Kenneth Gilbert’s Goldberg Variations has been a mainstay of the catalogue for more than a decade, and it remains one of the best harpsichord versions of the work. Gilbert has been accused of sounding somewhat mechanical in Bach, though I find his work unerringly sympathetic and intelligent. He takes the opening Aria at a flowing tempo that actually permits you to hear its harmonic framework in the variations, and at more than seven minutes, his intensely expressive 25th variation is surely not the work of an artist who stints on emotion. Gilbert observes repeats in all of the canons, and in many of the shorter variations. His harpsichord has a limpid, pearly sound that records well and doesn’t tire the ear during the performance’s 60-plus minutes, which is often a big problem in this work. Harmonia Mundi’s sonics are also excellent, and at mid-price, this is a distinguished entry in the label’s ongoing Bach Edition. [3/1/2000]
