Goldberg Variations BWV 988

Variatio 20. a 2 Clav.


  • Recorded: 17th February 2018
  • Record Place: The Martínek Studio, Prague
  • First Release: 2019
  • (P) 2019 SUPRAPHON a.s.
  • Genre: Chamber Music

Artists

  • music by: Johann Sebastian Bach
  • arrangement: Václav Vonášek
  • musical group: Arundo Quartet

Album

Arundo Quartet

Bach: Goldberg Variations

Catalogue Number: SU 4261-2
Published: 26th April 2019
Genre: Chamber Music
Format: 1 CD
This album has received following awards:
  • Album of the Week, Classic FM Nederland (2019)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations, BWV 988; Suite No. 1 in C major, BWV 1066, arranged for wind quartet (by Václav Vonášek)

Arundo Quartet: Jan Souček - oboe, Jan Mach - clarinet, Karel Dohnal - basset horn, Václav Vonášek - bassoon

The legendary Goldberg Variations are among the most frequently recorded Johann Sebastian Bach works; besides numerous versions for piano and harpsichord, there are recordings of transcriptions for other instruments, including the banjo. Even though at first glance the arrangement for wind quartet appears overly distant from the composer's original notion, when listening to it you may have the feeling that Bach himself might have had such an ensemble on his mind when writing the work. The reed instrument timbers wonderfully merge into joint harmony, while their shadings allow for tracing the leading of the individual parts within the polyphonic texture, which is most definitely an advantage as against the original keyboard version. The Aria and the 30 Variations afford sufficient scope for cantilena and foregrounding of the instruments' gracious colours, as well as for showcasing their uttermost virtuosity. The intimate universe of the Goldberg Variations is followed by the festive Suite in C major, BWV 1066, the earliest and the "most French" of Bach's four orchestral suites. The remarkable album has been made by four extraordinary musicians, superb soloists and chamber players, who have adorned some of the most renowned orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Czech Philharmonic.

The Goldberg Variations in the lovely colours of woodwinds

Reviews

“I like this a lot; the clarity of the counterpoint, the individual timbres of the instruments and the spaciousness of the recording.”
BBC Radio 3 Record Review, April 2019

“It’s the combination of instruments that makes it so successful. There is, for example, a fairly magical quality to the Aria, the oboe singing with translucent beauty, with the clarinet’s very different cantabile taking over for B section. Meanwhile the bassoon quietly upholds the bass line, before becoming untethered in the first variation. It’s remarkably effective, and demonstrates the importance of balance.”
MusicWeb International, October 2019

Johann Sebastian Bach
Goldberg Variations BWV 988
1. Aria 02:12
2. Variatio 1. a 1 Clav. 01:03
3. Variatio 2. a 1 Clav. 00:48
4. Variatio 3. Canone all Unisuono. a 1 Clav. 01:00
5. Variatio 4. a 1 Clav. 00:35
6. Variatio 5. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. 00:50
7. Variatio 6. Canone alla Seconda. a 1 Clav. 00:32
8. Variatio 7. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. Al tempo di Giga 00:55
9. Variatio 8. a 2 Clav. 01:01
10. Variatio 9. Canone alla Terza. a 1 Clav. 00:43
11. Variatio 10. Fugetta. a 1 Clav. 00:44
12. Variatio 11. a 2 Clav. 00:58
13. Variatio 12. Canone alla Quarta. a 1 Clav. 00:59
14. Variatio 13. a 2 Clav. 02:36
15. Variatio 14. a 2 Clav. 01:06
16. Variatio 15. Canone alla Quinta. a 1 Clav. Andante 02:09
17. Variatio 16. Ouverture. a 1 Clav. 01:22
18. Variatio 17. a 2 Clav. 00:59
19. Variatio 18. Canone alla Sexta. a 1 Clav. 00:47
20. Variatio 19. a 1 Clav. 00:47
21. Variatio 20. a 2 Clav. 01:10
22. Variatio 21. Canone alla Settima. a 1 Clav. 00:58
23. Variatio 22. a 1 Clav. Alla breve 00:43
24. Variatio 23. a 2 Clav. 01:02
25. Variatio 24. Canone all' Ottava. a 1 Clav. 00:57
26. Variatio 25. a 2 Clav. Adagio 03:26
27. Variatio 26. a 2 Clav. 01:03
28. Variatio 27. Canone alla Nona. a 2 Clav. 00:53
29. Variatio 28. a 2 Clav. 01:06
30. Variatio 29. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. 01:08
31. Variatio 30. Quodlibet. a 1 Clav. 01:01
32. Aria da Capo e Fine 02:25
Johann Sebastian Bach
Suite No. 1 C major BWV 1066
33. Ouverture 04:48
34. Courante 01:23
35. Gavotte I, II 02:06
36. Forlane 00:51
37. Menuet I, II 02:14
38. Bourrée I, II 01:38
39. Passepied I, II 02:11

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