Trio Zimmermann – J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello) (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Trio Zimmermann – J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello) (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:13:30 minutes | 1,33 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © BIS

For close to 300 years Bach’s Goldberg Variations have awed performers as well as listeners, through an unparalleled combination of a dazzling variety of expression and breath-taking virtuosity with stupendous polyphonic mastery. No wonder then that other musicians than harpsichordists have wanted to make it their own – pianists, first and foremost, but also accordion players and guitarists, flautists and harpists. Having performed and recorded much of the classical as well as the modern string trio repertoire, Trio Zimmermann began working on the Goldberg Variations several years ago, playing an existing arrangement. But in their own words, the three members – among the leading string players of our time – ‘soon became captivated by the original score and its innumerable beauties and details’. As a result they have jointly prepared a performing version which here receives its first recording. Playing an important part on this album are also the Trio’s instruments – all by Antonio Stradivarius, and featured in close-up on the cover.

In 1985 the Russian violinist Vladimir Spivakov published his own arrangement of the Goldberg Variations for a string trio at the time of the tricentennial anniversary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach. Dedicated to the memory of the Canadian pianist Glenn Gould who recently died, this deft transcription has since made a tour of the world and many recordings have flourished. When it came to recording their Goldberg, the Zimmermann trio (Frank Peter Zimmermann on violin, Antoin Tamestit on viola and Christian Poltéra on cello) decided to propose their own version of the string trio which was, according to the musicians, “neither an arrangement nor a transcription, but essentially a unveiling of Bach’s score”. The result is splendid as much is the exceptional capture of the three Stradivarius instruments used in this recording by the engineers of BIS. There is a pleasant “grainy” sound in the air between the notes and the perfectly balanced reverberations. A total success thanks to the addition of high-quality instruments, instrumentalists and technique.  – François Hudry

Tracklist:
1. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Aria (04:08)
2. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 1 (01:48)
3. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 2 (01:35)
4. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 3 (01:49)
5. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 4 (01:05)
6. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 5 (01:22)
7. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 6 (01:14)
8. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 7 (01:51)
9. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 8 (01:47)
10. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 9 (01:29)
11. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 10 (01:30)
12. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 11 (02:04)
13. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 12 (02:13)
14. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 13 (05:16)
15. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 14 (02:11)
16. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 15 (04:05)
17. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 16 (02:52)
18. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 17 (01:45)
19. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 18 (01:21)
20. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 19 (01:20)
21. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 20 (02:06)
22. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 21 (02:23)
23. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 22 (01:18)
24. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 23 (01:56)
25. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 24 (02:30)
26. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 25 (07:37)
27. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 26 (02:02)
28. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 27 (01:46)
29. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 28 (02:15)
30. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 29 (02:13)
31. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Var. 30 (01:38)
32. Trio Zimmermann – (Arr. Trio Zimmermann for Violin, Viola & Cello): Aria da capo (02:45)

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