Customer Reviews

Goldberg Variations Bwv 988

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is really an excellent interpretation of Bach's masterpiece. If you are going to buy a version of this work on harpsichord, you should consider this recording. Gilbert gives a beautiful performance which moves you like many other harpsichord versions cannot. Gilbert's approach to repeats is also very reasonable. He'll use repeats depending on what form the variation takes so that the "flow" of the work as a whole is preserved. Overall, a very impressive and recommendable recording.

I am very partial to Kenneth Gilbert's Bach and Couperin recordings because he is reliably, scrupulously faithful to the written text of the music in his performances.

Some people complain that Gilbert's playing is dry and boring, probably meaning that they prefer a more emotionally extroverted, "Romantic" approach to the music. IMHO, Bach speaks all the more powerfully and authentically when played with restraint and careful attention to what he has written.

My only quibble with this recording is Gilbert's decision to skip some of the repeats. His rationale for this, documented in the liner notes, is not without reason, but I don't think these variations go on for too long with all repeats observed. I wonder whether the time limit of the recorded medium was more the unstated reason for skipping some of the repeats.

...Trust the Penguin guide which gives the CD three stars, their best score, and the Gramophone Good CD guide which also recommends this performance....

Kenneth Gilbert's over-rated fame has mysteriously continued to grow over the years. This is attributed to his marketing skills, coupled with recording with the "big boys" in the recording industry. This is reflected on this album set compiled by Harmoni Mundi. As a harpsichordist myself, I find his playing to be continuously dry, boring, and extremely unmusical. His saving grace is the use of beautiful instruments for his recordings. I would advise ALL people reading reviews about recordings on Amazon.com to use caution. The 5-star reviews for this recording are certainly blown way out of proportion. I believe there are many other recordings of the "Goldberg Variations" more deserving of time and enegy of a general audience.