Bach: Goldberg Variations

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This creative adaptation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations by Russian-born violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky for strings cast a fresh light on that formidable monument of keyboard music. The New York Times called it “robust, joyous and full of insight.” The performers, wrote The New Yorker, "combines interpretive insight with exemplary playing; even suspicious purists will hear contrapuntal felicities that keyboard players can only suggest.”

Description

The Russian-born violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, who founded the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra in 1990, has enthusiastically practiced the art of transcription for many years, producing more than 25 new string arrangements of chamber and keyboard works. This is Sitkovetsky’s first project for Nonesuch, a creative adaptation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations for strings, cast a fresh light on that formidable monument of keyboard music. The New York Times called it “robust, joyous and full of insight.”

The abundance of superbly-trained string players in Russia, the longstanding Russian tradition of encouraging such ensembles, and Sitkovetsky’s great interest in studying orchestration led him to found the NES Chamber Orchestra, who proved to be ideal interpreters. The New Yorker, in a review of this recording, wrote: “[T]he New European Strings Chamber Orchestra combines interpretive insight with exemplary playing; even suspicious purists will hear contrapuntal felicities that keyboard players can only suggest.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Philip Waldway
Recorded October 1993 at Friedrich Ebert Halle, Hamburg, Germany
Engineered by Kees de Visser
Design by John Heiden
Cover photograph by Fred Valentine

Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach; transcribed for String Orchestra by Dmitry Sitkovetsky

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

79341

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
104
ns_album_id
288
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Dmitry Sitkovetsky
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
New European Strings Chamber Orchestra
Dmitry Sitkovetsky, concertmaster
Yoko Fujita, Winfried Grabe, George Liener, first violin
Boris Garlitsky, principal second violin
Joachim Wendel, Mikhail Rappoport, Yuri Zhislin, second violin
Ron Ephrat, principal viola
Valentin Slobodeniuk, Hardy Wenzel, viola
Leo Winland, principal cello
Kati Raitinen, cello
Jorg Linowitzki, bass
Brigette Dent-Engelhard, harpsichord

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
Price
0.00
UPC
075597934120BUN
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
075597934168
  • 79341

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  • About This Album

    The Russian-born violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, who founded the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra in 1990, has enthusiastically practiced the art of transcription for many years, producing more than 25 new string arrangements of chamber and keyboard works. This is Sitkovetsky’s first project for Nonesuch, a creative adaptation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations for strings, cast a fresh light on that formidable monument of keyboard music. The New York Times called it “robust, joyous and full of insight.”

    The abundance of superbly-trained string players in Russia, the longstanding Russian tradition of encouraging such ensembles, and Sitkovetsky’s great interest in studying orchestration led him to found the NES Chamber Orchestra, who proved to be ideal interpreters. The New Yorker, in a review of this recording, wrote: “[T]he New European Strings Chamber Orchestra combines interpretive insight with exemplary playing; even suspicious purists will hear contrapuntal felicities that keyboard players can only suggest.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    New European Strings Chamber Orchestra
    Dmitry Sitkovetsky, concertmaster
    Yoko Fujita, Winfried Grabe, George Liener, first violin
    Boris Garlitsky, principal second violin
    Joachim Wendel, Mikhail Rappoport, Yuri Zhislin, second violin
    Ron Ephrat, principal viola
    Valentin Slobodeniuk, Hardy Wenzel, viola
    Leo Winland, principal cello
    Kati Raitinen, cello
    Jorg Linowitzki, bass
    Brigette Dent-Engelhard, harpsichord

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Philip Waldway
    Recorded October 1993 at Friedrich Ebert Halle, Hamburg, Germany
    Engineered by Kees de Visser
    Design by John Heiden
    Cover photograph by Fred Valentine

    Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach; transcribed for String Orchestra by Dmitry Sitkovetsky

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz