Bach's Goldberg Variations

[garylkoh]

Thanks Gary. Do you know of any reliable source for MA recordings in Europe? Last time I got a few recordings from the US I paid more in customs charges and handling than the cost of shipping and goods.

http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943300.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=32027052&ViewAction=ViewProduct

You can order directly from the MArecordings.com website and they will ship to Europe and give you discounted shipping. But with 20% VAT, you'll have to expect to pay that.

 

[garylkoh]

I just bought 10 copies to give away to my line-source customers. Played all 10 copies, and none of them had surface noise. No vinyl "rush" or background noise at all. Some ticks and pops, but one run through the Klaudi ultrasonic cleaner and even those were gone.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

My favorite Goldberg Var recordings:

Gould 1981
Angela Hewitt (Hyperion)
Andras Schiff

 

[allvinyl]

MA Recordings Noisy Pressing

I did, as well, and received my copy this past week. It came in Todd's new inner sleeve.

I like the interpretation, but the pressing is N O I S Y all the way through. I am wondering about that inner sleeve. I am going to contact them about the issue.

John

I want to update the forum. Todd is replacing my LP free of charge.

Thanks Todd for your attention to this matter.

Regards,
John

 

[astrotoy]

I want to update the forum. Todd is replacing my LP free of charge.

Thanks Todd for your attention to this matter.

Regards,
John

Same with me. Todd was very responsive and is testing the record before sending it to me. Larry

 

[LL21]

My favorite Goldberg Var recordings:

Gould 1981
Angela Hewitt (Hyperion)
Andras Schiff

Update to my own list (in order of preference...i own each of these) earlier in this thread:

- Glenn Gould 1981
- Rosalyn Tureck
- Jacques Loussier (Jazz)
- Dmitry Sitovesky (orchestral)
- Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin and Nobuko Imai - Cello, Violin, Viola
- M Pletnev
- Ito Ema (Ma Recordings)
- Gustav Leonhart
- Andreas Schiff
- Glenn Gould 1955
- Charles Rosen

 

[LL21]

Update to my own list (in order of preference...i own each of these) earlier in this thread:

- Glenn Gould 1981
- Rosalyn Tureck
- Jacques Loussier (Jazz)
- Dmitry Sitovesky (orchestral)
- Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin and Nobuko Imai - Cello, Violin, Viola
- Ito Ema (Ma Recordings)
- Gustav Leonhart
- Andreas Schiff
- Glenn Gould 1955
- Charles Rosen

Further update...my ranked favorites (I own all of these):

- Glenn Gould 1981
- Rosalyn Tureck
- Jacques Loussier (Jazz)
- Dmitry Sitovesky (orchestral)
- Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin and Nobuko Imai - Cello, Violin, Viola
- Andrei Gavrilov
- Murray Perahia
- Simone Dinnerstein
- Ito Ema (Ma Recordings)
- Gustav Leonhart
- Andreas Schiff
- Glenn Gould 1955
- Charles Rosen

 

[Joel]

Still missing Scott Ross on your list...

 

[LL21]

Still missing Scott Ross on your list...

i think you've said this before? alright, alright! I've got 13 versions...what's a 14th? Let me go check it out. Thanks for reminding me!

 

[LL21]

Still missing Scott Ross on your list...

Not any more... I also picked up his complete collection of Scarlatti Sonatas...i have the piano version from Pletnev which i really, really enjoy.

 

[LL21]

OK...here is my current ranking with 2 new additions:

- Glenn Gould 1981
- Rosalyn Tureck
- Jacques Loussier (Jazz)
- Dmitry Sitovesky (orchestral)
- Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin and Nobuko Imai - Cello, Violin, Viola
- Andrei Gavrilov
- Murray Perahia
- Simone Dinnerstein
- Scott Ross (Harpsichord)
- Jeremy Denk
- Ito Ema (Ma Recordings)
- Gustav Leonhart
- Andreas Schiff
- Glenn Gould 1955
- Charles Rosen

 

[amirm]

Thanks a bunch for that list . Gary's new thread on MA recordings on R2R prompted me to get the CD version for now and I opted for the Gould 1981. Sadly could not find any legal downloads of it so had to order the CD .

