Masterful performance
This may be the best classical performance of the 20th century. I play this CD very often, and it was my intro to Bach's Goldberg Variations. I've listened to other versions, but always come back to it. Gould's abbreviated and sometimes hyper-accelerated renditions of these keyboard masterpieces are like perfect jewels. His phrasing of the opening Aria is pensive and joyous, a little essay unto itself. And then you plunge into the first variation. As they go by (most under a minute), you wonder, as Gould did in the liner notes, how these pieces are in any way related to the Aria which spawned them. You hear rumors of the chord progression, traces of the harmonies, echoes of the bass line. Each note is crystalline pure (sometimes one set of his fingers are playing staccato while the other, somehow, sounds pedalled--how'd he do that?) This double-CD set is amazing, and a must for anyone seeking a new world of music in the realm of baroque and classical music.
2004-06-18
Superb
When Sony bought Columbia, they began reissuing Glenn Gould albums, with new packaging and audio mastering. I think they realized early on that Gould fans are often merciless perfectionists, and vainly view their music collections more as "archives" than as "yonder pile," and hence have no tolerance for hack jobs. These are people, after all, who buy classical music for its own sake, and not as functional generic background music or "relaxation." Thus, there is a rigorous audio standard Sony tries to hold itself to, as well as to a historical standard.
STATE OF WONDER is probably the ultimate expression of this policy. It was simply a very good idea to devote a single package to these two recordings of the Goldberg Variations. The 1955 recording which was Gould's first album, and the 1981 recording, which was his last. The third CD consists of a fascinating and strange Canadian Broadcast Co. interview (Sony has also acquired basically any audio or visual recording of Gould) shortly before his 1981 death, as well as some outtakes from the 1955 sessions. The interview ranges all over, including a really weird parody of a non-existent English actor that you have to hear to believe. Gould and the interviewer discuss many of the variations in-depth; any Bach student will be interested in hearing it.
Gould was a ruthless critic of the '55 recording, as you'll hear in the interview, and the difference between the two recordings is IMMEDIATELY evident with his tempo in the Aria. In the '81 recording, he more violently plunges into the 1st Variation, which is startling, especially after the much slower tempo.
A brief essay from the interviewer is included in the booklet, as is Gould's perspicacious liner notes from the 1955. He talked the way he wrote, eloquently wrapped up in the precision of his art and not really giving a damn what anyone else thought. Also, a brief explication of the recording and remastering technology will be helpful to the tech-philes.
(Several years ago I bought Gould's recording of the Mozart sonatas, and totally regretted it. They're awful; played indifferently. So it was funny to hear in the interview Gould panning his own recording and laughingly talking about detesting Mozart.)
This is vital for any collector of Gould's work, and anyone who wants to hear the Goldberg Variations cannot possibly go wrong with Gould's work.
2004-06-06
Reccomended
The more you listen to the Goldberg Variations, the more you will like them. Thats what makes these CD's so great, no matter how many times you listen to them, you will never get bored. Glenn Gould's interpretations are as far apart as the North and South pole, the first (1955) is fast and overall enjoyable to listen to, the second (1981) is much slower on most sections, its like Gould is talking to you through the Goldberg variations, almost as if its something he learned how to do from 1955 to 1981... the 1981 recording is in a way much more emotional. The third CD has Glenn Gould talking with Tim Page about his recordings, which is very fun to listen to. On the second track of the 3rd CD, it has the studio outtakes, which are kindof hard to hear, but are incredibly amusing. This collection is a MUST HAVE for all people who are interested in Bach, Glenn Gould... or both.
2004-05-27
Superior
Forget witty titles for this review, as it does not need them: Simply put, The Goldberg Variations, as played by Glenn Gould, is one of the best musical sets that I have in possession. Gould uses his own mastery of the piano to make this music something of his own. The re-mastering and re-issuing of the Goldberg Variations finally does the music justice: Its clarity is unsurpassed, each key and note sounding as if the piano were right in the room.
Gould's ability to play Bach is excellent - he brings his own techniques to the bench, crafting each note and variation differently than any other pianist. Undoubtedly, Gould is one of the most talanted Bach players in the public eye. The remastering allows the listener to hear the intricacies of his music, and turns a formerly horrendous recording (from 1955) into a clear masterpiece.
Very much worth the twenty dollars (or so) that this CD set costs. Buy without inhibition.
2004-03-24
