A supposed weakness of da grieg ballade is the adventurous theme doesnt allow for the variations to be as interesting. Don’t think I agree with that - my main issue is the build to the climax doesn’t seem organic. (But I’m on a Grieg fix atm so overlook a lot 
)
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Erotica Varz.
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Anyone have any preferred recs of either, btw?
Goldbergs - no definitive rec. as I listen to both harpsichord and piano. Recently I heard a recording on Biddulph by Edward Aldwell that was pretty close to my ideal version (on 88).
Diabelli - 
Yeah the field is pretty open. I don’t have any clear preferences either, but I think the ones I’ve liked most have been Gould/debut and Schiff/Neumarkt in BWV 988, and Anderszewski or Horszowski in Op.120. Several others however. Ms Rana did an excellent if a bit sugar sweet Goldberg set a few years ago for instance, and you can’t go wrong with Richter in Beethoven.
One day I hope Sokolov will revisit the cycles too. He’s my ideal personality for both, but I’ve found his recordings disappointing.
Haha da 
iz ma fav Erotika varz
Wut about a :wim: Diabetic varz?
3 hourz epic 
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That’s about how I feel facing Trifonov’s Kunst der Fuge next year. I mean I love them, but he could make them completely unbearable.
Or wondrous I guess. I’ll preview them a bit first through his earlier recitals before making up my mind.
Hard to get some sample size in da diabolix, since you can only hear it so often and it lastz forever. But, Anderszewski is the one who made my ADHD azz sit quiet and listen to the entire thing the first time.
I’ve since not been able to repeat the feat, but I remember the experience being quite immersive and enjoyable.
Disclaimer
I wuz high az a kite
On the other hand I’ve probably heard the golddiggahz tens of times without it ever feeling as immersive as the time with da diabloz
The Goldbergs took time for me as well, I only bonded with them in 2012 or so. Especially with music as heavy as this I need to be interested, I rarely go after music because “I should” - it comes to me by accident or when my curiosity has been piqued. These were since the world had turned upside down on me the previous year when I discovered both that Schiff and Brendel could play and I also began appreciating Bach. In exploring Schiff a friend said I should look in to his Goldbergs, and with both a pianist and a composer I devoured at the time things simply clicked.
But I mean they are a bit arcane, most Bach is. If you don’t care for them just leave them be until they come and tap you on the shoulder themselves.
Oh I love both Bach and the goldz, they just don’t give me as powerful experience as the diureticz
Heard Anderszewski play da Diabelly too live, it was a powerful musical experience - even if I still prefer Richter.
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Rezpek!
Muzt be a powahful experience if dey make u pizz yozelf 
I love da WTC - prefer bite zized Bach, da WTC iz inzanely varied and actually very immediate when it cummah to da prelz
Da fuguez are mo complex but very varied and attractive too
my favorite Goldberg Variations are Bach/Busoni by Buechner. If that doesn’t count, the Gould live in Salzburg (the seamlessness of the transitions between the variations is really cool), then Yudina.
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They’re great, but it’s actually really academic music. I’m far from sure it’s the best introduction to Bach, and yet it’s typically among the first things people encounter since it’s such a well known set. Same with the Goldbergs for that matter - maybe less academic but it’s still, what, 70 minutes of continuous polyphonic variations.
His organ or orchestral music for instance have concert pieces where I think it’s much easier to see Bach the man and composer. Even if you can digest the polyphony in his harpsichord works the music is often so universal you’d almost think it was delivered to us on stone tablets.
Right, Yudina has a good Diabelli set too as I recall. Very dansante, even if I think the presentation borders on amateur level.