A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
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Music Reviews of A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Music Review: Astonishing performances
Rating: 5 Stars
I have loved Gould's first recording of the Goldberg Variations for 30 years. I was delighted when the 81 re-recording came out. To this day, I can't tell which one I enjoy more. Gould is a great Bach master for me, and I regard Bach as the great master of all music. As Pablo Casals said, "Bach is my best friend. He is the god of music." Gould has mastered Bach's keyboard works. I even enjoy hearing him hum in the background of his recordings of the WTC. These are wonderful recordings.Music Review: Fascinating
Rating: 5 Stars
I have this CD and am buying one for my father, who saw Gould shortly after the first Goldberg Variation was released. I am something of a classical music neophyte but I found this CD both wonderful to listen to and a fascinating lesson. It helped me understand the mark a performer can put on a composer's work and it was fascinating to see how two radically different interpretations could both sound so magnificent. An excellent CD even for classical music "dummies" like me.Music Review: A State of Wonder
Rating: 5 Stars
Having the two very different recordings in one package has been an invaluable aid to my own attempts at playing the Goldberg Variations. Personally, I prefer Gould's 1981 performance with his more unified approach to the piece's underlying beat. The bonus CD is also great as an insight into Gould's thinking to the '81 recording. Overall, I am very pleased with this purchase, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Gould or Bach.Music Review: Brilliant!!!
Rating: 5 Stars
Already owning both versions of this piece, I was somewhat reluctant to purchase it again, fearing that this was just another marketing ploy to part me from my hard-earned cash. That said, it is anything but. This newly re-mastered version of the 1981 version is clearly superior. The highlight of this set, however, is the third interview disk, which provides illuminating information on how Gould approaches the Goldberg Variations. A must have.Music Review: stunning
Rating: 5 Stars
I still haven't listened to Tim Page's interview with Gould, which is the 3rd CD in this set, because I'm still listening to the first CD, the 1955 version of Goldberg, which is just mind boggling. No wonder it amazed everyone who heard it then--it still has that capacity. It's clean, it's thoughtful, it has a personal point of view, and it's compelling. This is a performance that makes you LISTEN, it's not meant to be background music.