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A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)

Johann Sebastian Bach - A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981) Audio CD

A fair review of the Johann Sebastian Bach "A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Johann Sebastian Bach reviews here, or go back to the Johann Sebastian Bach tabs.

Band: Johann Sebastian Bach
Title: A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Rating:

Release Date: 2002-09-03
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria 2: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 1 3: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 2 4: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 3. Canon On The Unison 5: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 4 6: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 5 7: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 6. Canon On The Second 8: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 7 9: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 8 10: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 9. Canon On The Third 11: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 10. Fughetta 12: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 11 13: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 12. Canon On The Fourth 14: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 13 15: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 14 16: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 15. Canon On The Fifth 17: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16. Overture 18: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 17 19: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 18. Canon On The Sixth 20: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19 21: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 20 22: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 21. Canon On The Seventh 23: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 22. Alla Breve 24: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 23 25: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 24. Canon On The Octave 26: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 25 27: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 26 28: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 27. Canon On The Ninth 29: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 28 30: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 29 31: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 30. Quodlibet 32: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria Da Capo 33: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria 34: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 1 35: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 2 36: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 3. Canon On The Unison 37: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 4 38: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 5 39: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 6. Canon On The Second 40: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 7 41: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 8 42: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 9. Canon On The Third 43: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 10. Fughetta 44: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 11 45: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 12. Canon On The Fourth 46: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 13 47: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 14 48: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 15. Canon On The Fifth 49: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16. Overture 50: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 17 51: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 18. Canon On The Sixth 52: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19 53: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 20 54: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 21. Canon On The Seventh 55: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 22. Alla Breve 56: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 23 57: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 24. Canon On The Octave 58: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 25 59: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 26 60: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 27. Canon On The Ninth 61: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 28 62: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 29 63: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 30. Quodlibet 64: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria Da Capo 65: Glen Gould Discusses His Peformances Of The Goldberg Variations With Time Page, August 22, 1982, Toronto, Canada 66: Studio Outtakes From The 1955 Goldberg Variations Recording Session

A work so great it demands discovery
It is this liberal constitution that affords us a genuine State of Wonder. In his many writings (specifically "Strauss and the Electronic Future" and "The Possibilities of Recording", both included in the 5-star Glenn Gould Reader) Gould makes it perfectly clear that he is as interested in the experience of the listener as he is about his own aesthetics and interpretation or, for that matter, the composer's genius or intention.

So many others have said eloquently enough why this 3 CD set is a must-have for anybody the least bit interested in Bach, Gould, the piano, or music itself, and I will only confirm that yes, the sound is fantastic and the recorded radio interview cum converation first-rate. Instead, I will say that the effect of the whole is not only to encompass this State of Wonder, but to challenge (and encourage) the listener to make her own journey of discovery, to enter this State of Wonder on her own terms and via her own efforts. Thus, this is not only a work that entertains, but educates and thereby transforms the listener. And transformed, the listener will enjoy an entirely new perspective of the whole rest of their musical collection.
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Satisfy your comparative impulse
I think the 1981 interpretation is the clear winner, but both are riveting. This set affords the fascinating experience of comparing two extremely diverse performances of the Goldberg Variations and of observing the evolution and maturation of Gould's understanding. Still, I would gladly trade in this final product of his short career if he would have just completed his recording of the Art of Fugue on organ.

Eye-opening, musical, wonderful

The second version is a real eye-opener. For most of my life, I listened to the first "Gouldberg" variations regularly, and was a big fan. The "wunderkind" grows up, and produces a second, and much greater, masterpiece.

overrated?
. This is not to devalue the very good merits of Gould but his Goldberg was not a turn-on to me; nevertheless, the front picture on this album is very "sexy" (I may sound rather perverse)-- I prefer Perahia's version (despite his being un-sexy).

GREAT sound fidelity
Provided you have the gear to play it, it's dramatic - like 'digital tape. Refreshing to see a release that's about better sound in this age of tinny MP3's. ' (Now if we could just digital-tape over Glenn's mouth. . . ).

You can see a complete list of all Johann Sebastian Bach discography, or go back to the Johann Sebastian Bach tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.