Gould Variations: Best of Gould's Bach
If you've never heard Glenn Gould's Bach, this well plannedcompilation might just be your ticket to ride, as well as a great giftidea. Disc one begins and ends with the Aria from the GoldbergVariations (Gould's theme song, sort of). Among familiar Gouldian fareare the Fifth Partita, selected inventions, plus the C major and Dmajor Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Some lessobvious choices also prove compelling examples of Gould's x-ray Bachstyle: the A minor Italian Variations, the Gigue from the B minorFrench overture, and the Chromatic Fantasy minus its fugue (Gouldhated the fugue, and never recorded it!). Disc two contains Gould'ssole organ recording, devoted to the first nine movements of The Artof Fugue. If you insert this disc in your computer CD-ROM drive, youcan access a nifty interactive program. It includes full scores, linernotes, logs from the recording session, and marvelous video footage ofGould playing selections from Bach's valedictory opus at thepiano. You'll be spellbound as Gould launches with soft, concentrateddeliberation into the final section of the great unfinished fugue(where Bach's name is spelled out in musical notes). At the verymoment Bach's manuscript breaks off, Gould's hunched-over imagefreezes in midair. I get goose bumps every time I see it. --From ClassicsToday.com