Bach: Golberg Variations / Michio Kobayashi
Michio Kobayashi is a leading figure in the world of Japanese baroque music since its dawn and has been active as one of the first generation of musicians. He has made a tremendous contribution by conducting the Bach Cantata Club at Tokyo Geidai and by nurturing students such as Masaaki Suzuki. His achievements as a piano accompanist are unparalleled. Just to name a few, he has performed with Aurèle Nicolet, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Dietrich Fischer-Diskau, and many other distinguished performers on their tours of Japan. He also accompanied Frans Brüggen on his first visit to Japan. His playing of the Golberg Variations is clearly evident in his aim to play with precision and avoid excessive tempo rubato. This attitude is consistent both in concert and on CD. The performance of each variation is also very meticulous, and there is not a single eccentricity in his expression. The way he deals with Bach is truly sincere. If I may be so bold as to say so, this performance may be said to be the opposite of that of Jean Rondeau, who is regarded as one of the best young musicians of our time. Of course, this is just a matter of taste. I hope that he will continue to be active in the future. #baroque #bach #片山俊幸
