Bach Goldberg Variations | Glenn Gould (1955)

At twenty-two, Gould persuaded Columbia Records to let an unknown Canadian record Bach for his debut. The result was fast, angular, and completely sure of itself — ornaments cut like percussion, canons that snap, thirty variations in under forty minutes, and Gould humming audibly throughout the whole thing.

August 2, 2026 · Ariana Tang

Bach Goldberg Variations | Glenn Gould (1981)

Gould recorded this in September 1981, three weeks before he died at fifty. The 1981 Goldbergs are slow, breathing, inhabited — where the 1955 was argument, this is something closer to acceptance.

August 1, 2026 · Ariana Tang

Music Review | Short N' Sweet

Though I found myself reluctant to admit my attachment to mainstream pop, my favourite album over the summer of 2024 would have to be Short N’ Sweet—given the unhealthy playing repeats of a few of its singles. Here are two reviews explaining why it might just be the biggest hit of 2024: Vinyl cover of Short N’ Sweet. Original full-size picture available here—I mean, look at this remarkable visual presentation of the album’s aesthetic concept: the nostalgic pastel setup, the vivavious blush and hair, and the goofy face. ...

August 30, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Horowitz's recitals

Apple music classical has a marvelous collection of Vladimir Horowitz’s piano recitals—all the years, all the remarkable concert halls and performance: Vladimir Horowitz: The Unreleased Live Recordings 1966-1983 This recording CD costs minimum of $250 on Amazon, but now it’s free and available in highest possible stereo quality on Apple Music Classical. Run, Rach lovers. Vladimir Horowitz: The Unreleased Live Recordings 1966-1983 is an extensive collection of 50 CDs, documenting Horowitz’s live performances across 17 years. This set includes performances from the world’s most prestigious and iconic venues (mainly across the United States and Europe), including Carnegie Hall in New York City, Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., and the White House; and Royal Festival Hall in London, for the queen. ...

August 19, 2024 · Ariana Tang

A Meeting of Titans – The Day Vladimir Horowitz and Sergei Rachmaninoff Arrived Together at Steinway Hall

Steinway-piano dot com has the story of the meeting of the two perhaps most influential musicians among the piano community of the first half of the 20th century. Horowitz: the rising of a star Vladimir Horowitz and Sergei Rachmaninoff had each suffered great losses in the Russian Revolution of 1917. “We lost absolutely everything,” Horowitz told author, radio personality, and Steinway Artist David Dubal, as reported in Dubal’s book, Reflections from the Keyboard. “In 24 hours, all we had we lost.” ...

August 18, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Zen and Art of Piano | Horowitz

In Horowitz, fire sings through metal, glass, water and ice. The Carolina Philharmonic has the story “Zen and the Art of Piano | Vladimir Horowitz”, by David Michael Wolff. It’s about the artistic style of pianist Horowitz and his inspirational friendship with Rachmaninoff. The time was around the beginning of the 20th century—artists flee from the war and revolution in Russia to arrive in US: The young Horowitz had just landed off the boat in NYC and with all the sights the New World had to offer, his first stop was Rachmaninoff’s Manhattan apartment. The next day they met at the now famed basement of Steinway Hall so that Rachmaninoff could hear what the young artist could do with his colossal Third Concerto. They played through the entire work at two pianos. Can you imagine what that must have sounded like - these twin giants of 20th century pianism - their languages blending and playing off each other! ...

August 17, 2024 · Ariana Tang

Andante Cantabile II

Andante Cantabile, generally means “singing and walking”, is a musical term—a descriptive marker atop a score to delineate the mood or tempo intended by the composer. It . This trend is particularly poignant in compositions of grand scale, where each movement, each phrase, carries its own distinct direction. Among the luminaries of the Andante Cantabile, Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major resonates profoundly, a masterpiece that I’ve previously explored in an older post. Yet, even this pales in comparison to what may be the zenith of this expression: ...

August 16, 2024 · Ariana Tang

eclipsed revelation - crafting eternal sunshine in keystrokes

Inspired by the aesthetic of eternal sunshine’s album cover, I customized a Typora themeable that echos the album’s concept. the red of the gloves, paired with the innocent white dress, echoes a juxtaposition of passion and purity. meanwhile The dark background augments the sense of mesmerizing self-revelation. ...

March 26, 2024 · Ariana Tang

just like magic

Ariana Grande possesses a magnetic energy that attracts literally everything–from musical excellence to (possibly undesired) publicity. Among her songs, “just like magic” stands out as a testament to awe-inspiring confidence: Just like magic, I’m attractive I get everything I want cause I attract them. There’s a fine line between positive self-assurance and complacency. With her four-octave range and Mariah Carey-like whistle note capacity, Ariana Grande has never lacked a “hear-me-roar” attitude, reminiscent of ’90s divas. She has consistently showcased an unshakable belief in herself, as heard in “Dangerous Woman”—“Don’t need permission, made my decision, to test my limits,” and the resplendent “7 rings”—“I want it, I got it.” Early on, she was often described as “a small woman with a big voice and a huge personality.” ...

March 8, 2024 · Ariana Tang

34+35

means i wanna sixty-nine with yu, no…shit (mumbling) math class, never was good – 34+35, Positions Living under possibly the most draconian public scrutiny, Ariana Grande steered through the tumulous years of her rising music career accompanied by a terrorist attack during tour, several relationship melt downs, meanwhile delivered two of the best albums—and one of the highest-grossing tours—of 2018 and 2019. That she might finally be experiencing some release, which is what her return album in 2020 Positions sound like. ...

March 7, 2024 · Ariana Tang