Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, (arranged for two pianos by Rheinberger/Reger)
Luis Magalhães and Nina Schumann (pianos)

REVIEWS

James Harrington

© 2014 American Record Guide

The South African-based husband-andwife duo of Magalhaes and Schumann has come my way twice before: an exceptional set of Rachmaninoff (TwoPianists 103903, Nov/Dec 2010) and another memorable release that included an arrangement for two pianos of the Brahms Paganini Variations (TwoPianists 103902, Jan/Feb 2011).

I was able to find scores for both the original Rheinberger version from 1883 and Reger’s revision from 1915. It should be noted that Reger also prepared his version for organ at the same time, probably using Rheinberger’s two-piano version as a starting point. Without taking a couple of days to do a measure by measure analysis, it appears that Reger’s editorial additions are primarily in the area of dynamics and phrasing, with occasional fingering suggestions. I heard no alterations in the notes or division of material between the two pianos in the first few variations that I did examine in detail. Since Bach was one of the first master transcribers, I have never had objections to well done transcriptions of his music. This one has given me many hours of enjoyable listening.

Magalhaes and Schumann are an exceptional team. Their musicality is matched by their technical and interpretive abilities. The spontaneity found all through this recording underscores the communication between performers. I found a video on line of the two rehearsing the Goldbergs, where they clearly enjoyed working through a variation. Since the arrangement gives each performer the opportunity to play most passages, they continually play off of one another, either imitating or contrasting similar musical material. Rheinberger adds additional voices and doublings, makes more of accompaniment figures, and even updates the harmonies. Magalhaes and Schumann never lose track of the original Bach, but allow all the romantic alterations to both come to the fore and sit in the background as the music dictates. Theirs is an enlightening performance that will remain on my listening stack for years to come. 

Jed Distler

ClassicsToday.com

In 1883 Joseph Rheinberger arranged Bach’s Goldberg Variations for two pianos, fleshing out the original textures with doubled melodic lines, added accompanying chords, and even adding his own contrapuntal contributions to the mix. Thirty years later Max Reger tweaked Rheinberger’s scoring in regard to dynamics and phrasings. Somehow the busy keyboard traffic never seems thick or heavy, but that may be due to the Schumann/Magalães piano duo’s split-second ensemble precision, flexible agility, and resourceful ways of voicing the material for maximum variety and rhythmic thrust.

Sparks particularly fly in variations originally deployed for two manuals, while by contrast, slow tempos that most single pianists would be hard pressed to sustain well (the minor-key No. 15, the lyrical No. 13) benefit from the kind of sonorous reinforcement available on two pianos. (…) Schumann/Magalhães duo’s high standards and captivating artistry, not to mention the warmly resonant engineering. After all, to quote my colleague Tim Page, “inauthenticity can be fun!”

Artslink.co.za

Andra le Roux-Kemp

I have a very peculiar relationship with the Rheinberger/Reger transcription of the Bach Goldberg Variations.

I was first introduced to this wondrous work in 2011, when Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães performed it at the Klein Karoo Klassique Festival. I was so overwhelmed by the experience that I could not stop crying. In fact, I was so moved that I decided to quit my job. The exact same thing happened in 2012, at a concert in the Endler Hall (Stellenbosch). With tears flowing (this time it was tears of joy) Bach-Rheinberger-Reger were again the impetus behind the metamorphosis of my life.

You can therefore understand my hesitance to buy the CD, which was released in September 2013 (TwoPianist Records). Because contrary to what legend may suggests, this version of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is definitely not going to cure my insomnia, it rather seems to play on various other parts of my receptive personality.

Bach’s Goldberg Variations (BWV 988, first published in 1741) is generally considered to be a “masterpiece of contrapuntal invention” and consists of a theme and thirty variations. The theme (an aria) is a simple, yet expressive and heavily ornamented melody and the variations, according to Ralph Kirkpatrick, a set ternary pattern of canons, genre pieces and lively arabesques. The variations are furthermore not based on the melody of the opening theme, but rather use its bass line, thereby creating “variations on the inner harmonic flow of the aria, rather than the opening aria or theme itself”.

Josef Rheinberger transcribed Bach’s monumental variation work, originally written for the harpsichord with two manuals, in 1883. The main objectives for his two piano arrangement were to create sounds of orchestral dimensions and to enrich the work with elements of Romanticism while staying true to Bach’s original structure and score. Almost two decades later, Max Reger further revised the Rheinberger arrangement by adding a canvas of dynamic markings, creating sonorities and “filling in harmonic layers which he felt was necessary for the music to be appreciated by modern ears”. Yet, the end result remains reasonably close to Bach’s original and the recording by Schumann and Magalhães serves as an excellent reference for those who – whether familiar or unfamiliar with Bach’s original – want to explore and experience the outer limits of this enduring work.

