Pianist Lang Lang really wanted to understand Bach and the Baroque period before he recorded the monumental Goldberg Variations. Alongside a studio recording is a contrasting performance, a single take from a recital in Leipzig’s iconic St Thomas Church, where Bach worked and is now buried.
What was the biggest challenge in recording the Goldberg Variations?
I started knowing this piece very early so I have a good memorized system for it. I could memorize it since I was a teenager. It’s not that hard to play the notes. It’s really difficult to get to know each variation on a personal level. To play with a kind of freedom like if you improvise.
How do you keep playing the variations interesting for an hour and a half?
To study the entire piece and see the big picture of building it up. I make an inner drawing of the piece so that I will be aware that I don’t give too much in the first three variations. My strategy to make things interesting is looking for the meaning of each part. What is the tense? What is the name of each variation? Is it a sarabande? Is it a lament, a little menuet or a lullaby? Or is it a four part canon? You have to be very clear about the structure of the piece.
What do you add with this album to the large canon of recordings?
I listened to all the famous recordings by Glenn Gould or Murray Peraiah many times and I love them very much. But when I recorded it I didn’t think about them, because I wouldn’t have been able to play. I tried to find the authentic way of expressing Bach’s music. I was surprised by the freedom and emotions of baroque music. I was deeply impressed about how moving and how lyrical Bach can be.
You have come a long way, can you describe how your musical journey began?
My father was a Chinese folk musician. When I was little we always had family concerts. We improvised a lot and it was a beautiful time. This music came straight from our hearts. Classical music study is far more theoretical. There are many culture differences, so it was a challenge to really get into classical music and to understand what it was. I know some Asian musicians who can play the notes like they were written from the score. But my father’s connection to folk music learned me to try to sense the original motives. I read a lot about what happened during the baroque period in Germany and I was especially interested in Bach’s life. What did the people eat, how did they live and what was important for them?
What do the Goldberg Variations mean to you?
This music is meant to calm and relax. Before I play I imagine to be the only person left on the planet. I need to have a completely quiet heart. It’s a very passive piece, that gives me a tremendous way of relaxation. Playing those variations is a good therapy for me. This piece brings me to a new level, after 1 hour and 30 minutes I can play any piece that I want. And play it very well! After this piece you really open up, so that playing an encore becomes far more easy.
What was it like for you to play in the St. Thomas church in Leipzich?
I played in Bach’s church next to his grave. That was a very special and unique experience. We didn’t actually plan to add this recording to the cd. But after I listened to it and compared it to the studio recording it turned out to be a quite different one. I thought: we should have both. The live recording is more spontaneous. In the studio I was thinking about every note in a very detailed way. This was actually my second performance of the Goldberg Variations. The church has a beautiful sound. It feels historic in a magical way.
Can Bach’s music help us in these difficult times?
Bach gave us something very unique. Particularly at this time, we need music like this. It gives us peaceful feelings and positive energy. This music can comfort us and heal our hearts and souls.
Bach: Goldberg Variations (Deluxe Edition)
Lang Lang – Deutsche Grammophon
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