4 ms·

To anyone wondering: public domain? Bach has been dead for how long? Of course there are already some available (recordings, and sheet music of course), a great

To anyone wondering: public domain? Bach has been dead for how long? Of course there are already some available (recordings, and sheet music of course), a great database is: https://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page https://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page I do not want to denounce the efforts made though. Anything which makes these works more accessible is welcome. The Goldberg Variations are beautiful. Most famous recordings probably the two by Glenn Gould. There is even an interview in which they explore the differences between the two, and Gould opens up about some decisions he has made and why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLoegXPpyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLoegXPpyk It's worth listening to, also to explore the Goldberg Variations a little bit in general. It also gives you a sense of Gould's "quirky wit". It's likely it was completely scripted by Gould in advance. There are of course many recordings of the Goldberg Variations, partial list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldberg_Variations_discography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldberg_Variations_discograph... Both of Gould's interpretations aren't in any way "standard interpretations". Fun fact: I was so used to listening to Gould's Bach interpretations back then, I immediately emulated his style when playing Bach, which my piano teacher found really annoying.

FreeFull 6y ago
Bach's work is in the public domain, which means anyone can make their own recording. But, any recording of Bach's works will still automatically have its own copyright, unless it's intentionally dedicated to the public domain too. The great thing about a public domain recording is that anyone can take it and use in any sort of artistic or even non-artistic endeavour, without having to worry about the usual "Contact the copyright owner, hope they will grant you a license that's not too expensive."
- markvdb 6y ago
  In a lot of jurisdictions, the same goes for the actual sheet music. Even a lot of facsimile editions - literally photos- of the sheet music claim copyright to the "creative work" embedded in making the photo. The result being that in many jurisdictions, you'll have difficulties finding public domain sheet music of obviously public domain music for which it is clear (the longest living) composer died over 70 years ago.
spindle 6y ago
More recently, a recording's been released of a third Gould performance of the Goldberg Variations, recorded live in Salzburg in 1959. It's very nice.
jacquesm 6y ago
The easiest way to describe the differences between the 'young' and the 'old' Goldberg variations as played by Glenn Gould are to look at the runtimes. As I get older I find myself liking the ones played by the older Gould better.
- sevensor 6y ago
  I love the mature version too -- 1950s Gould sounds like he's in a terrible hurry, 1980s Gould feels entirely in control of his performance.
- matt_morgan 6y ago
  If you haven't heard it, Hilary Hahn's Chaconne is also slow compared to a lot of other interpretations, and for me has a lot of the same impact (makes me cry, basically, but stimulates a huge range of emotions in a very short time) as the later Gould recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqA3qQMKueA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqA3qQMKueA
  - robertDouglass 6y ago
    Great recording!
vixen99 6y ago
To be specific and as you say, not to denounce this (or any other) very welcome recent offering on the Goldberg Variations ... https://imslp.org/wiki/Goldberg-Variationen%2C_BWV_988_(Bach%2C_Johann_Sebastian) https://imslp.org/wiki/Goldberg-Variationen%2C_BWV_988_(Bach... offers 38 scores and 50 arrangements of out-of-copyright (free scores) Goldberg Variations.
- robertDouglass 6y ago
  The ambition of this project (Open Goldberg) was a bit wider. We wanted to make: - A software score (MuseScore) which has all of the advantages of a canonical digital document vs a picture (which is what IMSLP offers) - A public domain recording - A download of the unmixed stems so that people could mix their own (open source model) - A MIDI version So... that's what we did!
kimi 6y ago
I personally love Keith Jarrett's. Though Glenn Gould's are, let's say, "gould standard".
becga 6y ago
I would also recommend Tatiana Nikolayeva's (1924–1993) Bach recordings. She is considered to be one of the greatest Bach Interpreters. I am fortunate my current teacher was a student of hers in Russia when she was between the ages of 8-14, and am now studying some Bach with her.

FreeFull 6y ago

Bach's work is in the public domain, which means anyone can make their own recording. But, any recording of Bach's works will still automatically have its own copyright, unless it's intentionally dedicated to the public domain too. The great thing about a public domain recording is that anyone can take it and use in any sort of artistic or even non-artistic endeavour, without having to worry about the usual "Contact the copyright owner, hope they will grant you a license that's not too expensive."

markvdb 6y ago
In a lot of jurisdictions, the same goes for the actual sheet music. Even a lot of facsimile editions - literally photos- of the sheet music claim copyright to the "creative work" embedded in making the photo. The result being that in many jurisdictions, you'll have difficulties finding public domain sheet music of obviously public domain music for which it is clear (the longest living) composer died over 70 years ago.

spindle 6y ago

More recently, a recording's been released of a third Gould performance of the Goldberg Variations, recorded live in Salzburg in 1959. It's very nice.

jacquesm 6y ago

The easiest way to describe the differences between the 'young' and the 'old' Goldberg variations as played by Glenn Gould are to look at the runtimes. As I get older I find myself liking the ones played by the older Gould better.

sevensor 6y ago
I love the mature version too -- 1950s Gould sounds like he's in a terrible hurry, 1980s Gould feels entirely in control of his performance.
matt_morgan 6y ago
If you haven't heard it, Hilary Hahn's Chaconne is also slow compared to a lot of other interpretations, and for me has a lot of the same impact (makes me cry, basically, but stimulates a huge range of emotions in a very short time) as the later Gould recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqA3qQMKueA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqA3qQMKueA
- robertDouglass 6y ago
  Great recording!

vixen99 6y ago

To be specific and as you say, not to denounce this (or any other) very welcome recent offering on the Goldberg Variations ... https://imslp.org/wiki/Goldberg-Variationen%2C_BWV_988_(Bach%2C_Johann_Sebastian) https://imslp.org/wiki/Goldberg-Variationen%2C_BWV_988_(Bach... offers 38 scores and 50 arrangements of out-of-copyright (free scores) Goldberg Variations.

robertDouglass 6y ago
The ambition of this project (Open Goldberg) was a bit wider. We wanted to make: - A software score (MuseScore) which has all of the advantages of a canonical digital document vs a picture (which is what IMSLP offers) - A public domain recording - A download of the unmixed stems so that people could mix their own (open source model) - A MIDI version So... that's what we did!

kimi 6y ago

I personally love Keith Jarrett's. Though Glenn Gould's are, let's say, "gould standard".

becga 6y ago

I would also recommend Tatiana Nikolayeva's (1924–1993) Bach recordings. She is considered to be one of the greatest Bach Interpreters. I am fortunate my current teacher was a student of hers in Russia when she was between the ages of 8-14, and am now studying some Bach with her.