Bach 'em, Danno!

In August, 2007, Simone Dinnerstein released her recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations, produced with a sort of DIY ethic, grabbing the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Traditional Classical chart and, according to NPR, “for a few surreal hours, outselling Bruce Springsteen on Amazon." The Berlin Concert was released as a follow-up this summer, “a live recording of Ms. Dinnerstein's recital debut at the Kammermusiksaal of the Philharmonie in Berlin, which took place on November 22, 2007. The program features J.S. Bach's French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816; the world premiere recording of American composer Philip Lasser's Variations on a Bach Chorale; and Beethoven's landmark Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111.” MP3 excerpts of these beautiful works are available online, and I’ve included some links below.


The J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations

An excerpt from SimoneDinnerstein.com:
Variation 26

Additionally, there are MP3 clips for each of the recording's tracks available at the Telarc International Web site:
Aria; Variation 1; Variation 2; Variation 3; Variation 4; Variation 5; Variation 6; Variation 7; Variation 8; Variation 9; Variation 10; Variation 11; Variation 12; Variation 13; Variation 14; Variation 15; Variation 16; Variation 17; Variation 18; Variation 19; Variation 20; Variation 21; Variation 22; Variation 23; Variation 24; Variation 25; Variation 26; Variation 27; Variation 28; Variation 29; Variation 30; Aria da capo


THE BERLIN CONCERT

"Dinnerstein chose this program because of how the pieces speak to each another, and because of their relationship to the music of Bach," according to her Web site.

"My hope with this concert was to program a group of pieces that would contrast with and relate to each other, despite being separated by hundreds of years," Dinnerstein said.

Excerpts from SimoneDinnerstein.com:
Johann Sebastian Bach -- French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 (1722)
Track 4 – Gavotte
Philip Lasser -- Twelve Variations on a Chorale by J. S. Bach
“Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott” - Cantata 101 (2001)
Tracks 8 and 9 – Chorale and Variation #1


BEETHOVEN: COMPLETE WORKS FOR PIANO AND CELLO, VOL. 1, with Simone Dinnerstein and Zuill Bailey
An excerpt from SimoneDinnerstein.com:
Sonata 3 No. 9

Some music that Simone listens to, according to a list she submitted to Amazon:

Jordi Savall - TOUS LES MATINS DU MONDE (Soundtrack)
You can download .ram files here

Jacques Loussier -- Bach's Goldberg Variations

The Miró Quartet -- George Crumb Edition: Volume 7. MP3 clips: Unto the Hills; Black Angels

A L S O
Simone Dinnerstein performed "Eine Kleine Mitternacht Musik" by George Crumb live at WNYC's Studio 360

A N D
Links to other free Telarc downloads:
Joy by Hiromi
Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D major by Jacques Loussier Trio
Blues Overtook Me by Charlie Musselwhite
Train My Baby by Robert Lockwood, Jr.


RANDOM MEDIA CAPTURE:
Q: Your version of the Goldberg Variations has a very “pianistic” quality. But of course the work was originally written for harpsichord. Do you see yourself as doing something a step away from “old school”?

A: "Well, my favorite musicians are from the old school. Pianist like (Alfred) Cortot, Artur Schnabel, Dinu Lipatti, Myra Hess. I love their sound; it’s illuminating. But I’m drawn to anyone who plays with vitality, so there are some early music players whose playing I find really vigorous and imaginative too. I just think if I’m going to use a piano — especially this one — then I’m really going to use it. To me it’s about the beauty of the music; I’m not interested in the historical aspect. For me, the music lives today — I don’t see the point of trying to make it sound like a harpsichord."