Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Featuring

Daniel Propper
Johann Sebastian Bach

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Critical Reception

After a 1990 concert in Germany, Daniel Propper's interpretation of the Goldberg Variations was praised by critics, with composer György Ligeti declaring it a "brilliant interpretation."

Performer Biography

Daniel Propper was discovered by the renowned pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva at the Salzburg summer academy in 1990, where he won the Prize of the City.

Composition History

The Goldberg Variations were commissioned by Count von Keyserling, a Russian ambassador, to help him with his insomnia.

Composition History

Bach's original title for the work, published in 1742, was "Klavierübung IV. Teil" (Keyboard Exercise, 4th volume), subtitled "Aria with a few variations for harpsichord with two manuals."

Interpretation

Daniel Propper, the performer on this album, chose to play the Goldberg Variations on a modern Fazioli piano, valuing its harmonic richness and homogeneity.

Compositional Technique

Bach specified the instrumentation for the Goldberg Variations as a harpsichord with two manuals, possibly due to the technical difficulty of certain variations at the time.