A genuine masterpiece inspires musicians to adopt, adapt, or transcribe it without losing any of its greatness. Nevermind’s four baroque aces, Anna Besson, Louis Creac’h, Robin Pharo and Jean Rondeau, have taken a creative look at Bach’s famous Goldberg Variations and have made their own stylishly insightful ‘variations’ on the work. 

As they themselves explain: ‘We needed only an informal rehearsal to grasp the incredible potential of a transcription for our ensemble. There have been other arrangements, but nobody has ever attempted this one before now, even though our instruments are among those most typically used in J.S. Bach’s chamber music, in his many solo sonatas for flute, violin or gamba with bass continuo and obbligato harpsichord – and they also frequently feature in the arias of his cantatas and Passions.’

Anna Besson – Traverso
Transverse flute by Jean-Jacques Melzer after a model by Palanca.

Louis Creac’h – Violin
Violin by Hendrik Jacobs (Amsterdam, ca. 1680), with a bow by Paul Herrera (Nakasaya, 2022).

Robin Pharo – Viola da Gamba
Seven-stringed viola da gamba by Judith Kraft (Paris, 2012) after a model by Guillaume Barbey,
with a bow by Fausto Cangelosi (Florence, 2020).

Jean Rondeau – Harpsichord & Organ
Harpsichord after German models by Jonte Knif & Arno Pelto (2006).
Harpsichord based on various Italian instruments of the late 17th century by Philippe Humeau (Barbaste, 2016).
Organ of the Ricercar Consort: in the 17th-century German style, built by Luc Meurice (Saint-Louis, 2019),
modeled on various instruments by Nikolaus and Andreas Manderscheidt (Nuremberg, 1611–1672)
and on the organ by Esaias Compenius (Frederiksborg, 1610).

Jean Rondeau appears courtesy of Erato/Warner Classics.