Jim, et al There are so many recordings of the Goldbergs, I cannot get my head around a comparison of them. Here are some of them:
Hewitt
Tureck
Watcha
Gavrilov
Gould
Jarrett
Feltsman
Perahia
Rana
Sokolov
Nikolayeva
Angelich
Leonhardt I know there are more somewhere in my hard drives, but that is all that shows up in my search. So Jim, tell us please, which is your favorite?
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Jim,
No reason to be sorry. i haven’t listened to the Goldberg for a while. Maybe the beauty of the music influenced my positive reaction |
RV you stated the beauty of the music influenced your reaction and I can totally agree with you there. Lang Lang did really project that in his playing but he made a lot of the movements sound like Chopin Preludes which a lot of people may be happy with but to me way too much pedal on them.
jcazador Jeremy I have perused your list and there are some stellar names there of which most people would be delighted with and I have fitted that category most of the time also. I currently have two favourites which are poles apart so that lets you know that most interpretations have playing in them that are most enjoyable . My current two are not even on your list that shows just how diverse they are. My first is Andras Schiff 1983 version because you can tell how much he loves playing them and therefor he says goodbye on the aria repeat with a smile . I shall never tire of them and by the way I think technically this version beats the known versions by everyone else.
My next recording is by Ekaterina Dershavina and she gives us a quite literal interpretation but she has you glued to your seat and you keep saying to yourself "I have never heard this or that detail before" Hers is a voyage of discovery which I love going on regularly.
Guys have a lovely weekend. Jim.
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Just received this sad note from a piano dealership that is closing:
Dear Client,
This is very sad news. The flagship piano store in KC for over 100 years is closing. The store that brought Steinway and other great brands to our region is going out of business. You can still buy online, but where can you go to try out a new Steinway, Boston or Kawai grand? This is another major blow to the cultural life of our city.
There were many cultural influences in recent years: the general shift from making our own music to being entertained electronically, the lack of true music education in schools, parents forcing children to choose between sports and music, the general rise of crudity in all art forms, and people who think practicing is too much work.
There were also political influences. The political-economic decisions that brought on the recession of 2008-15 robbed many of our citiizens of their discretionary income. As a result, they stopped buying instruments and paying for private music lessons. This forced Schmitt to cut their store space in half. It forced the closing of the Toon Shop and other music stores.
The 2020 economic shut-downs and pandemic hysteria have hammered the nails in the coffin. Music and its related businesses were labelled "unessential" for five months. As a result, major orchestras, ballets and opera companies have been irreparably endangered. Chamber music is "virtual." Piano lessons are attempted over the phone.
Our beloved violin repair expert has closed her business and taken a government job. Luyben Music, the iconic source of classical music since 1947, has shut its riot-cracked and graffitied store. My business was cut by 80%. Indoor vocal worship singing is forbidden. Our leading presidential candidate promises to shut it all down again if scientists advise. No wonder people are afraid to make a major musical investment.
I'm sick of hearing phrases like "in these uncertain times" and "we're all in this together." We're not. The liquor stores, grocery stores, pet-food stores and gun stores are doing well. The music industry is dying. Is a virus really so selective?
Now that my rant is over, if you or someone you know is interested in purchasing a better piano, this is a rare opportunity. If you have been getting-by with a worn-out heirloom or donated piano, here is a chance to honor that legacy with a decent instrument, especially one that carries a warranty.
Ted Horowitz, RPT
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