Bach: Goldberg Variations - 9 versions (quick notes)

[LL21]

So, i have a few...in order of my [personal] preference:

TOPS
1. Glenn Gould 1983: utterly cerebral, really makes one think about the relationship of notes, timing and as someone who studied...fingering
2. Rosalyn Tureck: old school, utterly disciplined, a bit romantic, but very deliberate and slow...just like my old school teacher taught me (and she performed with Horowitz back in the day)...but also traditional in that it is regularly paced...whereas Gould is uniquely timed
3. Jacques Loussier (jazz...think Brubeck plays Bach...absolutely phenomenal)
4. Maisky, Rachlin, Imai (trio...innovative, fresh trio approach to music with the beautiful tonal cello and a soaring melodious feeling)

SOLID
5. Ito Ema (MA Recordings...need we say more as audiophiles? Bach served 'straight up' from a gifted musician on a nice piano)

NEXT
6. Gustav Leonhardt...stiff, a harpsichord, and a slightly bright-ish recording
7. Andreas Schiff...almost too polished for me...like the white tails version of what i consider to be very earthy, academic, contemplative music
8. Glenn Gould (1955 - Zenph Reperformance...no grunting!!!)...he was young, impetuous and FAST
9. Charles Rosen...not sure where i leave this one...not here, not there? he is a great pianist, but felt a bit aimless perhaps

I really need to hear Horowitz...i am sure he must have performed these. Perhaps a slightly romantic, quicker version than Tureck? Just a guess.

[EDIT]: believe it or not...i cannot find a Horowitz recording of these...

 

[FrantzM]

Call me a purist but Jacques Louissier doesn't strike me as phenomenal. Makes entertaining music but I am not sure the word "phenomenal"applies... Don't like for example the mess he made with Satie Music. Else I Agree with some of your ranking. I do not know Tureck nor Leonhart...

 

[LL21]

Call me a purist but Jacques Louissier doesn't strike me as phenomenal. Makes entertaining music but I am not sure the word "phenomenal"applies... Don't like for example the mess he made with Satie Music. Else I Agree with some of your ranking. I do not know Tureck nor Leonhart...

...i respect that. in my case, i was referring to his Goldberg Variations which I do admit i like a LOT. i like his Bach Brandenburg Concertos as well, but am not nearly as much a fan of anything other than his Bach.

 

[Ronm1]

8. Glenn Gould (1955 - Zenph Reperformance...no grunting!!!)...he was young, impetuous and FAST

..

I always knew how Zenph tech worked, somewhat anyway. Years ago, when I first picked this up, I loved it and played it to death. One day while in a serious listening mood it started to take on a pronounced mechanical quality that I never noticed before. This would not go away with further listening. Haven't played it or picked up another Zenph since.

 

[dcc]

There are two versions by Gustav Leonhardt: one recorded for Telefunken and another one for DHM. To which are you referring to? The Telefunken version is much better than the DHM one.

 

[LL21]

There are two versions by Gustav Leonhardt: one recorded for Telefunken and another one for DHM. To which are you referring to? The Telefunken version is much better than the DHM one.

It says 'Das Alte Werke'/Teldec on it?

 

[dcc]

It says 'Das Alte Werke'/Teldec on it?

This is the Telefunken version. The vinyl version that my father bought in February 1968 is fantastic on my analog rig. For me, it comes first before Gould.

 

[LL21]

This is the Telefunken version. The vinyl version that my father bought in February 1968 is fantastic on my analog rig. For me, it comes first before Gould.

I will listen to it again...

 

[LL21]

This is the Telefunken version. The vinyl version that my father bought in February 1968 is fantastic on my analog rig. For me, it comes first before Gould.

OK...so i am listening to it...i love the sonorous weight of a piano vs harpsichord...and i am so used to Glenn Gould and Rosalyn Tureck, it is hard to acclimate. BUT...after not having heard this for years...it IS nice to say the system has changed a lot and for the better. My mental notes on this were that this is quite a ting-y recording...and it has far greater weight, depth and power than my mental notes. I no longer feel like it is an mp3 file.

i will keep listening and enjoying...thanks for bringing me back to this one for another view on this beautiful music.

 

[LL21]

This is the Telefunken version. The vinyl version that my father bought in February 1968 is fantastic on my analog rig. For me, it comes first before Gould.

