Even the very first printed editions of Bach's incomparable Goldberg Variations contained arrangements for ensembles of melody instruments. The reason behind this is obvious: Bach's...

Even the very first printed editions of Bach's incomparable Goldberg Variations contained arrangements for ensembles of melody instruments. The reason behind this is obvious: Bach's complex part texture, designed for a keyboard instrument with two manuals, cannot be realized without further ado on the piano and can only with difficulty be grasped by the listener. The Aulos Quartet has recorded a new version of Josef Rheinberger's arrangement that grabs and keeps our listening attention for two good reasons: the ideal transparency created by the mixed ensemble of strings and winds and the employment of the oboe profonda, a rarely heard instrument enormously expanding the tonal resources of the oboe family.