2 thoughts on “About”

1. Hello, I really enjoyed and appeciated your observations on the Goldberg Variations and the various interpretations from Gould, Hewitt, Schiff and the rest.

   I’m a non-musician, much to my regret, but have adored classical and its modern descendants since my teens. I’m only starting my journey into Baroque music over the last couple of years, and am captivated by it.

   I found your site while researching variation 25 “The Black Pearl”.

   Why is it so different? It seems in some ways on a completely different planet, emotionally speaking, and the musical idiom so distinct as if Erik Satie or Toru Takemitsu re-encoded the structure so that it resonates in such a unique way. Extraordinary.

   I really would love to hear your thought on this, if you have the time to respond to my idle speculations.

   I do agree that Dinnerstein takes the whole work, especially the aria, much too slowly and I tend to get restless with her tempos. But it’s not all bad.

   I have both Goulds, both Schiffs (and 48’s), Murray Perahia, Dinnerstein, and Angela Hewitt. I tend to return to Angela Hewitt for listening pleasure now, with Schiff’s recording on ECM a very close second.

   I think the sound of the magnificent Fazioli is absololutely wonderful in Hewitt’s hands, unlike anything I’ve heard before or since.

   I ‘m not much of an analyst and perhaps miss that more nuanced musical education that comes with it, but if you have the time to post a a few thoughts, I would be most grateful.

   Best Regards

   Cormac Moloney

   Dublin

   Ireland

   Reply

   1. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I agree that the Black Pearl has a special place as the longest, darkest, and slowest of the variations. At the same time, I appreciate it as one stone in the emotional structure of the piece. They all work together. I feel the same way you do about Fazioli pianos. I have noticed in other music that the round, smooth tones of a Fazioli enhance my enjoyment of a piece.

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