Bach Goldberg Variations

Started by Mystery, December 03, 2007, 10:56:08 AM

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Sean

I've also heard the Gould 55 and 81 many times; I agree with him that there was too much young man's passion and pianism in the first recording absolutely spectacular though it is, and the later is much more inwardly Bachian and ravishingly contained within the idiom. Pity about his nerdy mumblings over it but it's extremely accomplished playing. The whole video is also on Youtube last time I checked.

Quote from: DavidA on January 14, 2013, 09:18:20 AM
Glenn Gould's first Goldberg was revolutionary in that it showed just how brilliant Bach could sound on the piano. I think I have two more of Gould's early performances (both live) plus his 1981 remake. I don't think you could do without the first and the last but the others are really good too.

San Antone

An interesting article by conductor and cellist Kenneth Woods on his generally excellent blog, as part of his "Explore the Score" series:

Explore the Score: Bach "Keyboard exercise, consisting of an ARIA with diverse variations for harpsichord with two manuals" (The Goldberg Variations)

Modern research has thrown into serious doubt the veracity of the popular story that Bach wrote the Variations to give comfort to a visiting nobleman suffering from insomnia. Unlike most of Bach's music, the Variations were published in his lifetime, and there is no mention made in the score of a dedication to either Count Kaiserling, whose sleep difficulties were purported to have inspired the work, nor of his long-suffering keyboardist, the now-immortalized Mr. Goldberg.

Bach is known to have always maintained an interest in the evolution of new keyboard instruments throughout his life, and it seems inconceivable that he would not have been amazed and delighted by the possibilities of the modern Steinway. Nonetheless, Bach was also a composer who knew how to stretch the possibilities of the instruments he had available to him and, throughout the Variations, he makes particular use of the possibilities of the two-manual keyboard in writing parts that cross and even overlap. This means that performance of these works on a single-keyboard piano offers a number of possibilities to expand or refine the textural and coloristic possibilities of the work, but also creates some very specific and very awkward technical challenges which are not a factor when playing the work on an instrument with two keyboards. Karp is absolutely clear on which pianists he feels best handle both the possibilities and the challenges of playing Bach on the piano "The pianist whose playing of Bach I loved above all was Rosalyn Tureck, and I also loved William Kapell's Bach"


RTRH

Mandryka

#182
Quote from: sanantonio on March 19, 2014, 10:40:14 AM
An interesting article by conductor and cellist Kenneth Woods on his generally excellent blog, as part of his "Explore the Score" series:

Explore the Score: Bach "Keyboard exercise, consisting of an ARIA with diverse variations for harpsichord with two manuals" (The Goldberg Variations)

Modern research has thrown into serious doubt the veracity of the popular story that Bach wrote the Variations to give comfort to a visiting nobleman suffering from insomnia. Unlike most of Bach's music, the Variations were published in his lifetime, and there is no mention made in the score of a dedication to either Count Kaiserling, whose sleep difficulties were purported to have inspired the work, nor of his long-suffering keyboardist, the now-immortalized Mr. Goldberg.

Bach is known to have always maintained an interest in the evolution of new keyboard instruments throughout his life, and it seems inconceivable that he would not have been amazed and delighted by the possibilities of the modern Steinway. Nonetheless, Bach was also a composer who knew how to stretch the possibilities of the instruments he had available to him and, throughout the Variations, he makes particular use of the possibilities of the two-manual keyboard in writing parts that cross and even overlap. This means that performance of these works on a single-keyboard piano offers a number of possibilities to expand or refine the textural and coloristic possibilities of the work, but also creates some very specific and very awkward technical challenges which are not a factor when playing the work on an instrument with two keyboards. Karp is absolutely clear on which pianists he feels best handle both the possibilities and the challenges of playing Bach on the piano "The pianist whose playing of Bach I loved above all was Rosalyn Tureck, and I also loved William Kapell's Bach"


RTRH

Who is "legendary pianist Howard Karp"?

I've heard people praise Kapell's Bach before. Part of it is probably just the groupie phenomenon -- he was good looking and died young. Part of it is probably american pride -- a "great" american pianist, whoever heard of such a thing before?  Part of it is certainly that he was capable of some amazing pianism -- like in Chopin's second sonata. Part of it is probably that he played some excellent Bach live. But as far as I know he only recorded one Bach piece -- the fourth partita, a studio recording. It's a fine performance, marred in my opinion by a cautiousness which was often his achilles heal.



Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

San Antone

Quote from: Mandryka on March 19, 2014, 10:59:23 AM
Who is "legendary pianist Howard Karp"?

I did not recognize the name either, but here's some biographical information from his most recent academic position.

Sammy

Since Karp's favorite Bach pianist is Tureck, he must be a man of great knowledge and superior taste. :)

DavidA

I must confess I can't get on with Tureck. Seems a bit deliberate. I have about five versions of Gould playing this piece and also one outstanding by Perhaia.

