Michel Kiener - Goldberg Variations - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The Swiss harpsichordist Michel Kiener presents his interpretation of the timeless classic, Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. Michel Kiener undertook both his piano and harpsichord studies in the classes of Louis Hiltbrand (1972) and Isabelle Nef (1975) at the local Conservatory of Music, where he won the prize of virtuosity in both disciplines. Further on, he attended improvement studies with Anneke Uittenbosch and Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam. He was awarded the first prize of the Bridges International Harpsichord Competition in 1977 and at the International Competition in Geneva. Since 1977, Michel Kiener has been a professor at the Conservatory of Geneva, while pursuing his activities as both a concert performer and an educator. He has given many concerts in Europe, Latin America and Asia. His background both as a pianist and harpsichordist soon led him to approach the late Baroque and Classical repertories on the pianoforte of 18th and 19th centuries, and even on the clavichord. He plays a magnificent harpsichord made by William Dowd in Paris in 1978, modeled on an instrument made by N. Blanchet in 1730. He interprets J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) on a Dowd harpsichord tuned according to the unequal system of J.S. Bach.

Rediscover the brilliance of Handel's 8 harpsichord suites from 1720!Handel composed these suites not only as performance pieces but also as teaching material, possibly to support himself financially after his father's death and before his opera ventures. Despite their educational purpose, Handel's suites were crafted with artistic sophistication, demanding skill and interpretation from performers.The suites themselves demonstrate Handel's versatility and innovation. They incorporate various suite types, including traditional four-movement suites and sonatas inspired by Corelli's trio sonatas. Handel's use of variations, fugues, and other forms highlights his compositional prowess.Handel's 1720 collection received widespreadacclaim across Europe, inspiring composers likeBach, Muffat, and Rameau to incorporate similar elements into their works. Handel's ability to fuse French, Italian, and German influences into his compositions exemplifies the Inchmixed tasteInch aesthetic of the time.

David Juritz writes InchThe dilemma faced by any arranger of Bach is to stay true to the character of his music while knowing he would have been far bolder and more imaginative. For this version, I have attempted to remain within a sound-world that he would have found familiar. I did, however, have two factors on my side Bach's sublime and rigorous counterpoint and, in Craig Ogden, a virtuoso guitarist whose technical accomplishment is matched only by his Aussie ability to remain unruffled in the face of any challenge.Inch