Autumn Gold: A trio that solves Bach’s mathematics

“Passion” is the motto of this year’s Golden Autumn Festival in Eisenstadt. And for violinist and festival director Julian Rachlin, passion is the answer to breaking Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” with Sarah McElrafe (Viola) and Boris Andriano (cello), which is actually a piano practice piece.

In any case, in the center of Haydn Hall in the Esterhazy Palace, the melody and counterpoint were divided between three instruments and thus new possibilities for variety – a process that certainly alienated the audience and freed the work from the accusation that it was essentially a head piece.

Goldberg’s variations ‘is our philosophy,’ Rachlin said in his introduction. During the performance, the viola became the key to this interpretation of the work, initially complementing the bass and eventually becoming a permanent echo chamber for violin and melody. In this enlightenment, Bach becomes clearer, sometimes sweeter, Which did not detract from this austerity act.Three stringed instruments sometimes sound better than a piano, in fact they have to decide more clearly when it comes to harmony – which is what made this performance so attractive.

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