The
sight of programme notes that include such
descriptions of variations from Bach’s Goldbergs
as ‘Shadow-play’; ‘Machine-gun fire’ or
(worse) ‘2 flamingos right hand’; ‘laughing
gas’; or (worst of all) ‘Betty Boop Variation’
hardly inspired confidence. That these notes
eschewed all of the usual historical placement
and that they were written by the performer
(in collaboration with Robin Stowell) made
me wonder exactly what was in store this particular
Monday lunchtime.
In the
event, Joanna MacGregor gave a memorable account
of the musical edifice that is the Goldbergs.
Her rather frivolous descriptions perhaps
were there to imply that JSB had a sense of
humour (not always acknowledged, it has to
be said). MacGregor’s goal seemed to be to
portray Bach as a very human composer
- albeit one of the highest genius. Her care
in performance was everywhere apparent, not
least in the ‘Aria’ that opens proceedings.
It was soon apparent that technical issues
would remain irrelevant, for the earlier variations
revealed great finger-strength and a massive
variety of tonal resource. Only towards the
end did her concentration (and therefore some
technical excellence) falter.
MacGregor
clearly has a sense of fun, too (heard in
Variation 11, her ‘Betty Boop’ Variation,
so-called because when she was in Sydney learning
the Goldbergs she passed a shop every
morning selling Betty Boop T shirts). She
is not afraid of the sustaining pedal, and
would use it to create a specific atmosphere
(Variation 22, which she calls, ‘Gateway to
another world’). It was, in fact, the more
languorous Variations that remain in the memory,
despite the great amount of joy to be gleaned
from the faster, more foot-loose items. And,
yes, I do see her point when she refers to
Variation 15 as reminiscent of the Ligeti
Etude ‘which creeps off the top of the keyboard’.
The
return of the Aria at the very end is a master-stroke
on Bach’s part. Inevitably recontextualised
in our hearing after all that has occurred,
MacGregor seemed at pains to underline a further
aspect of this homecoming. By keeping the
sustaining pedal down after Variation 30,
the Aria emerged from the aural mists, as
if it had been there all along (as, indeed,
in a way, it had).
Very
different Bach from that of Angela
Hewitt, whose
Wigmore recital last September also left its
mark. If the text is indeed a generator of
multiple interpretations, and perhaps Bach’s
texts more than most, we should count ourselves
lucky to be able to compare and contrast such
pianistic riches.
Television
cameras from BBC Wales were in attendance,
and the recital is due for telecast this Summer
on BBC1.
Colin
Clarke
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