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Bach: Goldberg Variations (Zenph Re-performance)

Glenn Gould

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Customer Reviews

Buy The Real Thing...Not a Recording of a Recording.

This is my first bad review, so please hear me out because I do not enjoy giving anything by Glenn Gould only one star. Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations is one of the greatest recordings of all time. This is the 1955 recording, which revolutionized the way that Bach is played. Mr. Gould plays the variations at a breakneck pace using very little pedal. Though these were originally written for a Clavier (harpsichord) the recording still sound distinctly Baroque because of Mr. Gould's virtuosity and interpretation. I do not know a lot about Zenph, but I do know that it is very controversial. Using Zenph means that actually a computer, like here, can replace performers like the pianist (Mr. Gould) is being replaced. The positives of such a machine are that we can listen to great recordings like Mr. Gould's 55 Goldberg Variations, it is also a lot cheaper for struggling composers to get their compositions recorded in hopes of becoming known and being able to record with real musicians. It also allows for smaller cities to be able to enjoy symphonies because a smaller orchestra can be used, using computers to replace the empty seats. The negative effect is that it could create more empty seats in orchestras. The demand for instrumentalist will decline as such machines gain more acceptance. And I personally think that is a very slippery slope. For me, if the choice is between paying $50 to see a real performer as I recently did to see Murray Perahia's piano recital or say $20 to see a Zenph concert, even it is of such a great recording as the 55 Variations, I will happily pay the extra amount for the real performer. I recommend buying the real thing, Mr. Gould's 55 Goldberg Variations, this really is just a recording of a recording. Glenn Gould had, what many people consider, a number of very annoying qualities. His humming, one of his most memorable, is of course removed from this recording. I find his humming charming and enjoyable, it is one of the things that makes a Gould recording a 'Gould recording.' If you are looking for a recording of the Goldberg Variation without any of Mr. Gould's 'annoying' habits, then don't buy a Gould recording. I recommend Angela Hewitt, she is today's most highly acclaimed Bach pianist, and her recording is also very beautiful.

Amazing new recording of a cherished performance!

Wow! I just finished listening to the binaural version of the album (tracks 33-64), and was treated to a listening experience like none I can remember. The liner notes explain that those tracks were recorded using a dummy head seated at the keyboard with two microphone capsules built into its ears. Anyone who has ever played piano will be stunned by how all of the notes come from the just the right place in the stereo field, and how vividly Gould's interpretation of Bach's counterpoint comes to life. To be immersed in the music from that perspective is truly amazing. You may have read about it in the recent press. Zenph's technology starts with an original recording and extracts several distinct parameters for each note and pedal in the piece. That data (describing when to press each key on the piano, how loud to press it, how long to hold it down, and how to release it) is then played back by an advanced robotic piano. A new recording team then uses today’s best microphones and audio equipment to record Zenph's "re-performance" in a variety of stereo and surround-sound formats. Some people, as expressed by a couple of the earlier reviewers on this site, will dismiss this album without even listening to it, on the grounds that it is not really Glenn Gould pressing the keys, or that music technology will somehow evolve into a beast that will starve the lowly musician. I, for one, enjoy thinking about the musical possibilities that arise from the ability to liberate a great performance from the specific, dated medium on which it was originally recorded. In this case, Gould's performance is elevated from a somewhat hissy, single-channel recording into well recorded stereo and binaural stereo versions. (If one has access to a SACD player and surround system and has purchased a physical copy of the disc from another source, the first 32 tracks can also be played as a 5.0-channel SACD surround version. I'm not fortunate enough to own such a setup, but I can't wait to hear that surround version as well.) I have a feeling that this album with rack up huge "Play Count" numbers on my iPod/iTunes, and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves Gould, Bach, or great sounding piano recordings.

Vastly inferior to the original

First off, I want to say that I fully embrace technology and all of its benefits, but to my ear, the Zenph recording is vastly inferior to the original. This computerized recreation is an amazing technical achievement with vastly improved recording quality over the 1955 recording, but lacks soul. What struck me when I listened to the Zenph recording was the complete lack of nuance and phrasing that the original recording posseses. Two highlights of the 1955 recording were the amazing colors that Glenn Gould was able to pull out of the piano, as well as his ability to voice the music to reveal Bach's incredible counterpoint. The Zenph version is a computerized recreation, and that's exactly what it sounds like. There is no trace of the genius of Glenn Gould in this recording; there is no subtlety, no shading, no beautifully tapered phrase endings, just a cold, hard rendition that drains the life out of this incredible music. The recording quality may be better, but that's all this has to offer. Listen to the original, deal with a little static, and revel in the beauty and genius of the REAL Glenn Gould.

Biography

Born: September 25, 1932 in Canada

Genre: Classical

Years Active: '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s

The most renowned Canadian classical performer of the 20th century, pianist Glenn Gould remains one of the most fascinating and celebrated figures in all of music, the archetypal riddle wrapped inside an enigma wrapped inside a conundrum. A former child prodigy, his piano artistry was unparalleled, yet he often received less recognition as a virtuoso than as a troubled eccentric; a disconnected recluse notorious for such odd habits as wearing a wool topcoat in the dog days of summer, Gould was a...
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Bach: Goldberg Variations (Zenph Re-performance), Glenn Gould
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  • $9.99
  • Genres: Classical, Music
  • Released: May 29, 2007
  • ℗ 2007 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

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