Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (The Historic 1955 Debut Recording)

Does not sound like Bach 2010-06-02

Reviewer: Piano lover

When I first played this CD I could not stand it and took it off.
Then I forced myself to listen to it to the end, still no sparks in fact it hurt my ears listening to it.
I am use to listening to Bach played by Richter, and if you like him you will not like Gould's Bach.
I would highly recommend András Schiff's version Bach: Goldberg Variations or my second choice
Tatiana Nikolayeva's version Bach: Goldberg Variations.

Goldberg Variations a Classic Investment 2007-12-06

Reviewer: M. E. Kucsmas

For anyone growing-up in the sixties, the Goldberg Variations were a new find in the world of classical interpretations of Bach. Clean, precise and passionate, the recordings set the standard for what the over-used word "classic" should be!


This CD version is that copy of the original LP pressings. This is one to own in any music collection... right next to Beethovan's Middle Quartets and the best of Moby Grape!

Cheers!

A Minority Opinion 2007-09-13

Reviewer: Giordano Bruno

Spurred by angry responses to my previous reviews of Gould recordings, I sat down to listen to the Goldbergs by Gould once more, at which time I made the following notes:

Aria - Too much rubato, ergo no stately declamation from which to develop the variations. Trills very awkward, ornaments overemphasized. Too moody, almost mawkish. Moaning out of tune.
VAR 1 - Downbeats too heavy, too percussive. Attacks too varied in arbitrary manner.
VAR2 - Over-played, ergo clumsy. Some bad notes.
VAR 3 - Right hand not independent of left, ergo counterpoint distorted. Once again, overplayed and clumsy sounding. (I do realize that this is subjective.)
VAR 4 - Clangy! Too much pedal. Right hand shapeless, bad notes in left.
VAR 5 - Impressive!
Var 6 - Just plain weird; incoherent in total context
VAR 7 - Rubato destroys all sense of continuity with other variations; graons annoyingly tuneless.
VAR 8 - Pouncy!
VAR 9 - Prissy! Mincing, not in keeping with other variations.
VAR 10 - Where did this mood come from?
Var 11 - No sense of poise in the dance rhythms; many bad notes
VAR 12 - THUMPY!
VAR 13 - syrupy, tentative in relation to other variations, no sense of the developing serenity of the whole structure
VAR 14 - Stride piano bass! Pouncing on the notes is UGLY
VAR 15 - Discontinuous in every way. Hideous moaning.
VAR 16 - He's indifferent to this one.
VAR 17 - Likewise
VAR 18 - Relatively straightforward, until the left hand starts pouncing again.
VAR 19 - NO sense of preparation for this dramatic shift. Jagged sounding passages, all arbitrary overplaying. Believe me, there ARE bad notes.
VAR 20 - Silly. Almost satirical.
VAR 21 - Sounds like Wagner in a wig, for gawd's sake; i can't stand the discontinuity of his leaps from variations to variation. Contrast is not the same as discontinuity.
VAR 22 - ?
VAR 23 - The "quickness" just seems exaggerated to me, and ungraceful.
VAR 24 - Mice on the keyboard! Is it intended to be satirical?
VAR 25 - Odd. Interesting in itself, but not established in relation to the other variations.
VAR 26 - Okay, plenty of flash, but the two hands don't connect well, so the form disintegrates itself.
VAR 27 - His rubato here sounds like plain old music-camp "rushing" to me.
VAR 28 - Persuasive; his cleanest playing in the whole structure.
VAR 29 - Also persuasive, but damn his groaning.
Var 30 - Anticlimactic without double register. Boring.
da capo - Maudlin rather than serene. Emotionally dissatisfying.

Astounding 2007-07-20

Reviewer: Mike Smith

I have a thing for Bach, and Glenn Gould really does the great composer justice. The entire recording is highly engaging, well done, and at times does not sound humanly possible. I am very impressed by this performance. This work, like much of Bach's compositions, is stimulating yet relaxing. It draws you in and if you follow it, it takes you on a journey. I highly recommend this disc to all Bach lovers.

Scintillating Performance! 2007-06-19

Reviewer: Ruhama

Glenn Gould's quintessential 1955 performance of the Goldberg Variations is an absolute "must have" for every classical music library. His marvelous precision and alacrity are breath-taking! Gorgeous music.