Unfortunately Bach could not make it on stage at the end of a ravishingly beautiful performance of his Goldbergs by Cristian Sandrin last night .

His presence was felt strongly, though, in this most beautiful of London Concert Halls.

These were not the monumental variations that the High Priestess of Bach would offer in a quasi religious seance. These were seen through another prism, one that had inspired three young composers,commissioned by this eclectic musician, to enhance the aspect of beauty and ravishment that Bach had been commissioned to write to inspire the dreams of an insomniac. Perchance to dream indeed !

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Nearly two hours of music as our genial host like all serious musicians played all Bach’s repeats, bar one, adding discretely with the use of an I pad the three where the ink was still wet on the page .

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Not content with a truly astonishing tour de force of memory and stamina Cristian seemed elated.

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Bach’s work seemed to have on him quite the opposite effect from its commission as he extracted the three new variations and allowed them to shine on their own with ravishing beauty around this magnificent edifice. Encore took on a new meaning just as the title the ‘New Goldberg Variations’ had promised.

A triumph and a refreshingly original performance of one of the greatest creations of all keyboard works. Lucky Milan who will get seconds on Friday for Hans Fazzari’s Serate Musicali !

Cristian Sandrin plays Goldberg Variations the start of a lifetime journey of discovery from Perivale to Bucharest
https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2022/05/17/cristian-sandrin-plays-goldberg-variations-the-start-of-a-lifetime-journey-of-discovery/

Goldberg triumphs in Berlin dedicated to Sandu Sandrin by his son Cristian
https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/11/05/goldberg-triumphs-in-berlin-dedicated-to-sandu-sandrin-by-his-son-cristian/