Patrik Enander wrote:

>I agree. I prefer the piano, but Hantai is excellent

To prefer the piano for this monumental work is to fly in the face
of Bach's obvious intentions:  to write a contrapuntal work for "two
keyboards".  Playing the Goldberg on the piano requires concessions; it can
be done (and is often done particularly well - Tureck makes it sound like
an act of dedication; Gould makes it sound the most natural thing on earth;
Richard Aldwell [thank you Don Satz for bringing this to my attention]
makes it sound like music and so does Ivo Jansen; Charles Rosen is at first
hearing distant, but this actually, on repeated listenings, makes the music
all the more immediate; and Kempff makes it sound like glorious Schumann)
but it is only on a two-keyboard instrument that the true stature of the
work can be fully appreciated.  Hantai is excellent - not least because of
the beautiful instrument he plays.  Rousset gives a stunning performance
and so does Ton Koopmans.  Leonhardt is the most authentic, IMHO, never
placing himself between the listener and the music.

While on the subject of the Goldberg, I recently found a very interesting
recording:  Stefan Hussong playing them on the accordion.  Strange as
it may seem, this is a wonderful performance.  Once you get used to the
hurdy-gurdy sound (I am used to it, as I learnt to play the accordion when
I was ten before I could persuade my parents that I really wanted to learn
the piano), you cannot but marvel at the subtlety of phrasing shown by
Hussong.  And what is really odd is that the counterpoint is clearer on the
accordion than it is on the harpsichord (and certainly a LOT clearer than
it ever is on the piano).  This may be a novelty recording; it nevertheless
shows great musicianship and offers a further insight into this most
fascinating work.

Jonathan