No, no, this isn't the world-changing discovery that a second book of Bach's Goldberg Variations might represent. In fact, this album brings together a dozen contemporary pieces, all inspired, more or less, by Bach – and some by the Variations in particular – with a few tracks offering a memory-jogger in the form of the Aria that closes the cycle, either in its original form or as a transcription. The back-story is simple: a few contemporary artists in Massachusetts, named… Mr and Mrs Goldberg, decided to talk to musicians among their circle of friends, including John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse, Peter Schickele and a few others, to offer them a series of New Goldberg Variations to mark their silver wedding anniversary. And they recorded the resulting gift! The language of some pieces remains firmly rooted in the Cantor's writings; others move away into modern jazz... In short, the whole tradition of modern American music is brought to bear. To round off the programme, David Geringas on cello and Ian Fountain on piano have added some of Bach's greatest hits, including the version for cello and piano of Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord BWV 1027. This programme is surely very eclectic, but in fact very coherent in its design. © SM/Qobuz