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Bach: The Goldberg Variations(Glenn Gould

recording)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bach: The Goldberg Variationsis the 1955 debut album of the Canadian classical pianistGlennGould. An interpretation of Johann ebastian !ach"sGoldberg Variations#!W$9%%&, the 'ork

launched Gould"s career as a reno'ned international pianist, and became one of the most 'ell(kno'n

piano recordin)s.*1+ales 'ere astonishin) for a classical album- it 'as reported to hae sold /0,000copies by 190, and had sold more than 100,000 by the time of Gould"s death in 19%2.*2+!y year 2000,

the sale of his 19%1 recordin) of the Goldberg Variationse3ceeded t'o million copies.*4+

At the time of the album"s release, !ach"s Goldberg Variationsa set of 40contrapuntalariations

be)innin) and endin) 'ith an aria'as outside the standard piano repertoire, hain) been recorded onthe instrument only a fe' times before, either on small labels or unreleased.*n 1+6he 'ork 'as

considered esoteric*/+and technically demandin), re7uirin) a'k'ard hand crossin) in arious places

'hen played on a piano. Gould"s album both established the Goldberg Variations'ithin thecontemporary classical repertoire and made him an internationally famous pianist nearly oerni)ht.

*5+First played in concert by Gould in 195/, the composition 'as a staple of Gould"s performances in

the years follo'in) the recordin).

Contents

1 8ecordin) process 2 8eappraisal

4 ee also

/ Footnotes

/.1 otes

/.2 Citations

/.4 !iblio)raphy

5 :3ternal links

Recording process6he recordin)s 'ere made in 1955 at Columbia 8ecords 40th treet studioin ;anhattanoer four daysbet'een June 10 and June 1, a fe' 'eeks after Gould si)ned his contract. Columbia ;aster'orks

8ecords, the company"s classical music diision, released the album in January 195.Bach: The

Goldberg Variationsbecame Columbia"s bestsellin) classical album and earned Gould an internationalreputation. 6he record is no' in the catalo) of ony Classical 8ecords.

At least one record(company e3ecutie 7uestioned Gould"s choice of the then(obscure Goldberg

Variationsfor his recorded debut.

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lo)ical. < 'as t'enty(t'o years old and proposed doin) my recordin) debut 'ith the Goldber)

$ariations, 'hich 'as supposed to be the priate presere, of, perhaps,Wanda >ando'skaor someone

of that )eneration and stature. 6hey thou)ht that possibly some more modest undertakin) 'as

adisable.*+6hen a)ed 22, Gould 'as confident and assertie about his 'ork, and preailed in thedecision as to 'hat he 'ould record for his debuthain) also ensured that his contract )ranted him

artistic freedom. Columbia reco)ni?ed his talent and tolerated his eccentricities@ on June 25 the

company issued a )ood(natured press release describin) Gould"s uni7ue habits and accoutrements. ebrou)ht to the studio a special piano chair, bottles of pills, and unseasonal 'inter clothin)@ once there,

he 'ould soak his hands and arms in ery hot 'ater for t'enty minutes before playin).*/+Gould often

had trouble findin) a piano he liked@ the Variations'ere recorded on a tein'aypiano he had ac7uiredin 1955, 'hich had been shipped around the northeastern Bnited tates for his concerts.

$ariation

;enu

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6he si3th ariation#e3cerpt, second section&

is a canonat the second.

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6he album )ained attention for Gould"s uni7ue pianistic method, 'hich incorporated a fin)er techni7ue

inolin) )reat clarity of articulation #a detachedstaccatissimo&, een at )reat speed, and littlesustainin) pedal. Gould"s piano teacher, Alberto Guerrero, had encoura)ed Gould to practice fin)er

tappin), 'hich re7uired ery slo'ly tappin) the fin)ers of the playin) hand 'ith the free hand.

Accordin) to Guerrero, tappin) tau)ht the pianist an economy of muscle moement that 'ould enableprecision at hi)h speeds. Gould tapped each Goldber) ariation before recordin) it, 'hich took about

42 hours.*+

6he e3treme tempi of the 1955 performance made for a short record, as did Gould"s decision not to play

many of the repeats#each Goldber) ariation consists of t'o parts, traditionally played in an ADAD!D!format&. 6he len)th of a performance of the Goldberg Variationscan therefore ary drastically- Gould"s

1955 recordin) is 4% minutes 4/ seconds lon), 'hile his reconsidered, slo'er 19%1 ersion #see belo'&

is 51-1%. !y 'ay of contrast, fello' Canadian An)ela e'itt"s 1999 record is %-42.*%+

6he artist"s ability to perfect his 'ork in the studio'hat Gould called take(t'onessattractedGould from the be)innin). e recorded no fe'er than 21 ersions of the introductory aria before bein)

satisfied.*9+Eer the course of his career, Gould became more and more interested in the creatie

possibilities of the studio.

Gould 'rote the liner notesto the recordin). Concludin) his back(coer essay on the Goldberg

Variations, he 'rote-

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teacher, and 'hich he had made up my mind about relatiely *early+. e noted that his performance

ie' of the Variationsno' inoled slo'in) the piece do'n- *6hat+ is about the only musical chan)e

that has )one on, but it implies, < think, possibly an approach of sli)htly )reater breadth no' than at

that time... < 'as ery much in a "let"s )et the sho' on the road and )et throu)h 'ith it" sort of mood*durin) the recordin)+. < felt that to lin)er unduly oer anythin) 'ould be to take a'ay from a sort of

oerall unity of thin)s...