Very Late Arrivals!!! - Discs of the Goldbergs just seem to float down
from the sky into my hands. A magnanimous list member sent me Christiane
Jaccottet's recording on PILZ/Vienna Master Series. The catalog number
is 160401 and the total time for the Goldbergs by Jaccottet is 43:36.
Needless to say, observation of repeats is not part of Jaccottet's regimen.
Also, there's a second cd in the set devoted to Bach organ works, but I'm
not going to get into that area in this review. Suffice it to say that the
set is very inexpensive and the organ music is a nice bonus.
Through the 9 variations, Jaccottet's performances are very good. Her
readings are zesty, rhythmically alert, fairly angular, and vested with
abundant emotional depth. The Aria and each variation is on Level 2 except
for the 3rd, 6th, and 9th Variations which I consider superb and at Level
3. Jaccottet's 3rd Variation has a great bass line, wonderful interplay
and clarity between the voices, and a degree of sadness close to Verlet's
on Astree. The 6th Variation finds Jaccottet with an encompassing and
churning bass line capped off with a stately and beautiful conclusion of
ascending passages. Her 9th Variation merits the top level because of its
irresistable blend of sadness and ceremony.
So far, I find the Jaccottet Goldberg Variations a major improvement on
her WTC performances which were quite enjoyable in their own right. In
fact, I am very impressed with the recording. I can't say I was looking
forward to listening to Jaccottet as I had a preconception that she would
be unexceptional. However, from the first bars of the opening Aria, it was
clear that I would be in for some great interpretations. Up to this point,
Jacottet has been as excellent as Leonhardt I, Curtis, and Pinnock.
A second disc sent my way is a piano recording of the Goldbergs by Tjako
van Schie on Rondo 001; the performance was recorded in 1991. Rondo is
a Netherlands company that some of you may be familiar with. Tjako van
Schie, born in 1961, studied piano at the Zwolle Academy of Music. He has
professionally performed as a soloist and accompanist. van Schie has been
teaching at the Amsterdam Academy for the Arts since 1987 and co-founded a
collective of musical artists named the Group of Ten. Mr. van Schie also
finds time in his busy schedule to compose his own music.
The total time of the Rondo disc is 78:07, so Mr. van Schie's regimen
concerning repeats is generally the opposite of Jaccottet's. Through the
9th Variation, van Schie's performances are uniformly excellent. Also, he
is not routinely either slow or fast. The opening aria is very slow and
luxuriating, but then the 1st Variation finds van Schie displaying fast
speed and great rhythmic vitality. I consider his Aria and each variation
at level 2 which means consistently excellent. So far, I haven't felt any
magic from the readings, but they are in good standing compared to most of
the other piano versions being reviewed.
A third disc consists of Joseph Payne's harpsichord version of the
Goldbergs on BIS with a total time of 77:52. Payne's performances are
considered highly distinctive from some sources based on his imaginative
handling of repeats. Through the first nine variations, I only noticed
this approach significantly in the first repeat of the Aria and can't say
that it enhanced the work. To me, his additions were on the cute side and
lowered the stature and elegance of the Aria. That's my sole reservation.
Overall, Payne is excellent. Tempos are within the usual limits but are
varied appropriately. He is consistently getting to the music's core,
and his voice interplay is very interesting and often exciting and
illuminating. Level 3 goes to his 3rd, 4th, and 9th variations; the
remainder are at level 2. At this point, I have him on a par with
Leonhardt I, Curtis, Jaccottet and Pinnock. That's very admirable company.
The fourth issue is from Daniel Barenboim on Erato with a total time of
80:23. I would be telling you that I find this recording outstanding
through the first nine variations except for two reservations. First,
Barenboim is often subdued and sounds reticent to me; this takes hold to
one degree or another in every variation. Second, there have been a few
times when he has simply been too loud and/or over-emoting. Even given
those negative aspects, I am greatly enjoying his performances. Barenboim
yields to no one in emotional depth and breadth. His Aria and 6th
Variation are superb; the Aria reminds me much of Tureck's readings. The
other variations are at level 2. This easily makes Barenboim's one of the
better versions of the forty-seven.
