BaL 18.02.12 - Bach Goldberg Variations

[BBMmk2]

Vinteuil, he did refer to it, and to George Malcolm's endorsement in the notes saying how it had changed his view etc. etc. - adding that it was a little ungracious of Schiff to ask in his note to the later version if anyone could really listen to the harpsichord for 1 1/2 hours, or words to that effect....

Like you I feel inclined to buy the Perahia version. Fair comment re Anita's sorry Angela's version I thought. Interestingly re. Peter Katin's comment above, the time I heard her play it was a low-budget occasion where she played the house Steinway......

Its comments like that can put you off an artist. What was Schiff thinking!?!?!?

[John Skelton]

I have Rousset's recording and like it very much - but it's out of print and only available as a download isn't it?

[Don Petter]

I thought 'Rousset for me' as soon as I heard the first excerpt, and was going to acquire it long before I heard the verdict. (Apart from not liking Bach on the piano anyway, I thought Hewitt was very lack-lustre and wishy-washy.)

Looking for the download of the Decca Rousset on Amazon, I can only seem to find the 32 individual tracks, which at £0.79 each, would come to £25.28, which seems expensive for a download. Am I missing something, or some other download source?

I see that there was a 1966* Rousset Goldberg CD on Oiseau-Lyre - Does anyone know if this is the same recording? Also, how does it fit with the 2011 Oiseau Lyre CD available for £3.89 from some vendors! Are we dealing with one, two, or three recordings here?


*As vint has pointed out - should be 1996!

[vinteuil]

I
I see that there was a 1966 Rousset Goldberg CD on Oiseau-Lyre - Does anyone know if this is the same recording? Also, how does it fit with the 2011 Oiseau Lyre CD available for £3.89 from some vendors! Are we dealing with one, two, or three recordings here?

the decca Rousset was recorded in September 1994; sorry I don't have info on the oiseau-lyre recording.

I have the Rousset as part of his decca 4 CD set, which also includes the Partitas, Italian concerto, French overture,Chromatic fantasy and fugue - all excellent.

EDIT -

by the way, Christophe was born in 1961. So his "1966 recording" of the Goldbergs shows what a prodigy he must have been!

[Don Petter]

Oops! Should have said 1996. So the first Oiseau-Lyre looks as if it's the same as the BaL Decca. I wonder if the later one is a re-issue? Worth a punt at £3.89, even with £1.69 shipping.

PS Thought I'd added my source, but it seems to have got lost. Grooves Inc.

[John Skelton]

Rousset's recording appeared initially on Decca L’Oiseau-Lyre, as did the Partitas and Clavier-Übung II. That's the copy I have.

Ah ha. Don't buy the download. Amazon.de have a new reissue http://www.amazon.de/Goldberg-Variat...9643529&sr=1-1

EUR 4,97. Not to be missed.

[amateur51]

Rousset's recording appeared initially on Decca L’Oiseau-Lyre, as did the Partitas and Clavier-Übung II. That's the copy I have.

Ah ha. Don't buy the download. Amazon.de have a new reissue http://www.amazon.de/Goldberg-Variat...9643529&sr=1-1

EUR 4,97. Not to be missed.

Many thanks for this alert, John

[Don Petter]

Thanks, but too late. That is the one I've just bought for £5.58, including shipping, so probably not much different after Amazon.de's shipping as well?

[BBMmk2]

This has been arranged for brass quinbtet. The internationally renowned Canadian Brass have recorded it.

[John Skelton]

Thanks, but too late. That is the one I've just bought for £5.58, including shipping, so probably not much different after Amazon.de's shipping as well?

You are probably in credit . It's a lovely performance.

[amateur51]

This has been arranged for brass quinbtet. The internationally renowned Canadian Brass have recorded it.

Have you heard the recording by any chance, BBM?

[silvestrione]

One of NK's criteria in choosing was that there should be some energy and flair (not his words) from the performer. .

Surely no one could accuse Pierre Hantai of lacking energy or flair! I used to have Rousset but found him tame by comparison (but the sound of his instrument lovely). I now wish I'd kept it...too self-indulgent to buy it again. Fortunately the Perahia I bought but rather 'went off' is still on the shelf, and I'm really looking forward to having a re-listen. I'm a bit worried about Tureck...I have a treasured Great Pianists of the 20th Century double CD of her version, but am I now going to start hearing the 'applied spirituality' NK talked about?
Well, at that sort of price, perhaps I will get Rousset again....
What a marvellous programme! Could have gone on another hour for me.

[Black Swan]

I have the Perahia and like you I went off it. Don't know why but will relisten. I listened to my old Schiff recording, the earlier one not the one recommended and I like it allot. I was thinking of the Rousset, however it is only available as a download.

John

[Don Petter]

I was thinking of the Rousset, however it is only available as a download.

John

No. See #76 and #77 for two sources of a cheap CD reissue.

[Dr Owl]

A novice library builder and forum lurker joins in

I was trying to imagine how useful it would have been for someone now to the Goldbergs and I think it would have been very encouraging.

I'm one of those relatively new to the Goldbergs -- I have never owned a recording -- and I found the programme most useful.

As I usually do. BaL is a very civilized corner of the broadcast media: a knowledgeable musician uses example extracts to draw attention to differences between the recordings -- differences I would probably not notice myself -- and then applies his or her own, necessarily individual, judgement.

I prefer those programmes where the reviewer plays extracts from only about 15 to 20 recordings, and therefore has time to play several extracts from each of the short list. This can enable me to realize that my taste differs, and that I would prefer a recording other than the first choice.

Yesterday, I would have liked to hear more of Maggie Cole's harpsichord recording. But no matter. I had plenty of opportunity to compare piano against harpsichord ... and to fail to come to a conclusion. I have ordered both Rousset and Schiff, and expect to be well satisfied.

The context for this is that, some months ago, I realized that I had a heap of recordings rather than a library: 78s, LPs, cassette tapes and CDs bought on a hit-or-miss basis over the years ... I have fewer than a third of the items in the Gramophone Guide's Recommended Basic Library. So I started buying an item each week, on CD or SACD. BaL is the most useful source I have found so far.

Later,

Dr Owl

----------------------------------
John Owlett, Southampton, UK