Kolesnikov cheerfully admits that until a couple of years ago he’d never played the Goldberg Variations, and that it wasn’t at all on his mental horizon, and that he only learned it because of a chance meeting with the renowned Belgian choreographer Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker while studying in Brussels. This is Part 2 of our ‘Best Of‘ series about Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which will recommend the best few versions on the Harpsichord. He apparently was a very gifted kid. They both strike a nice balance between freedom and fidelity, observing all the repeats in the dances and entrancing the listener with a crystalline exactness of touch. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: 1 Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria 05:20; 2 Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variatio 1 a 1 Clav. In short both versions are utterly wonderful, and if Lang Lang wins it’s only by the shortest of heads. Nevertheless they are quite different in feeling. Bach's "Goldberg Variations" -- Variation #1 - multi-tracked guitar duo He was invited to collaborate with the extraordinary Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for a performance of the Goldberg Variations in 2018, and formed much of his conception of the piece in collaboration with her. Bach was a genius at using melody to evoke emotion. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. And they both have a feeling for the poetry lurking under the angular austerity of the genuinely “otherworldly” element of the piece; the miracles of ingenious counterpoint known as “canons” which form the third number in each group of three variations. The 14 canons upon the first part of the basso appear at the end on a separate page. For one thing, Bach’s great work is far from being otherworldly and pure. When Bach heard of the plight of Goldberg’s boss, he penned the work. J.S. Bach: BWV 988 - Goldberg Variations - Francois de Larrard : Goldberg Variations BWV 988 [40:43] François de Larrard (Piano) Piano Society: 1992 [Published: Jul 31, 2014] Audio / TT: Recorded in Lyon, France. Vm. Remixed from cassette tape. Some restoration done on title-page. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Zenph Studios recorded its debut re-performance® to standing ovations in the CBC's famed Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. But no. When Bach wrote the variations, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg was 13 years of age. Lang Lang’s interpretation is grander, with a greater range of dynamics and tempi. Bach was a genius at using melody to evoke emotion. Lang Lang: Goldberg Variations (Deutsche Grammophon) ★★★★★, Pavel Kolesnikov: Goldberg Variations (Hyperion) ★★★★☆. Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. The Goldberg variations were first published in 1741, when Bach about 56 years old (in the last decade of his life). Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 This is of course one of the most famous and popular works in the ... Gould only recorded the work twice, in 1955 and 1981. When I was researching some piano pieces on youtube with various pianists to find a good interpretation and role model for my piano student, I came casually along Tatjana Nikolajewa and fell in love with her piano playing style. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations, Part 1 (Variations 1-15) Consists of selections from Bach's Goldberg Variations BWV 988, performed on harpsichord, alternating with variations composed by John Lewis for harpsichord and piano, each based on the preceding original: Queens Pawn Opening Aria On Harpisichord Aria On Piano Gould seems to play at an almost inhuman speed and yet with complete accuracy. The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, is a musical composition for harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach, consisting of an aria and a set of 30 variations.First published in 1741, it is named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may also have been the first performer of the work. She told him she was planning to create a new dance piece for her company based on the Goldberg Variations, and asked whether he’d like to be the pianist for the tour. 4: J.S. Explore our masterpiece guide to Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’ featuring Lang Lang’s studio and live recordings of the monumental work. Consequently, his approach in this recording celebrates the dance-like feeling so inherent to Bach’s music. ms. 949]. Skip navigation Bach loved virtuosity, and the Goldberg Variations is full of moments that could fairly be described as “flashy” – dazzling scale passages, risky hand-crossings. It's all here. The news that the world’s most famous and bankable classical pianist Lang Lang has turned his attention to Bach’s Goldberg Variations has raised a few eyebrows. The Chess Game, based on J.S. Happy to play and recompose Bach in a jazz-inflected modern idiom, he performed with an impish sense of humour which lends delight and legerdemain to his 1961 recording of the ‘Goldberg Variations’, made for L’Oiseau Lyre and receiving its first CD release. