The result is fascinating, still steers controversies and demands to be heard. The pianist recorded the piece in a short period of time and then edited it in the studio for few months. His Bach remains a bit enigmatic, for better and for worse, and his stapled sing-along may be a big distractor from the performance. Gould does select some variations to repeat when he has something new to say the second time over (which is how it should be). This makes for a very consistent listening experience, but yet again brings some oddities of tempo choices. The approach here is different, almost ideological in the consistency of rhythm from first note to the last. Gould’s digital 1981 version is also fascinating from start to finish, and like his 1955 mono recording, should be in any record collection. Sony Music’s latest remastering from 2013 sounds the best for my ears, and it includes Gould’s later take on the piece (1981). The original rather dry and low in dynamic range recording has been re-engineered and remastered numerous times, including re-recording it on a new piano (Zemph), circumstancing a stereo version of it or remastering an original copy of the commercial LP (Naxos). Still, you can’t deny the charm and excitement this 1955 recording project. The entire performance seems rushed, not giving the music time to breath or make an impression by itself (Gould’s decision not to play a single repeat adds to this). As most (if not all) of Gould’s recordings, there are intentional oddities, some of which plain nonsensical, including unnatural phrasing, inflation of staccatos and excessively fast or slow tempo choices. It’s one of the iconic records in the history of classical music recordings and should be in every collection.īut judging Gould’s performance solely on musical grounds, it’s not necessarily one of the best Goldberg Variations versions. Gould’s 1955 mono recording of the variations brought it back to fashion, being a huge commercial success and brought fame to the Canadian which lasted till the end of his short life. Here Comes The Canadian Superstarīut let us talk about the big grand piano in the room – Glenn Gould. It sometimes becomes available on YouTube, if you’re curious. It’s a fine performance, but relatively hard to come by. This is an impressive document, and the mono recording is rather good for its age.Īnother pioneering Goldberg Variations recording was made in the same period by Eunice Norton, as well as some other attempts by this less-known American pianist. All of the Arrau hallmarks are omnipresent, including his sometimes rigid handling of fast-paced elements, or his tendency to get slow and heavy as a device to emphasize “depth of feeling”. There are some hints of 19th-century romanticism that can be heard in other early Bach studio recordings, and consistent tempo choices that make the performance flow from start to finish. On first listening, it’s rather surprising how “modern” this performance sounds. Luckily, the latest evolution of the classical music streaming services has brought it back to the catalog.
#Youtube goldberg variations gould full#
The first real, full piano version of the Goldberg Variations was probably made by the great Chilean pianist, Claudio Arrau in 1942. It may show us some musical intents from this well-respected pianist, but it’s hardly a full image of how Serkin might have performed the piece. Rudolf Serkin made a piano roll take on the variations, and it was later adapted to modern pianos and recorded as an original performance. Some pianists have handled these difficulties masterfully, while others were less successful. In addition, Baroque ornaments which sound suitable or even “natural” on the Harpsichord, can be either less effective on the piano, or disruptive to the musical phrases. An obvious solution is to play some elements on the piano as Forte, and others Pianissimo, but that still doesn’t fully do justice to the intention of the composer. two keyboards) of the instrument, and on others the performer can double the notes by activating this mechanism on a suitable instrument, playing on one keyboard but operating both keyboards on the same time.
#Youtube goldberg variations gould manuals#
As we’ve seen in the second part, which recommends the best recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the Harpsichord, in some variations Bach instructed the performer to use two manuals (i.e. But on the piano, a crucial element is missing – the double keyboard instructions. As covered in the first part of this guide, Bach left very little instructions regarding tempo and phrasing in the score, so they are left to the discretion of the performer. Playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the piano exhibits enormous challenges It seems that the additional possibilities this instrument has over the Harpsichord can even be considered an obstacle, rather than an advantage. Bach Goldberg Variations – The Best Recordings – Part 2 – Harpsichord Versions