Goldberg Variations Complete (J.S. Bach BWV 988), with score, Kimiko Ishizaka piano

Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, The English Patient, Captain Fantastic, Before Sunrise, and Solaris are just a few films to have featured Bach's Goldberg Variations.

"Counterpoint passes back and forth between the hands in a conversational and judiciously balanced manner, while a strong lyrical impulse informs the cross-handed variations' rapid, bravura passages (Vars 5 and 19, for example). Ishizaka's restrained and concentrated way with slow minor-key variations (Vars 15,21 and 25) lets the music's agonising harmonic tension speak softly for itself."
- Jed Distler, Gramophone Magazine

"She has the fleet fingers to speed through the virtuoso variations with compelling clarity and the sensitivity to probe the dramatic potential of the slower, more profound numbers, pleasurably aided by her consistently lovely tone."
- Robert Schulslaper, Issue 36:1 (Sept/Oct 2012), Fanfare Magazine

"The sound quality of the recording is top notch"
"In fact, the album's an audiophile gem."
- Reviewed by Christopher Lim in The Business Times, July 20, 2012.

0:00 Aria
5:00 Variation 1
6:57 Variation 2
9:03 Variation 3
11:00 Variation 4
12:10 Variation 5
13:44 Variation 6
15:22 Variation 7
17:35 Variation 8
19:31 Variation 9
21:38 Variation 10
23:24 Variation 11
25:33 Variation 12
27:49 Variation 13
32:04 Variation 14
34:20 Variation 15
38:54 Variation 16 "Ouverture"
42:03 Variation 17
43:47 Variation 18
45:37 Variation 19
47:03 Variation 20
49:08 Variation 21
53:02 Variation 22
54:36 Variation 23
56:55 Variation 24
59:41 Variation 25 ("Black Pearl" - slideshow)
1:09:01 Variation 26
1:11:03 Variation 27
1:12:55 Variation 28
1:15:20 Variation 29
1:17:30 Variation 30 "Quodlibet"
1:19:32 Aria da Capo

Die Goldberg-Variationen | 哥德堡变奏曲 | ゴルトベルク変奏曲 | 골트베르크 변주곡 | Вариации Гольдберга

[OpenGoldberg]

0:00 Aria
5:00 Variation 1
6:57 Variation 2
9:03 Variation 3
11:00 Variation 4
12:10 Variation 5
13:44 Variation 6
15:22 Variation 7
17:35 Variation 8
19:31 Variation 9
21:38 Variation 10
23:24 Variation 11
25:33 Variation 12
27:49 Variation 13
32:04 Variation 14
34:20 Variation 15
38:54 Variation 16 "Ouverture"
42:03 Variation 17
43:47 Variation 18
45:37 Variation 19
47:03 Variation 20
49:08 Variation 21
53:02 Variation 22
54:36 Variation 23
56:55 Variation 24
59:41 Variation 25 ("Black Pearl" - slideshow)
1:09:01 Variation 26
1:11:03 Variation 27
1:12:55 Variation 28
1:15:20 Variation 29
1:17:30 Variation 30 "Quodlibet"
1:19:32 Aria da Capo

[jamesa]

Kimiko Ishizaka is an interesting person. Not only a professional concert pianist, she's an Olympic weightlifter & powerlifter.
So she's the only pianist in the world who can perform the Goldberg Variations at a concert-level caliber, then carry her piano to the next performance.

[johns.]

How the actual F*CK did Bach do this. Almost 90 whole minutes of variations in the same key, same harmonic progressions, by all accounts it should bore us all to tears. Instead, you don't want it to end. It's absolutely mind blowing to me, the work of a true genius. Bach was a miracle.

[bsm]

My 18yr old dog left this world and sent this music to comfort me. As I was listening this in the car crying, it was as if she was speaking to me how she felt about each season of her life, ultimately telling me things were good so I must let it go and accept the absolute and embrace the unkown as she’ll always be around.

[malcolmabram]

Judging by the comments it cheers me greatly that Bach is so much appreciated, even to this day.

[yoonbwha]

#0:00 Aria
#5:00 Variation 1
#6:57 Variation 2
#9:03 Variation 3
#11:00 Variation 4
#12:10 Variation 5
#13:44 Variation 6
#15:22 Variation 7
#17:35 Variation 8
#19:31 Variation 9
#21:38 Variation 10
#23:24 Variation 11
#25:33 Variation 12
#27:49 Variation 13
#32:04 Variation 14
#34:20 Variation 15
#38:54 Variation 16 "Ouverture"
#42:03 Variation 17
#43:47 Variation 18
#45:37 Variation 19
#47:03 Variation 20
#49:08 Variation 21
#53:02 Variation 22
#54:36 Variation 23
#56:55 Variation 24
#59:41 Variation 25 ("Black Pearl" - slideshow)
#1:09:01 Variation 26
#1:11:03 Variation 27
#1:12:55 Variation 28
#1:15:20 Variation 29
#1:17:30 Variation 30 "Quodlibet"
#1:19:32 Aria da Capo

I understand why Hannibal listens to to this when he's preparing the feast. I listen to the same music....but excuse me now. I have some friends for dinner.

[rebelvgan]

This has the power to remove stress and depression. Music is a form of therapy.

[Mimi]

J’admire toutes les œuvres de BACH jouées par Glenn GOULD, mais j’avoue que j’adore aussi cette interprétation de Kimiko ISHIZAKA 🥹🤍🥰🤍

[shin-i-chikozima]

The diversity of Bach music is infinite

Goldberg is full of joys and sorrows of the human world

[sonicmaths]

A time ago, I went to a psychiatrist. He was recommended by a friend.
I thought that I do not need any psychiatric help, but it turned out that it was great to talk to a person, who was intelligent and understood my feelings.
I told him everything. Then we had dinner for two. The fava beans were very delicious. Especially the liver of a pig, that was exquisite.
We talked about music. He also enjoyed classical music and recommended me to listen to Goldberg Variations.
The doctor brought me here, but I stay for the musical masterpiece.

[odilereneleau]

Every morning when I'm waking up, I listen these splendid Goldberg Variations played by Kimiko Ishizaka and it's a such wonderful moment to be happy all day long ...

[Melchiorblade]

Next to impossible to find music more pure than this

[kiwichrix]

3:12 to 3:34 for me is an example of human perfection both Bach's composition and Kimiko's performance. It is just heaven, sheer perfection, so utterly beautiful that words arguably fail at this point and one just has to stop and marvel at how this was humanly possible.

[bloodjunkie]

Funny how 351 people were so blinded by tears over how beautiful this is that they managed to miss the like button and accidentally click the dislike button instead!

[tortoisecanswim]

I can't get enough of this beautiful sound
Btw I was brought here neither by Bach nor a movie/book, but by music history classes
WE NEED MORE MUSICOLOGY CLASSES IN SCHOOLS

[waterbuffalo]

This is the most pure recording I've heard of this piece. It's nice to hear the variations without lots of ornamentation for once

[MGMonasterio]

Gould's rendition is more idyosincratic, as everything he did. Ishizakas's is the most near to perfection.One hears, and hears and it is almost unbelievable! What a Joy!

[kayausiu]

She is a lot better than many well known professional players on this piece.

[michaelkottler]

This version, performed by Kikiko Ishizaka on piano, is the one I think of when The Goldberg Variations comes to mind. Engaging, high-energy, faultless and at times electrifying interpretation of this epic piece. My favorite rendition. Thanks, Ishikazaka-chan and props also to OpenGoldberg for making this track (w/scoring!) so available.