Bach: Goldberg Variations (on lute-harpsichord)

Wolfgang Rübsam is one of the world’s leading exponents of the music of Bach, and his extensive series of the composer’s music on Naxos has earned critical admiration. In turning to the Goldberg Variations, the culmination of Baroque variation technique, Rübsam has sought out a new approach. His use of the Keith Hill lute-harpsichord, especially built for him to period specifications, has enabled Rübsam to honour Bach’s conception of cantabile playing with appropriate baroque keyboard performance practices, including ornamentation and independent voicing of polyphony, thus not only making this complex score more transparent but shining new light on one of the great monuments of keyboard music.