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Bach: Goldberg Variations
Johann Sebastian Bach, Glenn Gould
Bach: Goldberg Variations
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (32) - Disc #1

In the summer of 1955, a brash, eccentric, and awesomely gifted 22-year-old pianist swept the didactic cobwebs off this monumental opus, and a star was born. For listeners weaned on romantic Bach stylings of Fischer, Casal...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Johann Sebastian Bach, Glenn Gould
Title: Bach: Goldberg Variations
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Sony
Release Date: 10/25/1990
Album Type: Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Modern, 20th, & 21st Century
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 074643847926

Synopsis

Amazon.com essential recording
In the summer of 1955, a brash, eccentric, and awesomely gifted 22-year-old pianist swept the didactic cobwebs off this monumental opus, and a star was born. For listeners weaned on romantic Bach stylings of Fischer, Casals, and Landowska, the effect was like stepping into an ice cold shower. Glenn Gould's agile, independent hands and hair-trigger rhythm ignited Bach's virtuosic writing with insight and irreverence, sprucing up the counterpoint with crisp articulation, perky accents, and jaw-dropping tempos. This debut recording is the best-known and arguably the finest of Gould's commercial discs. Buy it and hear why. --Jed Distler

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Member CD Reviews

Jeff R. (Pequod)
Reviewed on 12/9/2008...
One of the truly great recordings. A bit faster than most -- Gould also recorded a much slower (and more typical) version later. Highly recommended
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

CD Reviews

There is a better version of this recording
C. Robinson | San Mateo, CA | 05/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"A spirited, irreverant recording that turned the world on its ear back in 1955. Comparisons to his 1981 recording notwithstanding, this is an extraordinary performance with considerable historical value. However, it was given a 20-bit remaster in 1992 and re-released as "Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: Goldberg Variations" (Sony Catalog #52594). The remastered version has noticably clearer sound and more music: two fugues from 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' are thrown in as a bonus.If sound quality is important to you, the remastered version is worth the extra 5 bucks."
New Glenn Gould fan at middle age.
zoe11111 | Maryland , USA | 03/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm hardly a Bach affcionado although I've always enjoyed listening to his works in my life along with other composers. When I accidentally watched video clips of Glenn Gould's performance of Goldberg variations for the first time, It made me curiously emotional like no other. Words are inadequate to describe the child-like feeling after I listend to the first few variations. I walked over to my young sleepy cat and kissed his nose... That is what this particular recording made me do. Not everyone need to talk about classical music like a wine connoisseur. I feel lucky to have found this simple, yet sublime sound by this truly gifted pianist."