Glenn Gould | Bach,j.S.: Goldberg Variations (1955) | Vinyl

Recorded June 10 and 14-16, 1955 at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio in New York, Gould’s Goldberg Variations shocked the classical world with its brisk tempos, crystalline articulation, and unabashedly personal interpretation of a piece then considered a harpsichord curiosity rather than concert repertoire. The recording became an unlikely bestseller for Columbia Masterworks and launched Gould’s career as one of the most singular and controversial pianists of the 20th century; he would later re-record the piece in 1981, shortly before his death, giving the two versions an almost mythic before-and-after status in classical discography. This Vinyl Passion reissue presents Gould’s electrifying original mono recording — Bach’s theme (“Aria”) followed by thirty variations and a return to the Aria da capo — on 180-gram vinyl.

Track List

Side A

1. Aria
2. Variation 1
3. Variation 2
4. Variation 3
5. Variation 4
6. Variation 5
7. Variation 6
8. Variation 7
9. Variation 8
10. Variation 9
11. Variation 10
12. Variation 11
13. Variation 12
14. Variation 13
15. Variation 14
16. Variation 15

Side B

1. Variation 16
2. Variation 17
3. Variation 18
4. Variation 19
5. Variation 20
6. Variation 21
7. Variation 22
8. Variation 23
9. Variation 24
10. Variation 25
11. Variation 26
12. Variation 27
13. Variation 28
14. Variation 29
15. Variation 30
16. Aria da Capo

Release Details

• UPC: 8712177063949
• Label: VINYL PASSION
• Format: LP Vinyl — 180G
• Genre: Classical
• Release Date: 6/11/2014