Goldberg Variations by Hannes Minnaar

Hannes Minnaar

Goldberg Variations

Price: € 25.95
Format: SACD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917285925
Catnr: CC 72859
Release date: 24 September 2021
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Label
Challenge Classics

UPC
0608917285925

Catalogue number
CC 72859

Release date
24 September 2021

"Hannes Minnaar brings many positive assets to Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The pianist clearly enjoys modifying voicings, amplifying textures, and shifting accents on the repeats "

Classics Today, 30-11-2021

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Press

About the album

We at Challenge are proud to present a new account of Goldberg Variations by critically acclaimed young pianist Hannes Minnaar.
His rendition of Goldbergs sums up all the features of a ‘contemporary’ interpretation at the highest degree:
- Transparent, detailed, and crystal-clear phrasing: each and all notes are discernible.
- A supreme – but not artificial nor mannered – control and care of tone and sound: touch, colour and timbre are all fruit of a clearly deep insight and work.
- A smooth flow of the discourse: a solid overall concept of the work structure and a plain, simple (never emphasized) ‘singing’ of the melodic line. (Even when he takes a very slow tempo – as in the famous Variation no. 25, about 30% slower than usual – he always sustains the melody, that means it is not the tempo that makes the melody living, but the capacity to make it flow, to ‘connect’ sounds and silences).
- These Goldbergs are not told as a narrative: it is not a dramatic tale, but the architectural structure is well visible. It is not a story, it is a three-dimensional visual art work.
- Northern Star gave Minnaar the sound that perfectly matches his concept of the work. The rest is made by the unique Chris Maene piano.
A ‘Goldberg’ for the 21st Century.

Op zijn nieuwe album bij Challenge Records speelt de bevlogen pianist Hannes Minnaar de Goldbergvariaties van Johann Sebastian Bach met een geheel 'eigentijdse' interpretatie. Minnaar vertelt geen dramatisch verhaal, maar laat een architectonische structuur zien, een driedimensionaal beeldend kunstwerk, kristalhelder, waarin alle noten te horen zijn. Dit is een ‘Goldberg’ voor de 21e eeuw.

In de zomer van 2020 maakte Hannes Minaar met de Goldbergvariaties een tournee langs grote stadskerken in Zwolle, Amsterdam, Breda, Naarden, Rotterdam en Groningen. Hoewel de pianist de van muzikanteske en compositorische virtuositeit doordrongen Goldbergvariaties beschouwt als een van Bachs meest seculiere werken, werd voor deze tournee gezocht naar kathedrale ruimtes. Daar waar, in de periode van de coronapandemie, veilig ruim honderd bezoekers per concert terechtkunnen en er toch een gevoel van intimiteit gecreëerd kan worden.

In de rijke akoestiek van de monumentale ruimtes van de kerken kregen de uitvoeringen een bijna ritueel karakter. De rechtsnarige, en daardoor zeer transparant klinkende, vleugel gebouwd door Chris Maene, reisde met Minnaar mee en kwam prachtig tot zijn recht in die omgeving. Voor deze opname wilde de pianist iets van dat ‘gevoel’ meenemen. Zodoende koos hij voor de rijke akoestiek van De Waalse Kerk in Amsterdam als opnamelocatie.

Bij de cd hoort ook een bonus cd met werk van de Zeeuwse componist Daan Manneke. Hij componeerde op verzoek van Minnaar speciaal voor de concertserie, een werk dat als opmaat tot de monumentale Goldbergvariaties kon dienen. Het kreeg de titel ‘Gedanken zu Bach’, met als ondertitels ‘Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig’ en ‘A.D. 2020’, verwijzingen naar de belangrijkste inspiratiebron en de bijzondere periode tijdens de coronapandemie, waarin het stuk ontstond.

