I: bach goldberg variations

I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging of course, but it is surely excusable to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later.

Lewis Thomas on how we should use Bach to communicate Earth to the rest of the Universe.

Bach is as good a place to start as any.  The grandaddy, about whom Bartok said "It may well be that some composers do not believe in God. All of them, however, believe in Bach."  As usual I won't profess to know anything special.  But I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks and knows.  And suggestions as to the best recordings on the web and off.  In my experience the nod in Glenn Gould's direction is pretty heavy.

Glenn Gould was a controversial old soul, which didn't stop him being one of the most loved performers of all time.  YouTube is full of him.  Here's some Goldberg.

In my book he's quite brilliant.  He would sing quite a bit as he played.  Like Keith Jarrett.  I like his lightness of touch with the sustain pedal.  When I first started playing Bach I'd get mesmerised by the dischords, playing them over and over.  They were the saddest, most beautiful sounds I'd ever heard.  And I remember thinking I could quite happily only ever play Bach for the rest of my life.  Certainly the Goldberg Variations would be a desert island manuscript choice.   

This bonkers Gould footage is also worth watching to the end if only for his singing to elephants.

Some free Bach MP3s can be found at The Piano Society.  Not The Goldberg Variations unfortunately. 

Comments

[Paul H. Colman]

As I said on your other blog Beeker - this is a great start, loved the Goldberg Variations, more of the same please.

(Always feels good to be the first person to comment, like walking in fresh snow.)

[Marcus Brown]

I love Gould. I love the way he used to sing along while playing. Potty and lovely. I think I've got about three different records of the goldberg variations, each one being different and special.

[beeker]

Hello chaps.

Thanks for coming. I'm expecting Nicholai any day soon to bring some discipline to it all. In the meantime I'm going to try and listen to at least a couple of different recordings. And look up some other Bach and Goldberg related stuff.

I'd love to know about the differences in your recordings and what they are Marcus.

I forgot to add as well that the more we listen to this the more clever we'll be. Which should also make the blog better. Bonus.

[Christian]

I actually fell in love with the Variations thanks to Hannibal Lecter (silence of the lambs, when he's in the cage, beating a cop to death, that's the soundtrack).A non classic way to get to like classical music.

[Will]

May I make a suggestion for a piece?

San Saens - 'Finale'. (Yes, it's the classical music to Babe, but I enjoy it).

I'm liking the new blog beeker.. feel free to suggest away.

[Marcus Brown]

Beeker,

I have a Gould Variations recording which is, of course, pacy and has his loveable humming in the background.

One is a cheapy recording, you know those CD's you see on special offer. Very little passion, no pace and there's a little bit a reverb in the bass tones. Which is, annoying. That said, I kind of like it because it has a raw feel to it.

The third is a "proper" recording. Crystal clear and digital. It's more sedate than Gould, and has a very mellow tone to it. It's my sherry and open-log-fire version. Warms my toes and heart and stuff.

Have you come across: http://blogmusik.net ? It's quite a good way of posting links to musik, and they do have some nice stuff on there.

I really like this idea. Really do. Well done Beeker.

[beeker]

I like the sound of non classical ways into classical music.

Will, Finale is now on the list. Officially.

And Marcus. Sterling, sterling work on the recordings front. I am waiting for my Amazon copy of the Daniel Barnboim version so I've got something to compare Glenn to. Hopefully that will give anyone else who's joining in time to find their own copies. Will check out the link. Thanks for that.

[Madsen]

Well. Without a doubt. Bach is God (or is it the other way around).

Bach, Newton and Shakespear. There you have it.

By the way: Murray Perahia gets my vote. Beautiful, sweeping, powerful.

[jaujau]

I too, love Murray Perahia's Bach interpretations. His Goldberg is par excellence and I sold my soul to Bach when I heard him play English Suite #2 in A minor. I have always been too intimidated by Bach to play any but his easiest Anna Magdalena compositions. This year I have begun to study Bach intensively...starting with the Anna Magdalena pieces.