Ray Bayles wrote:

>Gould is one of the few that could come up with something new upon
>reexamination of Bach.  Not everybody agrees that the "new" version was
>the better one.  There are 7 different recordings of Gould's Goldberg's,
>most of them badly recorded, but the performances leave me with the belief
>that only the famous two were special creative performances.  I personally
>do not believe the later version has a better or "wiser" perspective.

I prefer this later version because the roller-coaster speed of the first
recording makes me angry every time I hear it.  Some of the Variations
sound like mindless virtuoso stunts, something I deeply detest.  (And he
skips all the repeats in both versions.  I want the Goldbergs complete.)

Robert