Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Pi-Hsien Chen
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: PhilHarmonie
Catalogue: PHIL06006
Release: 2011
Size: 163 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Goldberg-Variationen, BWV 988
01. No. 1, Aria
02. No. 2, Variatio 1 a 1 clav.
03. No. 3, Variatio 2 a 1 clav.
04. No. 4, Variatio 3 canone all’unisono
05. No. 5, Variatio 4 a 1 clav.
06. No. 6, Variatio 5 a 1 ovvero 2 clav.
07. No. 7, Variatio 6 canone alla seconda
08. No. 8, Variatio 7 a 1 ovvero 2 clav.
09. No. 9, Variatio 8 a 2 clav.
10. No. 10, Variatio 9 canone alla terza a 1 clav.
11. No. 11, Variatio 10 fughetta a 1 clav.
12. No. 12, Variatio 11 a 2 clav.
13. No. 13, Variatio 12 Canone alla quarta in moto contrario
14. No. 14, Variatio 13 a 2 clav.
15. No. 15, Variatio 14 a 2 clav.
16. No. 16, Variatio 15 canone alla quinta in moto contrario a 1 clav. Andante
17. No. 17, Variatio 16 Ouverture a 1 clav.
18. No. 18, Variatio 17 a 2 clav.
19. No. 19, Variatio 18 canone alla sesta a 1 clav.
20. No. 20, Variatio 19 a 1 clav.
21. No. 21, Variatio 20 a 2 clav.
22. No. 22, Variatio 21 canone alla settima
23. No. 23, Variatio 22 alla breve a 1 clav.
24. No. 24, Variatio 23 a 2 clav.
25. No. 25, Variatio 24 canone all’ottava a 1 clav.
26. No. 26, Variatio 25 a 2 clav.
27. No. 27, Variatio 26 a 2 clav.
28. No. 28, Variatio 27 canone alla nona
29. No. 29, Variatio 28 a 2 clav.
30. No. 30, Variatio 29 a 1 ovvero 2 clav.
31. No. 31, Variatio 30 quodlibet a 1 clav.
32. No. 32, Aria da capo
Bach’s commission to compose the ‘Goldberg’ Variations was from the Russian envoy, Graf Hermann von Keyserlingk, at the court in Dresden. The oft-quoted story goes that the Earl, suffering from insomnia, asked for piano pieces of a “soft and somewhat merry character”. His private harpsichordist, Johann Theophilus Goldberg, was to play them for him at night to cheer him up. Bach complied willingly with the Earl’s request and created the extensive cycle of an aria with 30 variations. Keyserlingk was enthusiastic about the music and Bach received a golden goblet containing 100 Louis d’or.
The Taiwan-born pianist Pi-hsien Chen is considered one of the outstanding interpreters of both classical and new music. At the age of 10 she began her studies at the Cologne Academy of Music. Chen was won first prices at several international competitions, i.e. the ARD Competition (Munich), the Bach Competition (Washington DC.) and the Schönberg Competition (Rotterdam). The well-calculated spontaneity of her playing is characterised by great structural clarity and a striking sense of cantabile. In addition to her regular performance schedule, Pi-hsien Chen has taught at the Freiburg Academy of Music since 2004.