# Good Goldberg variations - without repeats



## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Any suggestions? 

Leonhardt is usually my go-to, but I find his goldbergs rather stiff and confined at times.

I would like to stress the 'without repeats' criteria! 

:tiphat:


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Most respectfully,,,why is the “without repeats” such an important and defining criteria? Should not the entirety of this specific work be taken into consideration? I find the issue of repeats or no repeats to be of little concern to the entirety of the artistry of this specific…or any other work. It’s a minor issue.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Almost no somwhat recent recording has no repeats; they often have all of them or at least some. Even Gould's 1981 has some repeats. I am not collecting the piece but a not too old repeatless? could be Peter Serkin. Not sure if any on harpsichord exists after the 1970s w/o repeats.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ralph Kirkpatrick, Keith Jarrett, Christiane Jaccottet, Tzimon Barto, Claudius Tanski.

Suzuki is inconsistent, where he does play the repeats he does it so imaginatively that it doesn’t feel like repetition. Recommended.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

FrankinUsa said:


> Most respectfully,,,why is the "without repeats" such an important and defining criteria? Should not the entirety of this specific work be taken into consideration? I find the issue of repeats or no repeats to be of little concern to the entirety of the artistry of this specific…or any other work. It's a minor issue.


I find the issue of repeats fascinating. Some folks prefer no repeats, others want them all. Personally, I can't see the point of cutting the Goldbergs in half.

Also interesting is how keyboardists play the repeats: exact duplication, more use of trills, tempo alterations, etc.

Gould '55' doesn't have repeats, but he plays so fast that some of the variations sound as if they are complete just seconds after they start.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

To me the repeats are part of the Goldberg variations, and I find the work truncated when repeats are not taken. Of course the repeats offer the option of a bit variation. Listening to the complete GV including repeats never bores me - unless the interpretation is boring.

On the other hand I have heard recordings of Mozart's piano sonatas with all repeats taken, including repeats of the second half of every movement when indicated. This far exceeds my attention span, no matter how inspired the interpretation is.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

premont said:


> To me the repeats are part of the Goldberg variations, and I find the work truncated when repeats are not taken. Of course the repeats offer the option of a bit variation. Listening to the complete GV including repeats never bores me - unless the interpretation is boring.


The GV is one of my favorite works by Bach and I prefer it performed with repeats and variation. It is a matter of balance, proportion, and variation all of which were very important to how Bach composed this work. Any other approach gives a distorted image of the work, IMO.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

If you *must* have them without repeats (not what I would wish), then the Kirkpatrick recording from 1958 is the best I've heard.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

I'll second the recommendation of Gould's '55'. It's one of the most famous performances of the Goldberg Variations by one of the most respected interpreters of J.S. Bach on the piano.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

FrankinUsa said:


> Most respectfully,,,why is the "without repeats" such an important and defining criteria? Should not the entirety of this specific work be taken into consideration? I find the issue of repeats or no repeats to be of little concern to the entirety of the artistry of this specific…or any other work. It's a minor issue.


You do you, and i'll do me.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> Ralph Kirkpatrick, Keith Jarrett, Christiane Jaccottet, Tzimon Barto, Claudius Tanski.
> 
> Suzuki is inconsistent, where he does play the repeats he does it so imaginatively that it doesn't feel like repetition. Recommended.


Thank you for actually answering the question. :tiphat:

I note, though, that Jarrett observes the repeats in about 10 variations.


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Garrick Ohlsson's 1999 recording is another option.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

dissident said:


> If you *must* have them without repeats (not what I would wish), then the Kirkpatrick recording from 1958 is the best I've heard.


I do agree about the Kirkpatrick recommendation( to buy for next to nothing) and also with the must . :angel:


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

.......................................


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

SanAntone said:


> Except the sound of the harpsichord is horrendous.


And this I do agree with you. :tiphat:
But I am mostly avoiding the harpsichord.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I hesitate to offer a Goldberg Variation recommendation. I don't want to offer a _repea_t of something already mentioned here.

On another note: I do enjoy the _Andrea Bacchetti - Goldberg Variations / 5 Pieces From The Clavierbüchlein For Anna Magdalena Bach_ on Dynamic - CDS 659.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Rogerx said:


> And this I do agree with you. :tiphat:
> But I am mostly avoiding the harpsichord.


I used to feel the same way, but the harpsichord has grown on me over the years. I still prefer the clavichord. Anyway, you can't really get an effect like this on a piano:


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