Goldberg Variations

January 2021
Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations occupy a unique place in piano literature as a work of unparalleled artistic value and brilliance. Lang Lang initially began studying this masterpiece more than twenty years ago and presents this album as the result of a long personal and emotional journey. They represent the beginning of a new stage in Lang Lang’s artistic evolution and it is the project of a lifetime.

This is where the unusual Lang Lang’s encounter with this work will surprise many. Where usually most pianists go through these variations in 70 minutes, Lang Lang takes us on a long journey of nearly… 90 minutes. Half an hour longer than the historical version of Glenn Gould.

Spread out over two discs, Lang Lang’s vision, aims to be deeply mystical and interior, which is surprising coming from an artist who has indeed accustomed us to a more fiery style.

The interpretations are perfectly measured, and the playing is stylistically correct, in many occasions his performances feel like he’s trying to grip all the energy out of the music, with sorely slow tempos and somehow artificial phrasing that sometimes reminds us more to Rachmaninov than to Bach. 

Tempi a the Thomaskirche are generally a bit faster and the performance seems more free and less constrained. But there are still moments when Lang’s ornaments and rubato appear repeatedly and far from being spontaneous, they seem to be added out of courtesy.

From the conception of Lang Lang, let us retain the combined fantasy and rigor. And, perhaps, this is what cannot completely satisfy the listener, at least one who seeks beyond the brilliance of the game, a spiritual boost.

These Goldberg Variations, unlike any other, will not be unanimous but they are deeply interesting.  Some will undoubtedly hate this sometimes excessive vision in weightlessness, others will appreciate the clarity of the reading and the overall moderation of this vision. 

Lang Lang takes us on an almost religious journey, of absolute concentration, where each melodic line is perfectly and measuredly interpreted.

– David Gutman

Goldberg Variations
Lang Lang
CD 1
Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Aria
2. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 1 a 1 Clav.
3. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 2 a 1 Clav.
4. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 3 Canone all’Unisono. a 1 Clav.
5. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 4 a 1 Clav.
6. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 5 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.
7. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 6 Canone alla Seconda. a 1 Clav.
8. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 7 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav. Al tempo di Giga
9. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 8 a 2 Clav.
10. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 9 Canone alla Terza. a 1 Clav.
11. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 10 Fughetta. a 1 Clav.
12. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 11 a 2 Clav.
13. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 12 Canone alla Quarta. (a 1 Clav.)
14. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 13 a 2 Clav.
15. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 14 a 2 Clav.
16. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 15 Canone alla Quinta. a 1 Clav. Andante
CD 2
Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 16 Ouverture. a 1 Clav.
2. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 17 a 2 Clav.
3. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 18 Canone alla Sesta. a 1 Clav.
4. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 19 a 1 Clav.
5. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 20 a 2 Clav.
6. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 21 Canone alla Settima. (a 1 Clav.)
7. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 22 a 1 Clav. Alla breve
8. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 23 a 2 Clav.
9. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 24 Canone all’Ottava. a 1 Clav.
10. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 25 a 2 Clav. Adagio
11. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 26 a 2 Clav.
12. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 27 Canone alla Nona. a 2 Clav.
13. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 28 a 2 Clav.
14. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 29 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.
15. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 30 Quodlibet. a 1 Clav.
16. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Aria da Capo
CD 3
Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Aria
2. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 1 a 1 Clav.
3. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 2 a 1 Clav.
4. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 3 Canone all’Unisono. a 1 Clav.
5. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 4 a 1 Clav.
6. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 5 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.
7. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 6 Canone alla Seconda. a 1 Clav.
8. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 7 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav. Al tempo di Giga
9. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 8 a 2 Clav.
10. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 9 Canone alla Terza. a 1 Clav.
11. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 10 Fughetta. a 1 Clav.
12. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 11 a 2 Clav.
13. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 12 Canone alla Quarta. (a 1 Clav.)
14. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 13 a 2 Clav.
15. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 14 a 2 Clav.
16. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 15 Canone alla Quinta. a 1 Clav. Andante
CD 4
Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 16 Ouverture. a 1 Clav.
2. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 17 a 2 Clav.
3. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 18 Canone alla Sesta. a 1 Clav.
4. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 19 a 1 Clav.
5. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 20 a 2 Clav.
6. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 21 Canone alla Settima. (a 1 Clav.)
7. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 22 a 1 Clav. Alla breve
8. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 23 a 2 Clav.
9. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 24 Canone all’Ottava. a 1 Clav.
10. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 25 a 2 Clav. Adagio
11. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 26 a 2 Clav.
12. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 27 Canone alla Nona. a 2 Clav.
13. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 28 a 2 Clav.
14. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 29 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.
15. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Variatio 30 Quodlibet. a 1 Clav.
16. Goldberg – Variationen, BWV 988: Aria da Capo