Amir,
The classical newbie .

 

[allvinyl]

Same with me. Todd was very responsive and is testing the record before sending it to me. Larry

Larry - did you ever receive a quiet copy? I've yet to receive anything from Todd. Have to ping him...

John

 

[garylkoh]

I asked Todd about why he took the vinyl off his website - it seems that many of the pressings that he received from QRP are noisy and he was having so many returns that he just took them off for sale. Unfortunately, he does not have a high-end turntable at home to do this evaluation.

 

[allvinyl]

I asked Todd about why he took the vinyl off his website - it seems that many of the pressings that he received from QRP are noisy and he was having so many returns that he just took them off for sale. Unfortunately, he does not have a high-end turntable at home to do this evaluation.

Yes, I spoke with Todd at length at Axpona this year and he spoke about the whole ordeal. I learned some more about the whole vinyl making process from his perspective as a producer. Todd told me he would do what he could and not having heard anything I was prompted by this discussion to contact him again today. I'll relay his response.

John

 

[microstrip]

Thanks a bunch for that list . Gary's new thread on MA recordings on R2R prompted me to get the CD version for now and I opted for the Gould 1981. Sadly could not find any legal downloads of it so had to order the CD .

Amir,
The classical newbie .

Be careful - this 1981 Gould recording is addictive. Every time you listen to a small part of it you can not stop ...

Although it is not classical, I have another recording I considered addictive for some time - Michel Petrucciani "Trio in Tokyo Live". http://www.amazon.com/Trio-Tokyo-Michel-Petrucciani/dp/B000031KDM Anytime I would remember its tunes I had to listen to it.

Curiously both pianists can be considered "inventive" in these recordings.

 

[NC Lee]

This is a fun thread.
How about each week a new well known/popular piece. (... of which I could add nothing of merit, but benefit from- thx.)

 

[LL21]

Thanks a bunch for that list . Gary's new thread on MA recordings on R2R prompted me to get the CD version for now and I opted for the Gould 1981. Sadly could not find any legal downloads of it so had to order the CD .

Amir,
The classical newbie .

Enjoy!

 

[amirm]

So what is the verdict on this "re-performance" of the Gould 1955 and 1981? http://www.hdtracks.com/bach-the-goldberg-variations-zenph-re-performance

I ran into it in my searches for a download. The story is that someone wrote software to detect every piano key including activation and decay, plus the peddles, and then used a Yamaha piano disklavier (player piano) to recreate the original presentation. The review I heard said that it got standing ovation by people who thought they had Gould playing the same! The only difference they said was the sound of the Yamaha being obviously different than the piano he used. There are samples in the HDtracks link. Can someone listen and render an opinion? Or better yet, can we get LL21 to buy that too and add it to his list?

 

[NorthStar]

So what is the verdict on this "re-performance" of the Gould 1955 and 1981? http://www.hdtracks.com/bach-the-goldberg-variations-zenph-re-performance

I ran into it in my searches for a download. The story is that someone wrote software to detect every piano key including activation and decay, plus the peddles, and then used a Yamaha piano disklavier (player piano) to recreate the original presentation. The review I heard said that it got standing ovation by people who thought they had Gould playing the same! The only difference they said was the sound of the Yamaha being obviously different than the piano he used. There are samples in the HDtracks link. Can someone listen and render an opinion? Or better yet, can we get LL21 to buy that too and add it to his list?

The 1981 version ... more zest, more affinity, fresher/cleaner sound, more mature, more dexterity/affirmation.
...More eloquent tempos, clarity and overall verve and control. ...Brief, more played with expertise and experience from the maestro pianist player.

In my opinion of course.