“Goldberg variations” as interpreted by Lang Lang: on the changes to the “performing protocols” works of I.S. Bach

Abstract

The interpretation of keyboard music by J.S. Bach is subject to changes, submits to stylistics of various historical periods and preferences of different generations of piano players. The problems are based on the existing provisions that romanticism, modernism and modern performances demonstrate different approaches to the interpretation of Bach compositions despite statements about the continuity of traditions and following the composer’s idea. The relevance of the topic is due to the convergence of previously multidirectional vectors observed today: the academic piano performance and the historical informed performance. The purpose of the article is to analyze the results of this rapprochement where example is the album “Goldberg-variations” by Lang Lang (2020). The task of the authors was to study the events preceding the appearance of the album – a long-term preparation, consultations with leading modern performers of both academic and HIP directions, as well as an analysis of the details of the Lang Lang playing. The features of the interpretation overcoming the conservatism that exists in the piano performance J.S. Bach’s music were revealed. The hypothesis is expressed that Lang Lang as a pianist with such a big name setting the tone in modern performing art, he forms a new steady trend for the piano performance music by Bach. The conclusions of the article support the assumptions of B. Haynes in his study “The End of Ancient Music” (2007) that the HIP in the performing arts will not revive the lost practice, but is able to update modern views on the interpretation of early music.