Bach, J.S. / Goldberg Variations, Bwv 988 (T. Ohnishi, Harpsichord)
| Album: | Goldberg Variations, Bwv 988 (T. Ohnishi, Harpsichord) | Collection: | Classical | |
| Artist: | Bach, J.S. | Added: | Mar 2013 | |
| Label: | Bridge Records | |||
#s
#s13
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2013-03-31 | Pull Date: | 2013-06-03 | Charts: | Classical/Experimental |
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| Week Ending: | Jun 2 | Apr 28 |
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| Airplays: | 1 | 1 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | May 27, 2013: | no way to say
Variation 3, Canone All'unisono 1:58 |
2. | Apr 24, 2013: | Green Copper Radio
Variation 16, Ouverture 2:53 |
Album Review
Larry
Reviewed 2013-03-26
Reviewed 2013-03-26
An early biographer of Bach claims that the Goldberg Variations (published 1741) were written for the Russian ambassador to the electoral court of Saxony, when he suffered from debilitating bouts of insomnia. The harpsichordist J. G. Goldberg, who had studied with Bach, was to play the Variations for the count. The bass harmonic progression is repeated throughout the 30 variations as the theme undergoes elaborate variation. The genres of the variations are: Baroque dances (#s 4,7,19); a fughetta (#10); a French overture (#16); ornamented arias (#s13, 25); sprightly “arabesques” (#s 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29). Variations divisible by 3 (#s 3, 6, 9 etc.) are canons (a melody followed after a given duration by an imitation in a different voice) at increasing intervals from the unison to a 9th. Var 30 is a silly folk tune to escape the serious mood of the whole. The final aria is a repeat of the opening aria.
I. Aria 4:24. A 2-part Sarabande (slow dance), lush, reflective.
II. Variation 1 2:02. Sprightly.
III. Variation 2 1:42. 3-part counterpoint.
IV. Variation 3, Canone All'unisono 1:58.
V. Variation 4 1:06 Dance.
VI. Variation 5 1:53. Fast melody, left hand jumps across.
VII. Variation 6, Canone Alla Seconda 1:48.
VIII. Variation 7 1:49. Dance.
IX. Variation 8 2:11. Lively tempo.
X. Variation 9, Canone Alla Terza 2:01
XI. Variation 10, Fughetta 1:41
XII. Variation 11 2:34. Lively tempo. A toccata.
XIII. Variation 12, Canone Alla Quarta 3:18
XIV. Variation 13 2:49. Ornate aria. Slow. Gentle.
XV. Variation 14 2:16. Virtuoso. Lively tempo.
XVI. Variation 15, Canone Alla Quinta 4:18. G minor.
XVII. Variation 16, Ouverture 2:53. French overture.
XVIII. Variation 17 2:04. Lively tempo. Virtuoso toccata.
XIX. Variation 18, Canone Alla Sesta 1:30.
XX. Variation 19 1:28. Dance.
XXI. Variation 20 2:22. Much hand crossing. Lively tempo.
XXII. Variation 21, Canone Alla Settima 3:19. G minor. Gentle.
XXIII. Variation 22, Alla Breve 1:30. Fugue-like.
XXIV. Variation 23 2:29. Lively tempo.
XXV. Variation 24, Canone all'Ottava 2:47
XXVI. Variation 25 3:22. G minor. Complex. Dark.
XXVII. Variation 26 2:23. Lively tempo. Joyous.
XXVIII. Variation 27, Canone Alla Nona 2:00
XXIX. Variation 28 2:38. Melody plus 2-hand trills.
XXX. Variation 29 2:14. Heavy cholrds and brilliant arpeggios.
XXXI. Variation 30, Quodlibet 2:05. Folk song.
XXXII. Aria Da Capo 2:26. Repeat of opening aria.
I. Aria 4:24. A 2-part Sarabande (slow dance), lush, reflective.
II. Variation 1 2:02. Sprightly.
III. Variation 2 1:42. 3-part counterpoint.
IV. Variation 3, Canone All'unisono 1:58.
V. Variation 4 1:06 Dance.
VI. Variation 5 1:53. Fast melody, left hand jumps across.
VII. Variation 6, Canone Alla Seconda 1:48.
VIII. Variation 7 1:49. Dance.
IX. Variation 8 2:11. Lively tempo.
X. Variation 9, Canone Alla Terza 2:01
XI. Variation 10, Fughetta 1:41
XII. Variation 11 2:34. Lively tempo. A toccata.
XIII. Variation 12, Canone Alla Quarta 3:18
XIV. Variation 13 2:49. Ornate aria. Slow. Gentle.
XV. Variation 14 2:16. Virtuoso. Lively tempo.
XVI. Variation 15, Canone Alla Quinta 4:18. G minor.
XVII. Variation 16, Ouverture 2:53. French overture.
XVIII. Variation 17 2:04. Lively tempo. Virtuoso toccata.
XIX. Variation 18, Canone Alla Sesta 1:30.
XX. Variation 19 1:28. Dance.
XXI. Variation 20 2:22. Much hand crossing. Lively tempo.
XXII. Variation 21, Canone Alla Settima 3:19. G minor. Gentle.
XXIII. Variation 22, Alla Breve 1:30. Fugue-like.
XXIV. Variation 23 2:29. Lively tempo.
XXV. Variation 24, Canone all'Ottava 2:47
XXVI. Variation 25 3:22. G minor. Complex. Dark.
XXVII. Variation 26 2:23. Lively tempo. Joyous.
XXVIII. Variation 27, Canone Alla Nona 2:00
XXIX. Variation 28 2:38. Melody plus 2-hand trills.
XXX. Variation 29 2:14. Heavy cholrds and brilliant arpeggios.
XXXI. Variation 30, Quodlibet 2:05. Folk song.
XXXII. Aria Da Capo 2:26. Repeat of opening aria.
Track Listing