Once again the accordion virtuoso, Mika
Väyrynen, has amazed his listeners with an impeccable interpretation
of Johann Sebastian Bach's masterpiece for harpsichord, The Goldberg Variations.
I simply cannot find enough room in this review to give you the superlatives
due this Finnish musician who, luckily for the accordion world, plays the
accordion! His artistry shines forth in each and every note, whether soft
or loud, fast or slow; nothing seems too difficult for Mika Väyrynen.
Phrases are caressed with bellows changes that one is extremely challenged
to determine; in fact, one does not hear the changes and every phrase is
sung perfectlyThere are many recordings of these variations on pianos, clavichords and, of course, on the original instrument for which they were composed, the harpsichord. During a period of at least a few decades I have listened to several of these interpretations by leading artists in those fields and, actually, to review this present recording by Mika Väyrynen, I have re-acquainted myself with some of them. Without any reservations I will recommend the CD by Mika! It is simply an extraordinary demonstration of the very best qualities possible in musical performance. 
Listen to his playing, there are no excesses. There is technical display
almost beyond belief, phrases are innately shaped with a sense of beauty,
the ornamentation so essential to the music of Bach is chosen with care
and adherence to expected traditions, dynamics run the full gamut regardless
of the register, and the musical style with which all this is performed
is without question on a higher plane than that to which we have become
accustomed all too often.Both the instrument, a Russian Jupiter, and the venue in which the recording was made, allow the artist the opportunity to display the joy, the grandeur and the true spirit of Bach. The polyphony of this repertoire can be heard with the utmost clarity both required and essential in the music of Bach. It is Mika Väyrynen, however, who has used his wealth of musical understanding and his prodigious technique in both hands to give a performance that will evoke feelings and emotions in every listener. The esteemed pianist, András Schiff, has stated: "On whatever instrument we choose to play, style is of prime importance." Väyrynen has that style! About tempi Schiff said: "Determining the tempo, for example, is one of the key points for any piece of music, but it is the performer's duty to present his tempo so convincingly that it will sound inevitable to the listener." Väyrynen has achieved this with his choices! (At this point I tried listing some of the Variations that I found particularly outstanding; it was impossible to choose. You will, however, by astounded by Variations 5, 7, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23…see what I mean? I could list all of them and be honest. Every single Variation has something to admire and truly appreciate for its musical quality. The technical fireworks seem effortless, performed with a lyrical quality to make one forget how difficult they are. The maturity manifested throughout the composition seems to prove the artist has studied, performed and lived with it for some time.) 
Bach's masterpiece for the harpsichord, said by many to be the crowning
achievement of Baroque keyboard music, is the Aria with Thirty Variations,
better known as The Goldberg Variations (Klavierubung IV). Written for the
court harpsichordist, Goldberg, to play for Count Kaiserling during his
countless nights of insomnia, it begins with a richly ornate Aria from a
theme written for Bach's second wife, Anna Magdalena Bach. The formal plan
consists of ten series of three variations each - two characteristic variations
plus a canon. The canons start at the unison and progress through the ninth
but these magnificent contrapuntal works are so skillfully conceived that
one is seldom aware of their technical intricacies.
Do not let this description of an aria with thirty variations scare you
off! These variations are simply put: awesome! In the past I have suggested
to buyers of Mika Väyrynen
recordings that they always buy two: one for themselves and one to present
in person to the most influential musical presence in their locality. This
accordionist deserves to be recognized and it is up to everyone who likes
the accordion to help put him on a stage where he can be heard alongside
all the great musicians of our time, whether they are violinists, pianists,
singers, or whatever.The accordion milieu often complains about the scarcity of an accordionist who is well known and appreciated within the renowned musical circles throughout the world. It often asks what can be done to alleviate this absence. Well, here is something we can and must do! Take this Mika Väyrynen recording of The Goldberg Variations to someone who books or reviews artists in your city. I promise they will be extremely impressed. And, who knows, maybe they will select Mika Väyrynen for their next concert series! This CD is most highly recommended! The cost for this CD is 18.50 euros and may be obtained through: Karthause Schmuelling in Germany (www.intermusik-zeitung.de) or Finnish Accordion Institute (kimmo.mattila@harmonikkainstituutti.net) Produced by Alba Records, PO Box 549 Fin-33101 Tampere, Finland E-mail: timo@alba-records.fi (only for distributors & large orders) |
