A Consideration of The Goldberg Variations

[glennross]

Hi everyone,

Some three weeks ago, I played The Goldberg Variations in a concert in Europe. It's such a lovely piece, and I had not worked on it for such a long time before this occasion. It was such a delight playing it again.

However, after Glenn Gould died, it more or less regained it's reputation as a wizardry difficult piece with awkward hand-crossing and weird hand motions. What do you guys think about this piece?

BW,
Glenn

And by the way: Yes, I know my name is Glenn too. 

[themeandvariation]

Hi Glenn.
I think it is one (perhaps the best) of the greatest  mountains to climb… It is something i run thru regularly .. for years...

[visitor]

not sure i ever listened to GG play these.  They are not easy, but i don't think they're the most difficult thing JB wrote. Honestly, i just always default to and am never dispointed (i'm delighted actually) for anything Turek.
btw her playing of these is masterful. would not be surprised if GG looked up to her

[glennross]

would not be surprised if GG looked up to her

Yes, I know Tureck's performance, it's wonderful too. As a matter of fact, Tureck was one of those pianists, Arthur Schnabel fell into that category as well, to which Gould looked up to.

I also don't think the Goldberg's are the hardest piece Bach ever wrote. I think the Art of Fugue is surely the most difficult amongs all of Bach's keyboard works.

[themeandvariation]

Yes, i wasn't implying that they were the most difficult to play, necessarily,  but more - a monument of composition..  For the listener, perhaps it is not as rewarding (sometimes) as for the player..  When i first heard them, they didn't grab me so much... (Too much G tonality for too long). 
It took really getting inside them, before the dramatic view was revealed...

[glennross]

It took really getting inside them, before the dramatic view was revealed...

I know that feeling. I think it also is a question of age. When I first heard these I was nine. No wonder it bored the hell out of me back then! It really took a few years for me to really get interested in them and now I'm so glad I am able to play them.