The fifth recording comes from Glenn Gould in his live Salzburg peformance
from Sony. I'll have to identify this one as Gould IV; total time is
37:15. So far, it's a fabulous performance, sort of the best of the
other two Gould/Sony versions. Wherever either of those versions seems
problematic for me, the Salzburg performance eliminates the problem.
Gould's 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th variations are at the top level
with the Aria and other variations close behind. This has been the best
version of the lot excepting for Tureck/DG.
The last late entry, on harpsichord, is in the person of Sergio Vartolo
on the Tactus label with a recording date of 1989. The catalog number
is 68021990 and total time for this 2-disc set is 101:41. Of the now
48 versions, Vartolo is the sole artist to top the 100 minute mark. He
certainly uses slow tempos and observes every repeat, but going over 100
minutes is also helped by a hesitation technique that Vartolo employs in
the Aria and every single variation. I don't have anything per se against
hesitations; many of the variations are tailor-made for this approach, and
Vartolo presents them expertly. However, using them in every variation
might well be too much of a good thing. Listening to his performances
straight-through leaves me with a hesitation in my walking step and the
impression that the hesitations become an affectation of sorts. With that
negative out of the way, there's no doubt in my mind that Vartolo gives
commanding interpretations. He knows what he wants to do and goes about
his business with precision and a thorough grasp of the idiom.
I gave the best rating to Vartolo in the 6th & 7th variations. The 6th
is perfect for his hestiations, and he uses them sparingly in the 7th
Variation. Level 2 is where his other performances rest.
10th Variation - This piece used to be one of my least favorite variations,
but I've come to love it. Angularity, demonstrative delivery, joy, and the
heroic are the elements I'm addicted to.
Level 1 - Nothing against the performance on Gould I, but it sounds as
if the notes have been infected with a strong virus; my ears were begging
for a change. The ears also did not react very well to Koroliov's more
than demonstrative first repeat; in addition, Koroliov falls victim to the
piano's reduced potential, compared to the harpsichord, to provide a sharp
performance. As I hear it, the compensation for his smooth reading is
just the aggressiveness. Schiff is close to his worst in the 10th; the
dynamics are extreme, and the interplay between voices doesn't sound well
integrated. Peter Serkin is just too sedate for me; there is some minimum
degree of demonstrative attitude needed to capture the music's essence.
Level 2 - Included are Cole, Perahia, Jaccottet, Vinikour, Schirmer,
Yudina, Jarrett, Vieru, Hewitt, Beausejour, Pinnock, Tureck/DG, Richter,
Curtis, Suzuki, Gould IV, van Schie, Lifschitz, Dershavina, Gould II, Tipo,
Feltsman, Vartolo, Nikolayeva, Rosen, Payne, Barenboim, Xiao Mei, Leonhardt
II, Hantai, Ross, and Gilbert. Tureck/DG isn't as demonstrative as in her
three other versions and she tends to drag a little in comparison. Mr.
van Schie could have been at the top level except for some very short
periods of reduced strength when I didn't expect nor want them; momentum
takes short holidays. The Xiao Mei performance pleasantly surprised me; in
my original review, I considered her first repeat too soft-spoken. Now, it
doesn't bother me at all. Vinikour is toward the top of this level with a
quick and effervescent reading. Leonhardt II is also excellent but not as
compact or driven as in his Vanguard release.
Level 3 - There are plenty of fantastic versions: both Landowskas,
Ingolfsdottir, Valenti, Verlet, Koopman, Leonhardt I, Gould II, and the
Tureck versions except for Tureck/DG. Of course, the Tureck versions are
slow and highly expressive and incisive. Landowska and Leonhardt are
strongly and precisely driven; they are wonderful versions for examining
the architecture.
Level 3 Plus - I have to give Robert Hill a special category. I couldn't
ask for more effective angularity, but the very memorable aspect of this
performance concerns the joy and energy provided. Hill goes futher than
mere joy with a wild and fast abandon which he controls perfectly. Hill
blows away all the competition. I can swap one Tureck for another,
substitute Landowska for Leonhardt or Valenti for Koopman, but Hill is
irreplaceable.
