Vikingur Olafsson calls it “a workaholic’s sabbatical”: The Icelandic pianist, 39, is dedicating almost all his performances this season to Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations.
“It’s an experiment,” Olafsson said in an interview. “How much can I extract myself, from the interpreter’s perspective? How much variety will I be able to discover throughout this year?”
Quite a lot, one imagines. Along with the tour comes a recording of the “Goldbergs,” released on Deutsche Grammophon this month. Flush with the joy of interpretation, it is a remarkable recording even for an artist who already has a number of remarkable recordings to his name. Listen to it, and you will find ample evidence that Olafsson is a pianist who wants to think about music, not just play it.
“I think we’re in a golden age of pianists,” said Clive Gillinson, the executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, where Olafsson will appear in February. “I mean, there are so many really extraordinary artists and players at the moment. So the fact that he is truly special within that context, I think is a very big statement. And he is. Very special.”