Glenn Gould Goldberg Variations 1955 & 1981: Var 3

The fourth part of my series comparing Gould's 1955 and 1981 recordings of the Goldberg Variations. These are the two recordings of the third variation (canon on the unison), and a bit of commentary about GG's use of repeats in the '81 performance.

Comparison of Variation 4 is up here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=227y9yWh8S0

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• glenn
• gould
• baroque
• bach
• goldberg
• variations

[Jackpotur]

there won't ever be nothing as beautiful to me as listening this when I wake up,

[b0ttomzone]

sonnovagun

[curleysloth]

I love the tempo change, but especially in context of the whole 81 performance. Although tempos and meters change throughout the 30 variation, each one feels metrically related to the next. Some of the slow variations (especially the first) are much slower and some of the faster ones are much faster.

[BachScholar]

The 1981 is better in my opinion, although I think the 16ths are too non-legato.

[Kurtyoungblood]

"Not really..." Haha

[ultranom]

I quite agree with you Graybearded. I noticed the same.

[GraybeardR]

the later playing seems to both profess and evoke a deeper understanding of the music. The playing is slower and less crisp; I like it better.

New to this scene (since yesterday), but already I've joined and placed an icon on my desktop for frequent returns to GG's Bach renditions.