Grant Chu Covell described this musical adventure as follows: “It’s much like coming across someone else’s copy of a book you know so well, and wondering why certain passages, punctuation and spaces were marked with a fluorescent highlighter”. This recording by Schumann and Magalhães does exactly that; it takes you on an exciting journey through chartered and unchartered territory, revisiting favourite destinations and unlocking treasures that may previously have gone unnoticed.

For example, with their inspired interpretation and flawless precision the duo perfectly captures and communicates the radical departures in mood and character between some of the variations. In fact, some of the most exciting seconds on this CD are the charged silences between some of the variations, especially between the opening aria and variation 1 and between variation 13 and 14 – the latter played with an exuberant chain of mordents that will send shivers of delight down your spine.

With variation 4 – a miniature tour de force in syncopation – and variation 16, the imitation of the plucked string action of the harpsichord reminds us that we are still listening to Bach. And so does the emphasis on the passus duriusculus (a decending bass line symbolysing pain and suffering) at the beginning of variation 21, perfectly captured in Rheinberger and Reger’s arrangements. However, the seducing ebb and flow of the pianos in variation 6 and its full range of orchestral colours in variation 12 challenge these baroque antics.

The virtuosic showpieces of this transcription of the Goldberg Variations – variations 5, 11, 17, 20, 26 and 28 – are played in perfect unison as if with one mind (and if it was possible, also one hand). It is truly so exhilarating to listen to that I just want to keep pressing the repeat button and listen to these showpieces over and over again, even at the risk of the experience becoming stale (but I can assure you that it won’t). Schumann and Magalhães also does not disappoint in revealing Bach’s (often overlooked) sense of humour in variation 23, which has been described as a “cheeky concoction of scales and antiphonal effects”.

Other favourites include variation 11, a two-part toccata with its cascading scales and variation 13, a sarabande played so gently and with such fragility that you are almost too scared to breath. Although some might argue that Schumann and Magalheas’s tempo on this latter variation is much slower than usual, the effect of the myriad of sound colours which they create are certainly worth the experiment.

The work ends Aria (da capo), a note-for-note repetition of the main theme. And with this recording, it is not only the Aria that has been “transfigured by the life knowledge of having traversed thirty miraculous variations”.

Thys Odendaal 

Beeld, 12 Sep 2013 

Klavierduo betower in ‘variasies’

Ryksgraaf Hermann Carl von Keyserlingk het aan slaaploosheid gely en in nagte wanneer hy nie ’n oog kon toemaak nie, moes die klawesimbelspeler in sy hofhouding, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg (1727-1756), vir hom “sagte, strelende en verkwiklike” musiek speel.

Só skryf Johann Sebastian Bach se eerste biograaf, Johann Nikolaus Forkel, in 1802. Die 14-jarige Goldberg was ’n student van Bach tussen 1733 en 1746.

Bach het in opdrag van Keyserlingk ’n stel variasies – dié “nagmusiek”, of sal ’n mens sê “insomnia-musiek”? – gekomponeer om die wakkerbly draagliker te maak.

In die biografie het Forkel ook beslis dat “die Goldberg-variasies as model behoort voorgehou te word waarop alle variasie-stelle in die toekoms gebou behoort te word, en waaraan hulle gemeet sal word”.

Die probleem met die Goldberg-variasies is, soos so baie van Bach se ongeëwenaarde en wegwyser-skeppings, nie altyd histories bepaalbaar is nie.

Tientalle opnames van die Goldberg-siklus is op CD vasgelê, waaronder die meer onlangse weergawe van Murray Perahia op Decca as een van die beste vertolkings wat beskikbaar is.

Benewens die variasies op een klawesimbel of klavier, het twee befaamde komponiste – Joseph Rheinberger en Max Reger, albei veral bekend vir hul orrelkomposisies – die Goldberg-variasies aangepas vir twee klaviere, met uitstekende resultate.

Vroeg verlede jaar het die egpaar Nina Schumann en Luis Magalhães voor twee klaviere die Goldberg-variasies op die TwoPianists-etiket opgeneem in die Endler-saal van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Dit is ’n produk van uitmuntende gehalte – artistiek stylvol in die onmiskenbare klassieke idioom, tegnies onberispelik versorg deur Gerhard Roux wat ’n uitmuntende balans tussen die twee klaviere bewerkstellig. Boonop is daar insiggewende programnotas deur Barry Ross.

Dat Schumann en Magalhães ’n instinktiewe aanvoeling en begrip in die vertolkingskuns openbaar, is allermins verrassend. Dit blyk uit hul konserte en vorige opnames.

Of ’n mens ’n Bach-aanhanger is al dan nie, laat jouself toe om na enkele snitte te luister. Die klavierspel is betowerend en die ewewig tussen die instrumente bewonderenswaardig. Die aanslag is gedrae waar nodig en dan weer opruiend vlugvoetig in byvoorbeeld ’n fugale passasie.

Neem die driftige aanslag van die variasie op snit 10, stel dit teenoor die reflektiewe snit 11 en spring na die sprankelende snit 21, en ’n opsommende klankskets is duidelik.