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Arundo Quartet: Jan Souček – oboe, Jan Mach – clarinet, Karel Dohnal – basset horn,
Vaclav Vonašek – bassoon
Recorded at the Martínek Studio, Prague, 14–17 February, 2018.
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.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)
GOLDBERG VARIATIONS, BWV 988 38:07
1 Aria 2:12
2 Variatio 1. a 1 Clav. 1:03
3 Variatio 2. a 1 Clav. 0:48
4 Variatio 3. Canone all’Unisono. a 1 Clav. 1:00
5 Variatio 4. a 1 Clav. 0:35
6 Variatio 5. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. 0:50
7 Variatio 6. Canone alla Seconda. a 1 Clav. 0:32
8 Variatio 7. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. al tempo di Giga 0:55
9 Variatio 8. a 2 Clav. 1:01
10 Variatio 9. Canone alla Terza. a 1 Clav. 0:43
11 Variatio 10. Fughetta. a 1 Clav. 0:44
12 Variatio 11. a 2 Clav. 0:58
13 Variatio 12. a 1 Clav. Canone alla Quarta 0:59
14 Variatio 13. a 2 Clav. 2:36
15 Variatio 14. a 2 Clav. 1:06
16 Variatio 15. Canone alla Quinta. a 1 Clav.: Andante 2:09
17 Variatio 16. Ouverture. a 1 Clav. 1:22
18 Variatio 17. a 2 Clav. 0:59
19 Variatio 18. Canone alla Sesta. a 1 Clav. 0:47
20 Variatio 19. a 1 Clav. 0:47
21 Variatio 20. a 2 Clav. 1:10
22 Variatio 21. Canone alla Settima 0:58
23 Variatio 22. a 1 Clav. alla breve 0:43
24 Variatio 23. a 2 Clav. 1:02
25 Variatio 24. Canone all'Ottava. a 1 Clav. 0:57
26 Variatio 25. a 2 Clav.: Adagio 3:26
27 Variatio 26. a 2 Clav. 1:03
28 Variatio 27. Canone alla Nona. a 2 Clav. 0:53
29 Variatio 28. a 2 Clav. 1:06
30 Variatio 29. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. 1:08
31 Variatio 30. a 1 Clav. Quodlibet 1:01
32 Aria da Capo 2:17
SUITE NO. 1 IN C MAJOR, BWV 1066 15:14
33 I. Ouverture 4:48
34 II. Courante 1:23
35 III. Gavotte I, II 2:06
36 IV. Forlane 0:51
37 V. Menuett I, II 2:14
38 VI. Bourrée I, II 1:38
39 VII. Passepied I, II 2:11 |
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