To be sure, Bach’s Goldberg Variations are intimately, profoundly, a technical work for the harpsichord: in fact, for two harpsichords. But the notes are pure music, and there is nothing stopping artists playing them with, for example, a string quartet. And that is what the Ardeo Quartet is doing here, with great conviction, in a version signed by François Meimoun, which has already been performed in concert many times over. Meimoun, of course, doesn’t “change” a single note, a pitch, a rhythm, a line: rather, he is working on the discourse here, in order to make it a piece for string quartet in every minute, intimate detail. And his effort really pays off, as the “harpsichord” aspect of the work doesn’t show through at all. As a number of the variations are written for two voices, he has fun with supplementary pizzicati and switching from one instrument to another: it’s a real four-hander. It is a safe bet that the listener, including listeners who know the Goldberg Variations by heart – but on harpsichord – will discover countless counterpoints and even a few hidden jokes from Bach which don’t come through on the harpsichord(s).
Tracklist:
01. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Aria
02. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 1
03. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 2
04. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 3, Canone all’unisuono
05. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 4
06. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 5
07. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 6, Canone alla seconda
08. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 7
09. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 8
10. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 9, Canone alla terza
11. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 10, Fughetta
12. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 11
13. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 12, Canone alla quarta
14. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 13
15. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 14
16. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 15, Canone alla quinta
17. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 16, Ouverture
18. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 17
19. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 18, Canone alla sesta
20. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 19
21. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 20
22. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 21, Canone alla settima
23. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 22, Alla breve
24. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 23
25. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 24, Canone all’ottava
26. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 25
27. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 26
28. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 27, Canone alla nona
29. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 28
30. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 29
31. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Var. 30, Quodlibet
32. Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Arr. F. Meïmoun for String Quartet): Aria da capo
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