Wir bei Challenge sind stolz darauf, eine neue Interpretation der Goldberg-Variationen durch den von der Kritik gefeierten jungen Pianisten Hannes Minnaar zu präsentieren.
Seine Wiedergabe der Goldbergs fasst alle Merkmale einer 'zeitgenössischen' Interpretation auf höchstem Niveau zusammen:
- Transparente, detailreiche und kristallklare Phrasierung: Jeder einzelne Ton ist zu erkennen.
- Eine souveräne - aber weder künstliche noch manierierte - Tongebung und Klangpflege: Anschlag, Farbe und Timbre sind das Resultat einer offensichtlich tiefen Einsicht und Arbeit.
- Ein reibungsloser Ablauf des Diskurses: ein solides Gesamtkonzept der Werkstruktur und ein schlichtes, einfaches (niemals betontes) 'Singen' der melodischen Linie. (Selbst wenn er ein sehr langsames Tempo wählt - wie in der berühmten Variation Nr. 25, etwa 30% langsamer als üblich - hält er die Melodie immer aufrecht, das heißt, es ist nicht das Tempo, das die Melodie lebendig macht, sondern die Fähigkeit, sie fließen zu lassen, Töne und Stille zu 'verbinden'.)
- Diese Goldberg Variationen werden nicht als Narrativ erzählt: es ist keine dramatische Erzählung, aber die architektonische Struktur ist gut sichtbar. Es ist keine Geschichte, es ist ein dreidimensionales visuelles Kunstwerk.
Northern Star gab Minnaar den Sound, der perfekt zu seinem Konzept des Werks passt. Den Rest besorgt das einzigartige Klavier von Chris Maene.

Ein 'Goldberg' für das 21. Jahrhundert.

Artist(s)

Hannes Minnaar (piano)

Hannes Minnaar received international acclaim after winning prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2010, 3rd prize) and the Geneva International Music Competition (2008, 2nd prize) and being awarded a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship (2011). He studied with Jan Wijn at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating with the highest distinction and took master classes with Menahem Pressler and Ferenc Rados. In addition, he studied organ with Jacques van Oortmerssen.
Minnaar was soloist with various orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, during which time he worked with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Jiří Bělohlávek, Herbert Blomstedt, Frans Brüggen, Eliahu Inbal, Edo de Waart and Xian Zhang. He gives recitals in many European countries and around the world. He performed at the Royal Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Konzerthaus (Berlin), Musashino Hall (Tokyo) and the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow) and was invited to the festivals of La Roque d’Anthéron, Bordeaux (Jacobins) and Guangzhou.
Minnaar is also active as a chamber musician. As a member of the Van Baerle Trio he won prizes at competitions in Lyon (2011, CIMCL, 1st prize) and Munich (2013, ARD, 2nd prize). The trio gave 18 concerts in an international tour in the “Rising Stars” series in 2014, including the Barbican (London), Musikverein (Vienna) and Cité de la Musique (Paris). Minnaar also performed with musicians such as Janine Jansen, Isabelle van Keulen and Mischa Maisky.
His two solo albums are highly acclaimed. His debut album was awarded an Edison and Gramophone published a full-page article about this album. The same magazine wrote about his second album “Bach inspirations”: “After Minnaar’s debut disc, this makes two hits in a row”. BBC Music Magazine selected it as “Instrumental choice of the month” with 5 stars.
Minnaar is currently recording all of Beethoven’s piano concertos for Challenge Classics. Other future concert highlights include Liszt’s Totentanz and a new concerto by Robert Zuidam with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Markus Stenz – at which occiasion he will be awarded the Dutch Music Prize by the Dutch Minister of Culture – and Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Daniele Rustioni.

