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:: The Goldberg Variations

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

Hyperion Records CDA 67305

An almost "live" performance of Bach's masterpiece, and the work that Angela Hewitt performs in public all over the world.

'This is Bach on the piano of the highest quality imaginable' (The Guardian)

'In my view, she has never made a better CD. Strongly recommended' (Gramophone)

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Goldberg Variations
Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen
('Aria with Diverse Variations') BWV988

  1. Aria [4'12]
  2. Variation 1 [1'43]
  3. Variation 2 [1'42]
  4. Variation 3 [2'13]
  5. Variation 4 [1'03]
  6. Variation 5 [1'32]
  7. Variation 6 [1'42]
  8. Variation 7 [2'05]
  9. Variation 8 [1'54]
  10. Variation 9 [1'48]
  11. Variation 10 [1'38]
  12. Variation 11 [2'07]
  13. Variation 12 [2'34]
  14. Variation 13 [4'35]
  15. Variation 14 [2'09]
  16. Variation 15 [4'29]
  17. Variation 16 [3'11]
  18. Variation 17 [2'12]
  19. Variation 18 [1'28]
  20. Variation 19 [1'36]
  21. Variation 20 [1'53]
  22. Variation 21 [2'45]
  23. Variation 22 [1'23]
  24. Variation 23 [2'09]
  25. Variation 24 [3'03]
  26. Variation 25 [7'54]
  27. Variation 26 [2'00]
  28. Variation 27 [1'55]
  29. Variation 28 [2'17]
  30. Variation 29 [2'18]
  31. Quodlibet [2'08]
  32. Aria da capo [2'40]
Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations is captured here on disc in what is virtually a “live” performance. After four days in the recording studio (in this case, London’s wonderful Henry Wood Hall), Angela had every variation on tape, but wanted to try the opening Aria again. Following a massage and Japanese meal, she went back and began to play after 11 p.m. After finishing the theme, her record producer, Ludger Böckenhoff, urged her to continue, and she did, giving a complete performance which she felt was far above anything she had done up until that time. Except for some retakes that were done the following day, that is what appears here on the CD. All repeats are observed.

Recorded in Henry Wood Hall, London, on 28 August - 1 September 1999


reviews of this record

Glasgow Herald

Michael Tumelty

Edinburgh Festival August 2002

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