I like the way Leonhardt presents the very stately side of this music...his fast trills/speedwork perhaps not as much...but i find the slower paced numbers to be very well timed, again 'stately' and my wife likes it quite a lot...she heard it and said...'same music as the "humming guy" (Gould)!'

 

[Kees de Visser]

There's a refreshing version for string orchestra by Sitkovetsky, an adaptation of his own trio version. (amazon).
A version with video by Barenboim, here on youtube or amazon.

 

[LL21]

There's a refreshing version for string orchestra by Sitkovetsky, an adaptation of his own trio version. (amazon).
A version with video by Barenboim, here on youtube or amazon.

Nice! Thanks! I have put the Sitovesky orchestral version in the Amazon inbox after hearing a few snips...his trio version is like the Maisky version but with faster, more elegant, less contemplative interpretation. His orchestral is elegant, powerful and supremely polished. I may get both...Nice to have something different as i like the music.

 

[LL21]

Call me a purist but Jacques Louissier doesn't strike me as phenomenal. Makes entertaining music but I am not sure the word "phenomenal"applies... Don't like for example the mess he made with Satie Music. Else I Agree with some of your ranking. I do not know Tureck nor Leonhart...

Hey Frantz...just curious, do you like Loussier's Goldberg Variations or Brandenburg Concertos at all? The reason is i am listening to his GV now...and i really do think its phenomenal. However, i remember specifially looking to buy other music of his and was sorely disappointed...and i think that includes the Satie music.

so just wondering...

...i think his Bach is remarkable, and it does in some respects remind me of Paul Desmond/David Brubeck if they were playing Bach.

 

[LL21]

After writing about this and reading responses, i just ordered 2 more:
- Sitovesky and NES Orchestra...light, fast, powerful, nimble and fun

- Gavrilov...i really like his Handel 2CD keyboard Suites...contemplative, rich in presentation and i found on the short music snips on Amazon that he had a similar weight/richness in his presentation to Gould but without the idiosyncracies (which i like a lot btw). Thus, Gavrilov may make for an interesting contrast to Gould (or Tureck who is also slower, powerful and less idiosyncratic)...specifically that he is as contemplative as Gould and also with some odd/interesting timing interpretations but without some of Gould's more extreme idiosyncracies...and relative to Tureck, well, she seems slightly more old fashioned, slightly sweeping in her delivery, and also conservative in her timing nuances...but we shall see when they have arrived and i have listened all the way thru...

 

[Kees de Visser]

After writing about this and reading responses, i just ordered 2 more:
- Sitovesky and NES Orchestra...light, fast, powerful, nimble and fun

I hope you will enjoy listening to this version as much as we did recording it !

 

[LL21]

I hope you will enjoy listening to this version as much as we did recording it !

Fantastic!!! Thank you! I did not realize this was your project...i will be sure to come back when it has arrived. Thank you for working to create beautiful music for so many people to enjoy!

 

[garylkoh]

I hope you will enjoy listening to this version as much as we did recording it !

Kees,

Thank you. I also previewed this on Amazon and have bought a new copy for myself. Quite amazing even on low-bitrate mp3 streaming.

Since you are in the industry, please put that in your signature before the admins here ban you. Personally, I would love to hear more about your recordings!

 

[LL21]

Kees,

Thank you. I also previewed this on Amazon and have bought a new copy for myself. Quite amazing even on low-bitrate mp3 streaming.

Since you are in the industry, please put that in your signature before the admins here ban you. Personally, I would love to hear more about your recordings!

+1...would love to know what else you've recorded!

 

[Bachtoven]

I'm pretty sure that Horowitz never recorded them. I like Murray Perahia (Sony SACD), Burkard Schliessmann (Bayer Records SACD), Tatiana Nikolayeva (Hyperion), and Simone Dinerstein (Telarc), among numerous others that I own! There's a wonderful new string version on Harmonia Mundi (SACD) played by the Britten Sinfonia--gorgeous sound and playing.

 

[LL21]

I'm pretty sure that Horowitz never recorded them. I like Murray Perahia (Sony SACD), Burkard Schliessmann (Bayer Records SACD), and Simone Dinerstein (Telarc), among numerous others that I own! There's a wonderful new string version on Harmonia Mundi (SACD) played by the Britten Sinfonia--gorgeous sound and playing.

Makes sense, i have never come across Horowitz and Goldberg. I have heard good things about Perahia's version. Is the Britten Sinfonia version anything like Dmitry Sitkovetsky - NES Chamber Orchestra version?