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Composer(s)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor, two Passions, and hundreds of cantatas. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth. Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest in and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest in and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

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Daan Manneke

Daan Manneke is also known as the 'Chapel master of space'. A fitting name, since this concept plays a major role in the music of this composer, who was born in Zeeland. We do not only find the openness of the islands of Zeeland in the series of Archipel-compositions, he also plays with the spatial effects of his music. Besides, Manneke considers space as a religious symbol and he consciously lifts the boundary between sacred and secular music in his compositions. The same goes for temporal space. Just like his 'godfather' Stravinsky, Manneke has a passion for music from the past. He draws from numerous sources, varying from complex composition techniques from the Middle Ages and Renaissance tot the still monophony of the Gregorian chant and the Genevan Psalter, everything combined with the musical achievements of the 20th century. The combination of all these elements provides Manneke's music with its unique sound and colour, with which he takes up a prominent position in the Dutch musical life.
(Source: Muziekweb.nl)

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Press

Hannes Minnaar brings many positive assets to Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The pianist clearly enjoys modifying voicings, amplifying textures, and shifting accents on the repeats
Classics Today, 30-11-2021

In addition, Hannes Minnaar makes a remarkable effort to give each piece its own style, according to his writing, instead of wanting to unify the sound. Quite a success, in view of the results.
Ritmo, 01-9-2022

These new Goldbergs leave us under the complex and pregnant charm, almost addictive, that emerges from the interpretation of Hannes Minnaar. (...) Hannes Minnaar succeeds to gain an enviable place on the steps of a podium already well populated.
Diapason, 01-6-2022

He plays it brilliantly.....Do I need yet another recording of the Goldbergs in my collection? I didn’t think so. But Minnaar has proven me wrong. Whether you have one too many (or a dozen or so like me) in your collection, this one is worth the listen.
Fanfare magazine, 01-3-2022

An extremely interesting recording that surprises the listener with new details.
Piano News, 01-3-2022

This variation series is a tricky puzzle, but Minnaar knows exactly how the pieces fit together. He is admirably consistent in his playing and makes the variations whirl, trot and shine.
De Volkskrant, 21-12-2021

The main event is much more rewarding than that. It is superb.
American Record Guide, 15-12-2021

He plays with enormous ease and almost the lightness and playfulness of Mozart's piano works. This production deserves a place of honor in the discotheque.
Music Emotion, 15-11-2021

Meanwhile, Hannes Minnaar is far off the mark.....Minnaar articulates sharply and phrases with the nonchalance of a jazz man. Rare, the pianist who mixes so many flavors through his trills, from sober to voluptuous. I will often listen to this beautiful double CD
Luister, 01-11-2021

The sound taken by the Challenge Records technicians is of excellent workmanship: the dynamics are sumptuous, full, capable of unleashing great energy and, at the same time, a convincing naturalness.
Musicvoice.it, 29-10-2021

Hannes Minnaar has made a beautiful and especially exciting "Goldberg"
Mania, 08-10-2021

In Minnaar's light-hearted approach to this score, nothing stands out that shouldn't be there, nor is there anything to distract from it. The tempi are convincingly embedded, accelerations and decelerations are not an end in themselves, exaggerated agogic accents are omitted (also in the spun-out and only variation in minor: no. 25). Anyone who listens to this rendition with the notation included can only admire Minnaar's meticulousness.
Opus Klassiek, 24-9-2021

The pianist is incredibly consistent in his approach and his tempi; fluctuations are proportional and character differences between the variations are not magnified too much, but serve each other. The perfect trills betray muscular fingers. And taste, of course.
De Volkskrant, 23-9-2021

The consolation of art is palpable in every variation. It is making music without sensationalism and without dogmas, cool and calm. Each of the thirty variations is given a clear profile, although Minnaar eschews extremes in dynamics and phrasing. God lurks in the details and nuance, while his grip on architecture is unmistakable. The richness of sound is remarkable.
NRC, 23-9-2021

The tone is set in the Aria, whose lyrical quality is somewhat lost in the jungle of microrubati. Nevertheless, it is played brilliantly and brilliantly across the board. The encore, Daan Mannekes Gedanken zu Bach, is also very beautiful.
Het Parool, 23-9-2021