BACH: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 – Arr. & edited for harp by Catrin Finch – DGG 00289 477 8165, 63:50 ***** [Release date: June 23, 09]:
There have been many different transcriptions of Bach’s original Goldberg Variations for harpsichord, but this is the first for concert harp and a very pleasant surprise in many ways. The lovely young Welsh harpist was appointed harpist to the Prince of Wales a few years ago and is today one of the up and coming brilliant stars of the concert stage. Her former manager suggested she be on the lookout for new possibilities for her instrument. She thought of the Goldberg Variations but wasn’t sure it would work for the harp. She started listening to Glenn Gould’s versions, and to other transcriptions of it. She just sat down and began playing parts of it. Harp scores look similar to piano music, with one clef for the left hand and another for the right. She found the major challenge was the different fingering.
It took Finch a year to make the adaptation. The goal of bringing a new work into the meagre repertory for the harp was a stimulus for her efforts. Some of the variations were extremely difficult, involving speedy pedal changes and swapping of the hands. She had no difficult varying the color palette of Bach’s original. In fact, there are more possibilities on the harp for different timbres and varying dynamics than with the terraced dynamics of the harpsichord. She can bring out the theme skillfully and subordinate the accompanying lines in ways not possible on the harpsichord. Additionally, there is the lingering reverberation of the previous notes, which hang around for some time compared to the harpsichord. This gives richness and a sort of mysterious quality to the sound – especially in the detailed and excellent sonics of this DGG CD. Those listeners who tend to repeat deprecating remarks about the sound of the harpsichord should have no objection to the lovely wide-range tone of Finch’s concert harp. I believe this is the most enjoyable version of the Goldberg Variations I have ever heard.
– John Sunier
