Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg
Variations BWV988 transcribed for string trio by the Goldberg Trio Lucerne
[41:35]
Alfred SCHNITTKE (1934-1998) String Trio [26:33]
Goldberg Trio Lucerne (Ina Dmitrova (violin); Annette Bartholdy (viola); Matta
Zappa (cello))
rec. Radiostudio Zurich, 30 March-1 April 2009. Stereo. DDD
GUILD GMCD 7350 [68:06]
The primary motivation for this Goldberg Variations recording seems to be
a desire to save the work from the excesses of Glenn Gould, at least by proxy.
A string trio arrangement of the work already exists. It is by Dmitry Sitkovetsky
and was written in the wake of Gould's monumental first recording. In homage
to the Canadian pianist, Sitkovetsky even goes as far as to transcribe the
ornaments as they appear on the recording.
The Goldberg Trio Lucerne are understandably sceptical of the artistic value
of this approach and have made their own arrangement. Where Sitkovetsky transcribes
ornaments, they are more inclined to omit them altogether unless necessary.
They are also committed to reducing doubling and what the liner-notes describes
as 'octavations', presumably working on the assumption that Bach's contrapuntal
textures are more than capable of standing up for themselves without any added
textural support.
The result is predictably ascetic, but the textures never seem undernourished,
or indeed less than you could expect from a harpsichord. Despite their stated
desire to move away from Gould, they share his approach of playing the aria
without emotion so as to contrast it with the variations that follow. And
each of the variations is played with its own distinctive identity and with
a clear understanding of the genre to which each alludes. The slow movements
are also played with a minimum of expression, and at slow tempos. The result
is invariably both plaintive and elegant. The faster movements have real energy,
although few are as fast as in Gould's recording.
By not resorting to doublings, the playing of the individual players becomes
much more apparent. That makes stylistic unity between the players all the
more important, and on the whole they manage to match their vibrato and dynamics
well. There are one or two points where the players struggle with just the
sheer quantity of notes, the 26th Variation, for example, contains
some slightly shaky passage work. But on the whole it is an assured performance
and an excellent first recording of what is sure to be a much performed arrangement.
The Schnittke String Trio is a curious coupling. The composer has benefited
a lot over the years from the assumption that his music can fit with standard
repertoire works simply because it contains brief tonal or modal passages
in the form of allusions to earlier works or styles. That only applies up
to a point, I think, but you don't have to dig too far beneath the surface
before spiritual links between the music of Bach and Schnittke begin to appear.
The B-A-C-H monogram makes a number of appearances in the work too, suggesting
further connections to the baroque composer, despite the overriding Romantic/Modernist
aesthetic.
Another connection is the fact that, like the Goldberg Variations, the Trio
begins and ends with passages of very simple music, which contrast the complexity
of what comes between. This time the players are slightly more emotive in
their opening phrase, using more vibrato than many others, although still
not much.
From then on it is an impressively impassioned account, with lots of swooping
string lines and impressive dynamic contrasts. The balance is not ideal, and
much of the first movement in particular could do with more cello, although
I think this is a function of the recording rather than a performance issue.
Much of the second movement is very quiet with long pedal notes seemingly
drifting off into infinity. This is beautifully played, and the intense atmosphere
that these players achieve with so few notes is remarkable.
An impressive recording then, with an ascetic Bach reading contrasted with
a full-blooded interpretation of the Schnittke. The logic behind the coupling
is tenuous, but at least it gives us an opportunity to hear these two fine
and distinctive performances. I doubt that the Goldberg Trio Lucerne are going
to convert any die-hard Glenn Gould obsessives, but they might just find a
few new fans for music of Alfred Schnittke.
Gavin Dixon
An impressive recording then, with an ascetic Bach reading contrasted with
a full-blooded interpretation of the Schnittke.