Description

ATMA Classique presents Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations in an arrangement for strings and continuo by Bernard Labadie, performed by Les Violons du Roy under Labadie’s baton. This recording was originally released on the Dorian label in 2000.

According to Bernard Labadie, “This arrangement should be listened to for what it is: something independent and different, and not with constant reference to the keyboard version. I sincerely believe that a fundamental characteristic of all great masterworks is their ability to transmit their message in a variety of new ways that, although they will never replace or surpass the original, allow the range of forms and materials used in the creation of the works to be appreciated in a new light. I also believe in the adaptability and flexibility of music as a living material, one that transforms itself as it transforms us, one that makes us all, whether musicians, performers, or listeners, deeper and richer beings.”