Bach, J S: Goldberg Variations, BWV988
Beatrice Rana (piano)
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2017, Editor's Choice
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Gramophone Awards, 2017, Finalist - Instrumental
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
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The New York Times, Recordings of the Year 2017
Every piece in Rana's tapestry is vividly characterised, and none are overblown, didactic or taken at an extreme tempo. The alternating comedy, grandeur, and exultant cleverness of the up-beat...
Bach, J S: Goldberg Variations, BWV988
Beatrice Rana (piano)
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Gramophone Magazine, April 2017, Editor's Choice
-
Gramophone Awards, 2017, Finalist - Instrumental
-
Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
-
The New York Times, Recordings of the Year 2017
Every piece in Rana's tapestry is vividly characterised, and none are overblown, didactic or taken at an extreme tempo. The alternating comedy, grandeur, and exultant cleverness of the up-beat...
About
Bach was the composer who most obsessed Beatrice Rana as a child, and in a recent interview with Pianist magazine, she confessed that it would be his music, and above all the Goldberg Variations, that she would choose if she had to devote her life to a single composer. As she said: “I’m very happy to be going back to Bach … It’s best to avoid Bach in competitions … you can’t expose yourself to be totally killed by the jury! But Bach is my first love; now I am allowed to play it in public and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Contents and tracklist
Spotlight on this release
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Beatrice Rana talks exclusively to Presto about her relationship with Bach. -
Beatrice Rana on the Goldberg Variations
28th Mar 2017
Katherine talks to the Italian pianist about tackling Bach's monumental cycle on tour and in the recording studio.
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Beatrice Rana on the Goldberg Variations
20th Mar 2017
The Italian pianist talks to us about tackling Bach's monumental cycle on tour and in the recording studio.
Awards and reviews
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Gramophone MagazineApril 2017Editor's Choice
-
Presto Recordings of the YearFinalist 2017
-
The New York TimesRecordings of the Year 2017
May 2017
Every piece in Rana's tapestry is vividly characterised, and none are overblown, didactic or taken at an extreme tempo. The alternating comedy, grandeur, and exultant cleverness of the up-beat variations surges boldly out, while the seemingly endless melody of Variation 13 feels at moments suspended in mid-flight, the lamentation of Variation 15 cries to the heavens, and the tragedy of the 'Black Pearl' becomes heart stoppingly profound. For this CD, five stars are not enough.
April 2017
Her detailing is one of the aspects that makes this performance so compelling, be it the bringing out of a new line in the repeat, subtle changes in phrasing, a touch of pedal – examples are to be found in every single variation...the return of the Aria is as emotionally multifaceted as you would expect – mysterious, quizzical, noble, resigned, hopeful – setting the seal on a life-affirming disc.
19th February 2017
Beware! I put on this disc and found myself barely able to move for the 78 minutes of Bach’s masterpiece, so familiar yet suddenly so new. Rana’s playing has a kind of Orphic seductiveness, a transcendent lightness of touch...A supremely intelligent reading.
19th March 2017
this recording creates a wholly individual, inward mood. She cultivates an extremely wide range of sound, in some variations as hard-hitting as Glenn Gould, at others dreamy and serene...she galvanises the final variations into an exuberant, moving sequence before returning to the peace of the aria with utter calm.
New York Times 13th December 2017
In the United States, at least, Ms. Rana has not yet acquired the reputation of some other young pianists. She should, and she will, for what she displays here is playing of preternatural sensitivity, sophistication and control, along with a touch of magic, as Bach’s theme returns at the end.
