A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
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Free Music Notes for A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Free Music Review: Musical Science or Passion?
Hit: 5 Stars
Bach is sometimes dismissed by people who claim that he was a "mere musical scientist," who was not "passionate" enough.
Well, in these performances by the troubled genius, Glen Gould, it is not simply Bach's precision and elegance, but his rich humanity and emotional profundity that are fully on display.
Mr. Gould takes his occasional liberties, of course, with the tempi especially, so that Bach purists will have their opportunities to raise an eyebrow. Yet there is always musical intelligence and understanding behind Gould's choices, together with the maturing sensitivity of a great interpreter of Bach's music for the twentieth century and a troubled, but ultimately successful artist.
These recordings are not to be missed.
Free Music Review: Once in a great while someone does something right...
Hit: 5 Stars
Kudos to Sony Legacy for putting this wonderful package together. The original 1955 recording of the Goldberg Variations is presented in it's vastly superior and long-neglected analog version (rather than early tech digital side-by-side master, which was, for whatever reason, the way it was released previously). The sound is fine. One can get an understanding right away why Bach is referred to as 'Father Bach' by some. The 1981 recording, recorded shortly before Glenn Gould's untimely demise, may be the better recording. Many think so. I'll just say that they are both exceptional. Included is the interview disc, which gives you a view into the person that was Glenn Gould. Technically, the Gould's mastery of the piano is simply mesmerizing.Free Music Review: Keats, Augustine, Dumas
Hit: 5 Stars
Keats said, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty". Augustine said, "Beauty is Unity in Diversity". Dumas said "Simplicity is always perfection". Perhaps Gould's 81 variations is one of the magnum expressions of these statements in the history of mankind. He is evidence of man's highest ability to create at a level that reaches out to the Divine, just short of the creation of the Universe and mankind in itself. And the sound is excellent too. All I can say is I listened to the 81 variations for the first time last night; I was primed for them (through a few years of listening to classical music) and I had a look of awe and a childish smile on my face the whole 51 minutes. Treat yourself to beauty and buy it.Free Music Review: Glenn Gould, the eternal wunderkind!
Hit: 5 Stars
Gould give us what we should call his battlehorse: The Goldberg variations. I have got four versions (the two of this set) one from Canada 1952 and another one from Salzburg 1959.
Each one of them has his own profile, but surely no one of these can be beyond the version of 1981. It sounds wise, cosmical and in a certain way, Gould seems to give us a kind of musical testament.
You can say that Mr. Gould was a singular case in the music but his approach to Bach was unique. Forever and ever Gould will be the foremost pianist born in Canada and a genius of the keyboard.
These Goldberg performance owns wisdom besides musicality. It's obviously an autumn farewell!
Free Music Review: Indispensable
Hit: 5 Stars
Anyone who bought the 1981 recording will appreciate the improvement in the sound of this remastering (which was made from an analogue master rather than the digital one) -- warmer and richer. Until this set I had only heard the recording from the 1950s maybe once but it comes off very well and I find that the one I prefer is the one I happen to be listening to. What that means is both performances are convincing, neither being "right" nor "wrong". I have been told and read that the first recording was better but that might have been because of the sound quality of the '81 recording. With this release the choice is much harder to make.