11th Variation - Much crossing of hands is required for this joyful
variation, although a few storm clouds can appear in the second section.
Concerning those clouds, I feel they should enter in a natural fashion.
A few versions are quite soft-spoken, then all of a sudden there's big
negatives surfacing; it sounds contrived and over-the-top. Excitement
is an element that's always welcome, but most versions don't place much
priority on it.
Level 1 - Vinikour's quick performance just sounds like a run-through.
Nuance is almost non-existent, and the reading does not hold my interest.
Schirmer is definitely an improvement over Vinikour, but there's nothing
here to detain us. Further, her staccato approach to the first repeat
is too pronounced. Feltsman's version has a number of problems, and his
continued yearning for the highest register is the least of them. He's
very fast but manages to avoid excitement; that might be due to a precious
quality that's very unbecoming. Also, at the speed he uses, his technical
command is less than commanding.
Earlier, I mentioned the little problem I had with Barenboim - his tendency
to play both too softly and too loud. The little problem grows bigger with
his 11th Variation. The agnst he supplies in the second section is all out
of proportion to the mild-mannered approach he uses for the rest of the
piece. Barenboim wants to have his cake and eat it too, but the cake is
starting to spoil.
Level 2 - Leonhardt I has little warmth and consequently does not hold up
very well to his Teldec performance. Gilbert strikes me as a little too
quick to capture all the nuances of the variation, and his tempo does not
pick up on any excitement. By comparison, Koopman is just a little faster
than Gilbert and provides a bubbly reading, making Gilbert's somewhat
reserved. Hill uses a slow tempo and halting pace to enhance poignancy; it
has some advantages but also disturbs the music's flow without sufficient
trade-offs.
Maria Yudina gives a rather exciting and quick paced reading with a strong
degree of angst in the second section. With a slow and very heart-felt
reading, I thought for sure that Nikolayeva would deliver all the angst
that the second section offers; it never happened. Tipo's is a very pretty
version well nuanced, but she gets too dramatic in the second section.
Ross is on the quick side but does not convey the bounce of the Koopman
version, sounding a little too smooth in comparison. I can't think of
anything wrong with Beausejour's reading except that it doesn't reach for
distinction or greatness.
Gould I is fast and excellent, but Gould III (bearable sound) is fast and
much more exciting. Gould IV/Salzburg uses an effective staccato approach,
but I prefer the more poetic reading of Gould II which also includes much
staccato.
The four Tureck versions are also at level 2. Each one is slow and
pensive; what holds each one down are first sections which don't display
much life.
Other versions at level 2 include Landowska/EMI which sounds a little
stiff compared to her RCA version, Curtis who surprisngly displays little
angularity, van Schie who is tender and poignant, and Pinnock who has a
very pleasurable and quick flow. Rounding out this level are Hewitt,
Koroliov, Vieru, Verlet, Jarrett, Payne, Dershavina, Rosen, Ingolfsdottir,
Perahia, Hantai, Jaccottet, Lifschitz, and Suzuki.
Level 3 - I mentioned that excitement was a favorable element, and Gould
III easily conveys more of it than any of the other readings. Although
the sound is no picnic, the problems do not penetrate the notes this time
around. Richter's and Cole's performances are highly comforting and lovely
with a moderate tempo; they show beautifully how to naturally move from
sheer joy to a degree of angst; the same applies to Leonhardt II/Teldec
who also conveys a pristine quality.
Andras Schiff uses a quick tempo and provides a delightfully joyful and
energetic reading. Serkin, also quick, displays excellent momentum without
losing sight of the music's beauty. Much the same can be said of Xiao-Mei
who is even faster than Serkin. You won't find a happier reading with an
infectious bounce than Koopman's. Gould II is quick with much staccato;
unlike with his Salzburg performance, the level of poetry is high. Valenti
is slow-paced and comforting with outstanding accenting, and Landowska/RCA
gives a straight-ahead performance with strong inevitability. Vartolo's
first theme is pure serenity, and his voice interplay is very interesting
and detailed.
Well, this Part is about as long as I would prefer. Hopefully, I'll get
through the 15th Variation in Part 5.
Don Satz
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