Bach, Goode

Richard Goode, piano
Foellinger Great Hall
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
University of Illinois, Urbana
March 10, 2016

Bliss:

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II : Prelude
    and Fugue no.1 in C major
French Suite no. 5 in G major
15 Sinfonias

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II : Prelude
    and Fugue no. 11 in F major
Partita no. 2 in C minor
Italian Concerto in F major

Partita no. 1 in B flat: Sarabande (encore)

Richard Goode looks, to me, like an old-school humanities professor, slightly rumpled, un-self-conscious, probably teaching Shakespeare, probably carrying a briefcase. His performance last night was devoid of self-presentation: it was about nothing but the music. He turned his own pages and played. Special extra bliss: the Gigue from the French Suite, the ninth and fifteenth Sinfonias, the Capriccio from Partita no. 2, the Italian Concerto, and the encore Sarabande.

Listening to Richard Goode play Bach made me feel happier than I’ve felt in weeks. Take that, current events!

*

1:50 p.m.: As Elaine reports, we got a hear a second performance of the Italian Concerto while driving home.

Related reading
Richard Goode’s website