Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Angela Hewitt :: Bach: Goldberg Variations

Contemplative Goldbergs

Alan Lekan | Boulder, CO | 07/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bach wrote very, very few variation compositions like the "Goldberg Variations," but the one's he wrote are most memorable and monumental. Early in his career, he wrote a magnificant "Aria with Variations in the Italian Manner" (BWV989). Its repeating aria at the end along with the alternating fast/bright and slow/contemplative variations foreshadowed a model in these so-called Goldberg Variations - one of the towering 'summation works' Bach wrote late in his life at Leipzig.



With a full quiver of splendid recordings of Bach's keyboard music, it is not hard to believe that Angela Hewitt is the top-selling musical artist for the British Hyperion label. And this recording of her personal favorite Golderg Variations is another worthwhile CD in the series. Angela Hewitt's Goldbergs - and really all her Bach or Couperin in general - may be most simplistically characterized as having a more gentle, graceful and heartfelt style. She particularly excells on bringing out the joyful rhythms in the many Baroque-era 'dances' and as well as the inherent songfulness within the music. Technically, her smooth-as-silk long legato line, tasteful ornamental infusions, and intelligent progression all combine to create a delightful experience with Bach as heard in this fine recording.



Additionally, Hewitt is a master tonal colorist and is not shy to tactfully use the pedals and nuances of the modern piano to create a greater richness in the music - while taking care to avoid blurring her individual lines. Accordingly, she elects a wide dynamic range for this recording to elicit maximum expressivity. Her creativity in ornamentation and well-chosen shifts of tempo in the repeats (which she observes here) adds stylistic interest - but without straying too far from Bach's musical intentions.



In comparison to other Goldberg recordings (such as Perhahia's Sony recording), Angela Hewitt's readings seem to possess a more introspective, pensive mood at times. Perhaps in the back of her mind she is tempering her expression in light of the legend that Bach wrote these pieces for his student Goldberg to play at night to help his employer, the insomniac Count Keyserling, pass the time during his sleepness nights. Hewitt's expressivity in the opening and closing Aria is as expected, thoughtful and beautiful. In the famous 25th "Black Pearl" Variation, she creates a somewhat veiled atmosphere with a slower tempo. Personally, I felt it a bit heavy rather than the more poignant and optimistic mood of Perahia - but such is art and individual preference. Contrastingly, in the brilliant fast variations, Miss Hewitt brings an ebulient clarity and precision to the music that is refreshing to mind and spirit.



Hewitt's Goldberg CD received strong ratings from from many of the top reviewers like Penguin Guide and Gramophone and stands with a few others among the finer recordings. ClassicsToday was a bit more critical, giving this CD a rating of 8/10 for Artistic Quality and 9/10 for Sound Quality (noting a tendency for restraint in some variations). An additional highlight of this Hyperion CD is surely the superbly annotated notes revealing some history of this music and Ms. Hewitt's musical insights and approaches to each of the 30 variations. The voluminous notes alone might make Hewitt's CD preferable to some others if you already have a version or two you really like. All-in-all, a most attractive and admirable recording of one of the world's great keyboard compositions."

The version you'll come back to.

Ed Brickell | 10/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Either of Gould's versions of this astonishing music are magnificent intellectual achievements and might challenge you more, but they aren't exactly what I would call daily listening! Hewitt's performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations on piano is a performance you can live with and play every day. She strikes a perfect balance between pianistic coloring and crisply articulated clarity, allowing you to follow every individual voice while being fully alert to the dramatic possibilities of the work as a whole. The aria which opens and concludes the set is played rather more slowly than usual, but without losing the musical flow. And who really cares how slow it goes, because it's one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.Hyperion has done its usual excellent packaging job that affirms its reputation as one of the best classical musical labels in the world. The written notes are terrific as well.Buy it today -- it's an investment that will reap rewards for your ears and soul for many years to come."

The Emotion and Passion That is.....Bach!

J. Raff | Encino, CA USA | 07/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations is of the highest caliber of any rendition of these works in many decades. The technical aspect of Angela's recording is virtually flawless, with a minimum of pianistic effect, which is exactly the way in which these pieces are supposed to be played. Listening to this gives one the feeling that this work is being played on harpsichord, which is the original instrument for which the variations were written, but indeed, this performance was recorded on the piano, and with excellent sound quality. All repeats are observed here, and are played with a slightly different dynamic, be it softer or louder, which is quite proper for Bach's period. Angela's phrasing, and her ability to produce a pure legato effect without use of the pedal adds much to the authenticity of this performance.This recording, as well as Angela's other Bach recordings, belong in the collection of every Bach enthusiast as Angela is one of a very few who truly bring out the warmth, emotion and passion that is....Bach!"