BaL 18.02.12 - Bach Goldberg Variations

[Richard Tarleton]

¡de nada!

[Beresford]

Complete Goldberg variations being played by Jean Rondeau on Cro-dur at 2100 gmt today Wednesday 7th March (on harpsichord).

[Beresford]

Someone at Swaledale Festival (May-June 2018) clearly has a sense of humour. They have programmed a performance of the Goldbergs by Esfahani (harpsichord - wacky interpretation) out in the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales, at a small church in Grinton. Then a week later a performance of the Goldbergs by Angela Hewitt (piano - definitely not wacky - lyrical?) in a large converted cinema in Richmond. Cambridge Analytica will be studying the ticket sales (perhaps).

[pastoralguy]

I'm currently listening to a CD I purchased in a SHELTER Shop for £2 of Francesco Tristano Schlimé playing The Goldberg Variations. The cover is interesting since it features a photo of a building under construction with the epitaph 'Bach is God' spray painted on the hoarding.

Well, God obviously had a heavy cold since the music is punctuated with coughing and spluttering throughout the performance! The real problem is that one stops listening to the music and simply waits for the next obligato expectoration! Coupled with the Aria taking about a fortnight to finish, this is the most bizarre recording of the Goldbergs in my experience.

(We're now treated to cough sweets being unwrapped!)

[Pulcinella]

I'm currently listening to a CD I purchased in a SHELTER Shop for £2 of Francesco Tristano Schlimé playing The Goldberg Variations. The cover is interesting since it features a photo of a building under construction with the epitaph 'Bach is God' spray painted on the hoarding.

Well, God obviously had a heavy cold since the music is punctuated with coughing and spluttering throughout the performance! The real problem is that one stops listening to the music and simply waits for the next obligato expectoration! Coupled with the Aria taking about a fortnight to finish, this is the most bizarre recording of the Goldbergs in my experience.

(We're now treated to cough sweets being unwrapped!)

A different cover from this incarnation, then.
The performer (I assume) is the one trying to look like some classical god here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-J-S-Francesco-Tristano-Schlime/dp/B003JDVDZQ

You could be the first to review it, pg!

This is from his Wiki entry (my emphasis):
Francesco Tristano Schlimé, stage name Francesco Tristano, born 1981, is a Luxembourg classical and experimental pianist and composer, who also plays the clarinet. He composes both classical and electronic music.

[pastoralguy]

A different cover from this incarnation, then.
The performer (I assume) is the one trying to look like some classical god here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-J-S-Francesco-Tristano-Schlime/dp/B003JDVDZQ

You could be the first to review it, pg!

This is from his Wiki entry (my emphasis):
Francesco Tristano Schlimé, stage name Francesco Tristano, born 1981, is a Luxembourg classical and experimental pianist and composer, who also plays the clarinet. He composes both classical and electronic music.

Yes, that's the one! It's not that great a performance, certainly missing the heights set by Gould, Hewitt or, my absolute favourite, Beatrice Rana. I've looked for reviews but it doesn't seem to have been evaluated by any of the mainstream publications.

[BBMmk2]

I expect members here have heard that wonderful Beatrice Rana recording?

[Pulcinella]

I expect members here have heard that wonderful Beatrice Rana recording?

I find it just that bit annoyingly wayward for repeated listening.
But I know that it's highly thought of by others.

[richardfinegold]

I had just come across Andraas Schiff recording.. The record is from the nineties, I think, and I had heard Schiff play it in recital herelast year (and just a few weeks ago our local radio station rebroadcast it when I was in the car). He played it a lot more “romantically” back then, with a lot of rubato and a fair amount of petal. You wouldn’t confuse his later approach with Glen Gould or an HIPP Practioner, but but his recital was more pointed and his tone a bit more chiseled with spare use of pedal. I prefer his newer take, but the recording is wonderful in it own way, and it’s interesting to see the evolution of a great Artist over the years

[BBMmk2]

I had just come across Andraas Schiff recording.. The record is from the nineties, I think, and I had heard Schiff play it in recital herelast year (and just a few weeks ago our local radio station rebroadcast it when I was in the car). He played it a lot more “romantically” back then, with a lot of rubato and a fair amount of petal. You wouldn’t confuse his later approach with Glen Gould or an HIPP Practioner, but but his recital was more pointed and his tone a bit more chiseled with spare use of pedal. I prefer his newer take, but the recording is wonderful in it own way, and it’s interesting to see the evolution of a great Artist over the years

Both these recordings I rather like. Also that very fine Prom concert he gave!

[kernelbogey]

Not sure where else to post this, but feel a need to comment on a programme that has just finished that was supposed to illuminate this wonderful work. But after half an hour of two voices, one of them brandishing increasingly abstruse metaphors, and with dozens of musical examples, I have moved no further forward in my understanding, despite knowing the work quite well. Why does a purely musical piece have to be imbued with a famously elusive meaning - with a half hour radio programme to resolve a 200 year old mystery...? I can now blame myself for bothering to listen when a part of me knew it would be frustratingly fruitless radio.

[DracoM]

Totally with you - a favourite piece rendered almost manically and breathlessly incoherent by Mr Service. Surprised at Mr Egarr being so drawn into the same style.

[Padraig]

Totally with you - a favourite piece rendered almost manically and breathlessly incoherent by Mr Service. Surprised at Mr Egarr being so drawn into the same style.

Missed that, but I was listening to Glenn Gould, again, just the other day and for reasons unknown I've decided that 1955 is the preferred version, this week. And here he is -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObQCKpwzylE

[Nick Armstrong]

Not sure where else to post this, but feel a need to comment on a programme that has just finished that was supposed to illuminate this wonderful work. But after half an hour of two voices, one of them brandishing increasingly abstruse metaphors, and with dozens of musical examples, I have moved no further forward in my understanding, despite knowing the work quite well. Why does a purely musical piece have to be imbued with a famously elusive meaning - with a half hour radio programme to resolve a 200 year old mystery...? I can now blame myself for bothering to listen when a part of me knew it would be frustratingly fruitless radio.

Complete no-go zone here, that series. It’s an approach I recommend....

[teamsaint]

The decision making at R3 is mystifying. We all have favourites and bete noires, ( or is that betes noire?) but the under use of certain trusted guides, and over use of some house favourites does the station no favours at all.