Prom 50: Bach – Goldberg Variations (22.08.15)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

22:15
Royal Albert Hall

András Schiff performs JS Bach's Goldberg Variations, live at the BBC Proms


Bach: 'Goldberg' Variations, BWV 988

András Schiff, piano

Grammy Award-winning pianist Sir András Schiff is a titan of the keyboard, bringing his distinctive blend of clarity and authority to repertoire from Bach to Bartók. Tonight he continues his long association with Bach's music in a performance of the composer's 'Goldberg' Variations - a monumental work composed, according to its title-page, 'for the refreshment of the spirits'. The resulting Aria and variations are a compositional wonder, a sequence of musical miniatures unequalled in all Bach's output.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Far too interesting a work for someone with insomnia - methinks.

[Sir Velo]

Pity about Schiff's choice of instrument.

[Bryn]

Pity about Schiff's choice of instrument.

What build of pianoforte is he using?

[Tony Halstead]

Pity about Schiff's choice of instrument.

Hm... do you mean that he shouldn't be playing a PIANO at all, of any variety, make or brand, whether a FORTEPIANO, a 'HAMMERFLUEGEL', a modern Steinway or Boesendorfer, etc.?
If you are suggesting that he should play a harpsichord or ( heaven help us) a clavichord, how could either of these possibly be heard in the vast space of the RAH?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hm... do you mean that he shouldn't be playing a PIANO at all, of any variety, make or brand, whether a FORTEPIANO, a 'HAMMERFLUEGEL', a modern Steinway or Boesendorfer, etc.?
If you are suggesting that he should play a harpsichord or ( heaven help us) a clavichord, how could either of these possibly be heard in the vast space of the RAH?

I agree. If he's going to play an instrument Bach would have used, it would need to be in a venue more like one Bach would have played it in. But it would be difficult to squash up to 6,000 people into a bedroom.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I agree. If he's going to play an instrument Bach would have used, it would need to be in a venue more like one Bach would have played it in. But it would be difficult to squash up to 6,000 people into a bedroom.

Indeed - but it was fun trying!

[Keraulophone]

it was fun trying!

What size is your bedroom?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

What size is your bedroom?

Oooh, you tease! Pretending you don't remember ...

[kernelbogey]

How does one queue for both early and late proms? Does the ticket from the first determine the order of the queue for the second? And then what about those who queue only for the second?

Thanks for information.

kb

[David Underdown]

Those who stay on use the same raffle ticket as for the first concert, those coming only to the second concert join the queue behind those who also went to the earlier concert.

[kernelbogey]

Those who stay on use the same raffle ticket as for the first concert, those coming only to the second concert join the queue behind those who also went to the earlier concert.

Thank you David.

[Darkbloom]

I am planning to go to both of these, but I'm not sure what sort of state I'll be in at the end of it!

I have been to one late-night prom after the main concert (I think it was Mahler 9 followed by the Tallis Scholars later on) and it was draining. Somehow it doesn't seem sporting to turn up just for the second one, but in this case I wouldn't want to miss either of them.

[kernelbogey]

I too was planning to go to both - possibly promming, wasn't sure if there were seats available - but decided not to as I'd had a fall earlier in the week which had left bruising of chest, stamina and confidence. (As it happened, a friend got seats for both as late as Thursday.)

I managed to listen to only half of the Goldberg, before sleep overwhelmed the urge to hear it all live. I was very interested in the performance. Compared with the recorded versions that I know, all kinds of detail were evident in a new way, and I especially noted differneces in the prominence of the left hand.

I hope to have more to say when I've had a chance to listen on iPlayer.

[french frank]

I hope to have more to say when I've had a chance to listen on iPlayer.

Meanwhile, an article in which Schiff discusses instruments, the Goldbergs - and the Diabellis.