Vinyl: Johann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations - Ito Ema - Vinyl - M A Recordings

J. S. Bach Goldberg Variations

“Keyboard exercise, consisting of an ARIA with diverse variations for harpsichord with two manuals. Composed for connoisseurs, for the refreshment of their spirits, by Johann Sebastian Bach, composer for the royal court of Poland and the Electoral court of Saxony, Kapellmeister and Director of Choral Music in Leipzig. Nuremberg, Balthasar Schmid, publisher.”

This work was composed for a two-manual harpsichord. Variations 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 28 are specified in the score for two manuals, while variations 5, 7 and 29 are specified as playable with either one or two. With greater difficulty, the work can nevertheless be played on a single-manual harpsichord or piano.

Technical Information

Analogue Recording, February 1994
The Harmony Hall, Matsumoto, Japan
Microphones: Brüel Kjær 4006 (one pair)
Microphone amplifier custom built by Junichi Yonetani
Cables: Cardas 300-B Micro; from mikes to mike amp
Furukawa PC-OCC; from mike amp to recorder
Recorder: Studer A-820 with 1/2 inch tape head assembly
Magnetic Recording Tape: 3M 996
Tape Speed: 30 ips/76 cps
Monitored on QUAD ESL-63 pro loudspeakers and Stax Omega Earspeakers
Director: Takashi Sakurai
Piano Technician: Koki Mizushima
Analog tape editing: Yukio Kojima
The transfer from Master Tapes to modified Korg MR-2000S, fitted with Creato Audio GoldClock 2.5 (; email: ) was facilitated by Maestro Len Horowitz at “History of Recorded Sound” (email: ) in Culver City, California.
Playback was via Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder.
Analog cables from Ampex ATR-102 to Korg MR2000S were Crystal Cable Ultra (3 meter pair) custom fitted with Switchcraft Connectors at the Crystal Cable factory. (www.crystalcable.com)
Produced and Engineered by Todd Garfinkle