Goldberg Variations

Aapo Häkkinen · Johann Sebastian Bach

2009 · ABCD 283

Credits

Performers: Aapo Häkkinen — Harpsichord
Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach

About this release

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Goldberg Variations BWV 988
Aria mit verschiedenen Verænderungen
vors Clavicimbal mit 2 Manualen (1741)
Aapo Häkkinen harpsichord
Goldberg variations as harpsichord interpretations by Aapo Häkkinen
Aria mit verschiedenen Verænderungen, the fourth and last movement of Johann Sebastian Bach's Clavier-Übung, appeared in Nuremberg in 1741. Apart from the early "variations on a theme" BWV 989 and BWV 991, it is Bach's only pure variation work. On Alba's third Goldberg Variations recording, Aapo Häkkinen interprets the variations on the harpsichord, the instrument for which they were originally written. The album booklet contains a work presentation by Wanda Landowska, who made the Goldberg Variations the most famous harpsichord recordings in history.
"With this album, Häkkinen rises to the highest international peak as Goldberg's harpsichord interpreter. You can ask for a finer album." (Harri Hautala, Aamulehti)
Aapo Häkkinen gave his first concert in Helsinki in 2000, and has since gained a reputation both at home and abroad. He has performed in most European countries and in Mexico as a soloist and conductor and is known for his collaborations with e.g. With Monica Groop, Pierre Hantaï, Erich Höbarth, Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch, María Cristina Kiehr, Topi Lehtipuu and Riccardo Minas. Häkkinen debuted as an opera conductor at the Croatian National Opera in 2004, he has also led the Finnish Chamber Opera's productions of Handel's Acis & Galatea and Haydn's L'Isola Disabitata. Häkkinen has received the Musikpreis award of North German radio for his interpretations of Italian music, and his Frescobaldi record received Yleisradio's Record of the Year 2004 award. Häkkinen has been the artistic director of the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra since 2003.

Tracks

1.Ariacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002054:14
2.Variatio 1comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002062:22
3.Variatio 2comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002071:42
4.Variatio 3 Canone all Unisonocomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002082:08
5.Variatio 4comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002091:04
6.Variatio 5comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002101:48
7.Variatio 6 Canone alla Secondacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002111:34
8.Variatio 7 al tempo di Gigacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002121:54
9.Variatio 8comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002132:27
10.Variatio 9 Canone alla Terzacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002142:15
11.Variatio 10 Fughettacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002151:38
12.Variatio 11comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002162:27
13.Variatio 12 Canone alla Quartacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002173:23
14.Variatio 13comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002184:55
15.Variatio 14comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002192:18
16.Variatio 15 Canone alla Quinta andantecomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002203:52
17.Variatio 16 Ouverturecomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002212:45
18.Variatio 17comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002222:09
19.Variatio 18 Canone alla Sestacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002231:29
20.Variatio 19comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002241:32
21.Variatio 20comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002252:04
22.Variatio 21 Canone alla Settimacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002263:23
23.Variatio 22 alla brevecomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002271:33
24.Variatio 23comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002282:21
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
25.Variatio 24. Canone all´ Ottava. a 1 Clav.comp. Bach, Johann SebastianISRC FIABA09002293:07
26.Variatio 25 adagiocomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002305:34
27.Variatio 26comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002312:13
28.Variatio 27 Canone alla Nonacomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002322:11
29.Variatio 28comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002332:35
30.Variatio 29comp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002342:12
31.Variatio 30 Quodlibetcomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002351:53
32.Aria da Capocomp. Johann Sebastian BachISRC FIABA09002362:18

Reviews

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Goldberg-muunnelmat BWV 988
Aria mit verschiedenen Verænderungen
vors Clavicimbal mit 2 Manualen (1741)
Aapo Häkkinen cembalo
Goldberg-muunnelmat Aapo Häkkisen cembalotulkintoina
Aria mit verschiedenen Verænderungen, Johann Sebastian Bachin Clavier-Übungin neljäs ja viimeinen osa, ilmestyi Nürnbergissä vuonna 1741. Varhaisia ”variaatioita omasta teemasta” BWV 989 ja BWV 991 lukuun ottamatta kyseessä on Bachin ainoa puhdas muunnelmateos. Alban kolmannella…
Aamulehti
” Huikea Goldberg soi cembalolla. Aapo Häkkinen on tehnyt suurenmoisen levytyksen Bachin Goldberg-variaatioista…Häkkinen soittaa variaatiot cembalolla, jolle ne alun perin kirjoitettiin…Häkkinen nousee tällä tamperelaisen Alban julkaisemalla levyllään korkeimmalle kansainväliselle huipulle Goldbergin cembalotulkkina. Hienompaa levytystä saa hakea. Aapo Häkkisen käsissä Bachin kuuluisasta aarian ja 30 variaation sarjasta tuli poikkeuksellisen kiehtova musiikillinen matka.”
Harri
Aamulehti · Harri Hautala
”Wanda Landowska’s excellent essay on the Goldberg Variations (La Revue Musical, 1933) serves as liner notes for this release. She describes the variations as ”tyrannical in their exigencies; the relentless contrapuntal speculations require a mathematical distribution of light and shadow”. Hakkinen has clearly taken her words to heart. He uses every tool at his disposal to make Bach’s meticulously calculated chiaroscuro apparent to the listener. Gracefully placed agogic accents in the first…
KATZ Guide · American Record
Given the beautiful sound, without the fatigue frequently endured on CDs of harpsichord music, this is a disc to be heartily recommended.
SA-CD.net · John Miller · October 4, 2012
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I’m a huge fan of this music, and it is refreshing to come back to a recording of a fine sounding harpsichord, even after some superb experiences with versions on piano and even organ (see review).
MusicWeb International · Dominy Clements · November 4, 2025
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