GG: Perahia & the best Goldbergs...Zhu!

[Bradley P Lehman <bpl@UMICH.EDU>]

Jean-Christophe wrote:
>I readily agree with Mary Jo's friend about Gould/Perahia, except that I
>rather tend to listen to Koroliov, which is far more lyrical, even deeply
>depressed at times (variation 15). I'm afraid Perahia is a bit mild on
>the whole and, especially in the first half, doesn't manage to create a
>really personal climate.

I agree about Perahia: too mild, too middle-of-the-road, not particularly
interesting or engaging.  His playing is beautifully inoffensive.  Not
just in the Goldbergs but also the English Suites; I wrote a review of
that here, where I mention quite a few things I disagree with in
Perahia's approach:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000062DF/

Here's a recording that's so far off the beaten path that hardly anyone
has noticed it, but I think it's terrific and worth seeking: the Goldbergs
played on piano by Zhu Xiao-Mei (Mandala 4950, midprice, Harmonia Mundi
distribution).  Her performance most resembles Gould's live 1959 Salzburg
performance (his own best, IMHO).  For me, this one "blows out of the
water" Perahia's and every other piano rendition (at least a dozen) I've
ever heard, except the Gould Salzburg.  Our Hero's success in the 1955 and
1981 recordings notwithstanding, his 1959 Salzburg and this Zhu
performance are better!

Zhu recognizes that richness in Bach comes from letting things be
irrational enough within a controlled structure: focus on in-the-moment
expression rather than the building blocks.  She sounds intuitive and
willing to "go with the flow," letting the music (rather than her own
personality) take center stage, pouring out naturally.  It's wonderful.
My complete review is here, including a comparison against other
recordings:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl/zhu-goldbergs.htm

I haven't heard Koroliov's Goldbergs, but I think his Art of Fugue
recording is quite good.


Bradley Lehman, Dayton VA
home: http://i.am/bpl  or  http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl
CD's: http://listen.to/bpl or http://www.mp3.com/bpl

"Music must cause fire to flare up from the spirit - and not only sparks
from the clavier...." - Alfred Cortot