Bach: Goldberg Variations, Bwv 988

Heini, Martin

In considering the keyboard music of great composers, it is that by Johann Sebastian Bach which has been performed on virtually every instrument, both during the composer’s lifetime and in the 300 years and more since his works first began to appear. Such wide-ranging transcriptions of his keyboard music have much to do with the inherent qualities of the individual compositions, but equally stem from the fact that he was an inveterate transcriber of his own music, as well as music by other composers. Today, of course, few objections are raised in hearing performances of Bach’s harpsichord and clavichord music played on a modern concert grand piano, as well as transcriptions of his organ works, such transcriptions being almost always accepted as repertoire pieces. Yet, despite the frequency we experience of hearing Bach’s music in instrumental guises, it is a rare occurrence to hear his Goldberg Variations played on an organ. But that’s just what Martin Heini does here. Martin Heini holds degrees in organ and piano teaching as well as church music. He was a prizewinner at the International Organ Competition ‘Johann Sebastian Bach’ in Lucerne in 1992, and is currently a professor of piano at the University of Teacher Education and an accredited lecturer for organ at the Kalaidos Music University.

Price: $16.98