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. Among the variations are a pompous French Overture redolent of a King’s entrance at Versailles, a sprightly Italian dance called a Giga, and a jolly melange of German folk-tunes with suggestive words. Find out more, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, Head to head: Lang Lang (left) and Pavel Kolesnikov, Joe Biden’s celebrity-packed inauguration is an embarrassing start to his presidency, When Phil Spector threatened to kill Leonard Cohen: the gun-crazy creation of Death of a Ladies’ Man, The inconvenient truth about art – ugly people can create beautiful things, Pop’s mad king: my extraordinary day at Phil Spector’s castle, In spite of Covid, Celtic Connections shows Scottish folk music has never been healthier, Blue Monday: how the New Order hit ‘broke every single law’ of record sleeve design – and changed music forever, Classical Music Appreciation with Ivan Hewett. Werner Schweer, editor. He first played it entirely from memory at the age of 17, but in the 21 years since then has put himself humbly back to school, consulting the gurus of the “period performance movement” who understand the tiniest nuances of Baroque style such as conductor and harpsichordist Nikolaus Harnoncourt and performer on antique keyboards Andreas Staier. As music historian and Gould biographer Kevin Bazzana writes in the CD's liner notes, \"Here, albeit with his trademark vocalizing no longer accompanying the performance, Gould's musical personality is unquestionably present...\" Pavel Kolesnikov’s version is on the whole lighter and fleeter. His exciting, unorthodox new way of playing Bach left listeners awestruck and critics around the world hailing him as a genius. Bach’s reputation as a fine composer reached the ears of Kaiserling, so Goldberg was sent to him to be well tutored. Glenn Gould plays Bach - The Goldberg Variations ... - YouTube At the other extreme, the little fughetta is invigoratingly robust, and in the virtuoso 26th Variation we get a welcome flash of the flashy Lang Lang. After four days in the recording studio (in this case, London’s wonderful Henry Wood Hall), Angela had every variation on tape, but wanted to try the opening Aria again. Goldberg Variations Complete (J.S. J.S.Bach "The Goldberg Variations" [ Glenn Gould ... - YouTube On the other hand there are wonderful moments of captivating poetic invention, such as the way the 29th Variation ends in a haze of pedal sonority, out of which the final variation emerges like a mirage. The date would have been Glenn Gould's 74th birthday, and what a gift Zenph created to give his fans.The Zenph re-performance is a revelation in its clarity, depth, and vibrancy. The Giga and the Fughetta become pixie-ish, and the flowing variation which Lang Lang perhaps stretches out too luxuriantly here goes the other way, sounding almost offhand. 7 : Goldberg Variations BWV 988 [YT: 83:35]: Isolde Ahlgrimm (Harpsichord) [1937 Ammer harpsichord and the 1941 pedal harpsichord]: Philips A 00 267-8 L: Jan 15-24; Mar 19, 1954: 2-LP / TT: 1 st recording of Goldberg Variations BWV 988 by I. Ahlgrimm. Are you referring to live performances (excerpts) from youtube, by chance? Sending everyone best wishes for the New Year. The Columbia LP quickly became one of the most revered piano recordings ever made and Gould became the most famous classical artist of the day. A comparison of the two recordings soon reveals more similarities than differences. Goldberg-Variationen, Op. Music is public domain, and it is from www.musopen.org Filmed in Oulu, Finland on a beautiful spring day. This series aims to make Bach's Goldberg Variations more comfortable to play on piano. Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He was a student of Bach's son, Wilhelm Friedemann in … Both pianists relish the French decorative twiddles and twirls that festoon Bach’s notes like the stucco filigree inside a Baroque church, and both add a few more of their own. There have been some covertly racist sneers on social media, suggesting Lang Lang stick to Liszt barnstormers and leave the “sublime”, “otherworldly” Bach to more mature (and, by implication, white) pianists. 01:37; 4 Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variatio 3 Canone … Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations is captured here on disc in what is virtually a “live” performance. Bach: Complete Works for Harpsichord Vol. He’s made the pilgrimage to Bach’s own church, St Thomas’s Church in Leipzig, and recorded the Goldberg Variations there in a live performance before a packed audience. KenOC. And the piece is actually saturated in “worldly” musical characteristics of the Baroque era. Read the first part about the Goldberg Variations and the way this comparison was planned here: Bach Goldberg Variations – The Best Recordings – … The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Some would say it’s a liberation to have this monumental piece taken off its pedestal so as to bring out the music’s half-hidden humour – which is true, but for my taste the lightness is sometimes overdone. But more importantly, Lang Lang has as deep and wide knowledge of the piece as any pianist around. But until recently this iconic album was limited by the dated recording technology of its time.On September 25, 2006, history was made again. A new music service with official albums, singles, videos, remixes, live performances and more for Android, iOS and desktop. As well as being a disgrace, the sneerers couldn’t be more wrong. 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