Mandryka

Quote from: DavidA on March 22, 2014, 12:46:28 AM
I must confess I can't get on with Tureck. Seems a bit deliberate. I have about five versions of Gould playing this piece and also one outstanding by Perhaia.

These five versions by Gould, can you give some details. I have three.

Tureck recorded it many times, and I think she did indeed become deliberate. But I very much like the her second recorded, on the Great Pianists edition. I haven't heard her first recording but would very much like to, I can't find it anywhere.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

G. String

#187
Quote from: Mandryka on March 22, 2014, 10:24:10 AM
These five versions by Gould, can you give some details. I have three.

Tureck recorded it many times, and I think she did indeed become deliberate. But I very much like the her second recorded, on the Great Pianists edition. I haven't heard her first recording but would very much like to, I can't find it anywhere.

There are four by Gould: 1954 (42:30), 1955 (38:40), 1959 (37:07) and 1981 (51:14)

Gurn Blanston

Someone posted this picture on my Twitter feed and I thought the Goldberg fans in the room might like it. Pity it isn't larger, but still, nice graphical design.



8)
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Florestan

Question for connoisseurs: how many times did Rosalyn Tureck record GV, and in which years specifically?

Answers much appreciated. TIA.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Mandryka

The Bach cantatas website lists 7 complete recordings, I once tried to get hold of the first with no success - I was interested because I generally like her earlier recordings more. People who claimed to have heard that 1947 LP said it was not very good, but I'd still like to form my own judgement.
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Wakefield

Quote from: Mandryka on April 21, 2015, 07:23:38 AM
(on Tureck) ... I generally like her earlier recordings more. People who claimed to have heard that 1947 LP said it was not very good, but I'd still like to form my own judgement.
Apparently, the consensus tends towards her early recordings. However, I have found myself preferring, for instance, her WTC recorded in the 70s (BBC Legends).

It has a nimbleness and transparency that I really adore, especially in her interpretation of Bk. 2. Not to mention the superb sound quality.

That being said, unfortunately, I just know a late version of the Goldbergs.
"One of the greatest misfortunes of honest people is that they are cowards. They complain, keep quiet, dine and forget."
-- Voltaire

king ubu

When does "late" start with Tureck? I don't know her well yet, but I found this recording here mesmerizing:

[asin]B0011X9S3A[/asin]
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

Wakefield

Quote from: king ubu on April 21, 2015, 11:05:43 AM
When does "late" start with Tureck? I don't know her well yet, but I found this recording here mesmerizing:

[asin]B0011X9S3A[/asin]

She was born in 1914 and died in 2003, so she lived almost 90 years.

She recorded the Goldbergs for the first time in 1947 and I have the last of her recordings from March, 1998 (DG), so this, for instance, is very late. :)

Here you can find a not very clear, but informative discography: http://tureckbach.com/discography
"One of the greatest misfortunes of honest people is that they are cowards. They complain, keep quiet, dine and forget."
-- Voltaire

Mandryka

#194
Quote from: king ubu on April 21, 2015, 11:05:43 AM
When does "late" start with Tureck? I don't know her well yet, but I found this recording here mesmerizing:

[asin]B0011X9S3A[/asin]

That's 1957. It's her second recording of it, and the earliest I've heard. It's a favourite of mine too.

Other JSB recordings I like are the Partitas on her Great Pianists and (despite the sound) doremi and the DG WTC 2. There are one or two other things - on Music and Arts, and in her Great Pianists (like the duetti from CU3)

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

king ubu

Thanks guys! I knew she lived a long life. Got that small DG Bach set of hers as well, recently, but haven't really explored it yet (it was too cheap to pass, I'm afraid). The EMI one is indeed a favourite, although I've not played it often yet - need to be in the right mood.
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

Florestan

Thank you, guys!

The most informative and well organized discography is on the Bach Cantatas website: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/NVP/Tureck.htm#SoloKey (special thanks to Jeffrey)

I have the 1957, 1988 and 1998 recordings but I have never listened to any of them. Shame on me, I think.  :D
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Mandryka

I saw her play the Goldberg Variations in London in the early 1990s or late 1980s, I can't remember. I remember being very bored by the performance. When she came on she looked at the piano and wrinkled her nose, retrieved a kleenex from handbag, and started to wipe down the ivories. Half way through the performance she just got up and, without so much as a by your leave, she skidaddled off the stage. After she'd had her drink or pee or whatever, she returned and carried on playing.

A dire evening.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

Has anyone explored recordings of the Goldberg canons, BWV 1087?
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premont

Quote from: Mandryka on September 15, 2015, 09:19:42 AM
Has anyone explored recordings of the Goldberg canons, BWV 1087?

Not in depth. I have heard two or three recordings of these works, but they seem to me rather to be music for the performer than for the listener.
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