BaL 18.02.12 - Bach Goldberg Variations

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I had not heard of him before reading this post - thanks Throps - and am now listening to the second part of his extraordinary musical journey from the Wigmore.

Stupidly, I had thought that I would never need another piano recording of the Goldbergs - and then, one Saturday morning in November about three years ago, exceprts from the new recording were played on CD Review - and my stupidity was laid bare before my ears! It is a truly wonderful performance and recording.

Sorry to extend further the off-topic train of conversation - I don't know the Kirkpatrick at all; but I'm very, VERY interested in the Rousset. I need a decent recording on harpsichord - I have the earlier Pinnock on DG, and, fine as it is, it doesn't blaze as imagine it could and should.

[silvestrione]

Stupidly, I had thought that I would never need another piano recording of the Goldbergs - and then, one Saturday morning in November about three years ago, exceprts from the new recording were played on CD Review - and my stupidity was laid bare before my ears! It is a truly wonderful performance and recording.

Sorry to extend further the off-topic train of conversation - I don't know the Kirkpatrick at all; but I'm very, VERY interested in the Rousset. I need a decent recording on harpsichord - I have the earlier Pinnock on DG, and, fine as it is, it doesn't blaze as imagine it could and should.

I'd recommend Celine Frisch. Her version was chosen on the French radio equivalent of BAL and is very characterful. Rousset I used to have: I love his version of the Partitas, but found his Goldbergs a little tame by comparison, though played on a lovely instrument.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks, silvestrione

[kernelbogey]

...I need a decent recording on harpsichord - I have the earlier Pinnock on DG, and, fine as it is, it doesn't blaze as imagine it could and should.

I haven't heard the new recording by Esfahani himself; but have an off-air recording of a concert performance of the Goldbergs which he gave in Bath two or three years back - for which I had a ticket, but couldn't attend. I like it a lot but cannot make comparisons with other harpsidchord versions. (But Landowska it's not!)

[Thropplenoggin]

Stupidly, I had thought that I would never need another piano recording of the Goldbergs - and then, one Saturday morning in November about three years ago, exceprts from the new recording were played on CD Review - and my stupidity was laid bare before my ears! It is a truly wonderful performance and recording.

Sorry to extend further the off-topic train of conversation - I don't know the Kirkpatrick at all; but I'm very, VERY interested in the Rousset. I need a decent recording on harpsichord - I have the earlier Pinnock on DG, and, fine as it is, it doesn't blaze as imagine it could and should.

Pierre Hantaï is very good and can be had reasonably here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Goldbe...re+hantai+bach Who knew tubers and Bach went together? Rhizomatic variations perhaps?

[vinteuil]

... on harpsichord I would not want to be without -

Gustav Leonhardt
Kenneth Gilbert
Christophe Rousset
Andreas Staier
Scott Ross
Pierre Hantai

on piano I wd not want to be without -

the Goulds
Koroliov
Levit
Denk

I have also enjoyed -

Toth on a lautenwerck
Tal & Groethuysen in the Reger duet version
Szakaly & Farkas on cimbaloms
Octuor de France
New European Strings CO
Danish saxophone quartet
von Promnitzau on organ
Frankfurt bassoon consort


[ that's enuff versions - ed ]

( ... there are other harpsichord and piano versions on the shelves somewhere... . )

[vinteuil]

Pierre Hantaï is very good and can be had reasonably here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Goldbe...re+hantai+bach.....

... and if you don't mind second-hand, even cheaper here -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000260T1

[Barbirollians]

Should this thread be moved to Record Review general - it is not a BAL

[Thropplenoggin]

... on harpsichord I would not want to be without -

Gustav Leonhardt
Kenneth Gilbert
Christophe Rousset
Andreas Staier
Scott Ross
Pierre Hantai

on piano I wd not want to be without -

the Goulds
Koroliov
Levit
Denk

I have also enjoyed -

Toth on a lautenwerck
Tal & Groethuysen in the Reger duet version
Szakaly & Farkas on cimbaloms
Octuor de France
New European Strings CO
Danish saxophone quartet
von Promnitzau on organ
Frankfurt bassoon consort


[ that's enuff versions - ed ]

( ... there are other harpsichord and piano versions on the shelves somewhere... . )

I've just found a version by Fretwork on Qobuz. It's quite delightful on the ear.

France seems to be aflush with impressive harpsichordists these days.

I have to say that the Esfahani aria is very peculiar - I'm not sure why it sounds so different. The melodic line sounds all out of goose to me. Perhaps one of the resident scholars can enlighten me.

Edit.

I've also just discovered Maria Tipo's version.

[vinteuil]

I've just found a version by Fretwork on Qobuz. It's quite delightful on the ear.

[visualnickmos]

Just realised I have two recordings of this remarkable work:

Glenn Gould, (1980s recording) piano
Christophe Rousset, harpsichord

That kind of covers it for me.... love both.

[kernelbogey]

...The melodic line sounds all out of goose to me...

Eh?

[Bryn]

Eh?

Perhaps Thropplenoggin prefers raven or gull.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Should this thread be moved to Record Review general - it is not a BAL

I've merged it with the "real" BaL thread (buried very deep indeed!)

[Barbirollians]

Just realised I have two recordings of this remarkable work:

Glenn Gould, (1980s recording) piano
Christophe Rousset, harpsichord

That kind of covers it for me.... love both.

Me too but I would not be without my third version with Perahia .