COMPOSERS: J. S. Bach
LABELS: Naxos
ALBUM TITLE: Bach - Goldberg Variations
WORKS: Goldberg Variations
PERFORMER: Jeno Jando
CATALOGUE NO: 8.557268
Jenö Jandó’s Goldberg Variations
proves a mixed bag, his rigorous,
virtually pedal-less stance not remotely
helped by an extremely dry acoustic.
His playing is certainly accomplished,
intelligent and committed, excellently
voiced and layered, but perhaps Jandó
has set himself restrictions on grounds
of what may be ‘acceptable’ in Bach
interpretations on the piano, making
this ultimately a very limited account.
His dynamic range is one notable casualty – between mp and f – and
his touch, while it has its beautiful
moments (in the Variation 13 repeat
it is gleamingly translucent and the
fleetness of the French Overture
opening, No. 16, is very satisfying), is
often stabbing and harsh (Variations
8, 14 and sadly numerous others).
This is compounded by an overmetronomic
approach that seems to
measure out many of the variations by
strong beat after strong beat; András
Schiff (a fellow Hungarian) provides
a notable contrast with this in both
his recordings, letting steadiness of
pulse form the background to a more
lyrical sense of flow and the buildingup
of a bigger picture. Schiff, Glenn
Gould (Sony) and Daniel Barenboim
(Erato) have all produced Goldberg
recordings which work considerably
better than Jandó’s as personal
statements that enhance Bach’s vision,
no matter what pianistic parameters
they set themselves (or sometimes
don’t); Jandó’s pianistic parameters
unfortunately result in interpretative
ones too. Jessica Duchen