CD Review: Carsten Dahl - Bach Goldberg Variations

Carsten Dahl (prepared piano).
(Review by Lance).

"What?" I hear you ask, "Is a 'prepared piano'?). To quote from the blurb:“Bach Goldberg Variations“ was recorded on a prepared piano, giving it its unique sound. Carsten Dahl placed snare wires on the piano wires to create a distorted sound that’s like a cross between a harpsichord, a sitar, a classical piano, an upright piano, a guitar and a banjo.

Carsten also has this to say: “The reason I flung myself into Bach’s work is partly because it’s the ultimate test of “manhood” for a pianist and partly because I wanted to bring out a side of Bach that you don’t often hear. In my opinion, Bach isn’t music for the posh, it’s music for the masses. So my interpretation grates on the ear and stinks of smelly feet when you hear it. I pull Bach down to the people, rather than letting him waft about on some highbrow cloud."

The album, which was Denmark's top selling classical album of 2014 also charted in the top 30 pop albums.

What do I think? An interesting experiment, although personally I'd sooner hear it played on a piano that didn't have snare wires across the strings!

Dahl is a fine pianist both classical and jazz although there's none of the latter genre here unless you class the snare wires as a form of improvisation.

The album is available on vinyl for a fiver or on CD for 3GBP from your nearest Tiger store which where I live is probably Edinburgh or the Faroe Islands it can also be downloaded from www.tiger-music.com/carstendahl.com.

YouTube clip.

Lance.