hear each line.



If you're looking to compare various recordings, I'm not much help to you. This is the only Goldberg I have on harpsichord and it suits me just fine. The sound seems perfectly full and rich. But evidently a player named Hantai is considerably more famous; he's made several recordings and people seem to disagree about which is the best. Anyway, as of now, the most readily available on amazon is Bach: Goldberg Variationen. The Penguin Guide says the best is by Pinnock, but as of this review DG doesn't seem to be producing it anymore. There are two that you might be able to find from other sellers: Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 and Bach: 6 Partitas; Goldberg Variations; French Overture; Italian Concerto. The second is several disks and includes quite a bit more music that is probably great (I cannot tell if it is the same recording of the Partitas by Pinnock that the Gramophone Guide loves, but at least at first glance it doesn't appear to be).



On piano, A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981) seems to be the most famous. Some people would tell you that other recordings are better; the Penguin Guide is very enthusiastic about Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations (CD plus score) - Rosalyn Tureck while the Gramophone gives highest marks to Bach: Goldberg Variations by Perahia. (I suspect too much is made of comparing recordings anyway. Some are fairly obviously inferior, and some have certain elements that others haven't, but in general it's a lot of ado about not so much - and a lot of marketing as well. Anyway, I've been doing this for awhile, and that's what I suspect.)



Summing all that up, as a bargain hunter I think I'd go with the Perahia at this time if you want it on piano, and if you want the harpsichord, the present recording is perfectly fine unless you can find a good deal on one of the more famous recordings."