Goldberg Variations Acoustica 3D Blu-ray delivers great video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
This is the world's first 3D Music Album, the first Blu-ray 3D disc with Dolby TrueHD, the first Blu-Ray 3D disc with multiple mixes and only the second Blu-ray 3D disc to be commercially available.
Maybe that's what the incredibly gifted musicians who form the AIX Records All-Star Band thought when they sat
down
and created one of the most breathtaking musical performances in some time. Goldberg Variations
Acoustica
is the third in AIX Records' Acoustica series (following Moonlight Acoustica and Pachelbel Canon
Acoustica), and it's the first to make it onto Blu-ray 3D. As AIX Records' website proclaims, Goldberg
Variations
Acoustica is
"the world's first 3D Music Album, the first Blu-ray 3D disc with Dolby TrueHD, the first Blu-Ray 3D disc with multiple
mixes and only the second Blu-ray 3D disc to be commercially available." They're quite proud of this release, and
rightfully so. This is a first-rate production that features 53 of the most soothing and delightful minutes available on
Blu-ray disc; the music's incredible, the performers are exemplary, the soundtracks are in a class of their own, and
the fantastic
3D presentation is really just icing on
an already very scrumptious cake. It doesn't take a Bach fan, a music fan, an audiophile, a Blu-ray fan, or a 3D
aficionado to see and hear -- not to mention enjoy -- the excellence of both the performances and this disc's
technical
prowess.
Ready to play.
Performing the Goldberg Variations -- Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis 988, an aria of 30 variations for harpsichord,
composed
by the legendary Johann Sebastian Bach and so named for Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, the man first believed
to
have performed this set -- is Jim Cox on the piano, organ, and Wurlitzer Electric Piano; Dean Parks on the electric
guitar; Laurence Juber on the acoustic guitar; Alberto Lopez on percussion; Kevin Axt on the acoustic bass; and MB
Gordy on drums. What makes Goldberg Variations Acoustica a dream Music release? Perhaps the better
questions would be, "what keeps it from being a dream Music release?" The answer to that question is "nothing."
A
loving, sometimes melodic, sometimes toe-tapping, and sometimes get-up-and-dance cacophony of sound,
Goldberg
Variations Acoustica is a series of 14 variations along with aria and quodlibet. A selection that's as relaxing as it
is
energetic, as soothing as it is spirited, "variations" nicely defines the performance both musically and contextually.
The differing tempos brings a vitality to the music in its several variances, the result a performance that's not just
"something for everyone" but "everything for all;" admirers of any style of music, whether Bach or Bruce
Springsteen, will find in Goldberg Variations Acoustica one of the most enchanting, honest, and heartfelt
performances in some time.
Aside from its roots as one of Bach's finest works, this performance excels thanks to the obvious love for craft,
music, and form that's on display from each musician. Whether those moments when Kevin Axt completely loses
himself in the music or the smooth energy Alberto Lopez brings to the percussion elements, the AIX Records
All-Stars play the Goldberg Variations with a heart and sincerity rarely seen and heard in popular professional music.
With the unparalleled talent, camaraderie, and harmony on display, one would think that this grouping had been
working together on this performance for some time. Wrong. What's truly striking is that this is an unrehearsed
performance. The included notes, penned by Mark Waldrep, Ph.D. in Music Composition, state "[t]he track you hear
on this 3D Music Album was recorded as a single take done without a run through or any rehearsal." Wow. If that,
and the resultant music that's cleaner, more precise, and perhaps most importantly, more entertaining than most
commercial music, isn't a testament to just how good this session, the musicians, and Bach's work truly is, then
nothing -- other than a listen -- will be enough to convince even the most skeptic of readers. AIX Records'
Goldberg Variations Acoustica is a marvel of sound and musical talent. And, yes, it's in 3D, too.
The first commercially-available Blu-ray 3D title that's not of the animated variety and only the second Blu-ray 3D
title available for purchase without the added hassle of buying one (or another) 3D television, Goldberg
Variations Acoustica is a must-buy for 3D HDTV owners, not only for the novelty and availability -- both of those
are
nice but aren't enough for the casual high definition 3D owner to lay down money for a title -- but for the quality of
the release. Yes, this is first and foremost a music title, but the 3D element only makes it better. One listen
reveals a positively triumphant work of audio reproduction -- Goldberg Variations Acoustica was recorded as
"pure music made without the usual studio tricks and processing that diminish the fidelity of most commercial
releases" -- but the inclusion of a 3D performance solidifies the presentation as one that unmistakably places the
listener/viewer into the recording studio as the session's one and only attendee. There are no distracting audience
members to contend with; this is as real as it gets in 2010, with not only the unparalleled sound presentation but
the stunning and, mostly, seamless 3D presentation. There's nothing -- nothing -- out there like Goldberg
Variations Acoustica in terms of combining excellent music, great performances, stunning visuals, and
unmatched audio in one complete package.
Goldberg Variations Acoustica's 3D Blu-ray release sports a visually impressive 720p high definition 3D
experience. Don't let the 720p listing be a deal-breaker; this release looks fabulous across the board, both around its
detailing and colors and its 3D presentation. As for the basics first, Goldberg Variations Acoustica
simply doesn't have much to offer from a visual perspective; as one might discern from the assortment of
screenshots,
the program is assembled from images of relatively static musicians from an assortment of angles and distances. The
720p presentation captures plenty of fine detail -- particularly in the instruments -- and soaks up the various colors
nicely. Viewers will note the glossy smooth finishes on the instruments, minor scuffs on their wooden accents, the
texture of cymbals, the stitches of clothing, and other various niceties scattered about the frame. Colors are solid, too,
even if the image is absent much in the way of vibrant hues. The light wooden floor, the warm cherry finish seen on
Kevin
Axt's
bass, and the various clothing all sport steady, handsome colorization. The image fades into a black background where
eagle-eyed viewers may note some blocking, but the image is generally free of other distracting anomalies, such as
aliasing or banding. Flesh tones appear accurate throughout the program.
Goldberg Variations Acoustica's 3D elements are handled wonderfully, too. It's the first live-action title to be
released on 3D Blu-ray -- stateside, anyway -- and for those that have seen some of the musical performances on
DirecTV's 3D channel, the difference in quality between those and Goldberg, even at 720p, will be
immediately noticeable. The image does a fine
job of absorbing the viewer into the music and makes for a satisfying accompaniment to the stellar sound presentation
(see below). There are, thankfully, no gimmicky elements in the program; it's comprised of a fairly routine series of
shots but with the added bonus of a third dimension. The 3D material looks fantastic, with minimal "ghosting" or
double images evident, and only in one shot did the ghosting prove noticeable enough to draw attention away from
the visuals and sound. The sense of depth is very strong; viewers will often feel like an involved observer seated inside
the room and with the ability to accurately gauge the spacing between elements, whether a drum cluster or even a
piece of paper hanging off a sheet music stand. The limited elements in-frame lessen the visual impact and things do
get somewhat routine as compared to the ever-evolving and graphically-complex computer animated films that have
already appeared on 3D Blu-ray, but that doesn't lessen the quality of the presentation. This one is nicely reflective of
a natural, easy-on-the-eyes, basic 3D presentation. The image is gorgeous from every angle; it's stable, sharp, and
accurate. The lack of heavy ghosting and the smoothness of the presentation are the hallmark elements, and
Goldberg Variations Acoustica makes for a fine first live-action 3D Blu-ray title.
Goldberg Variations Acoustica features three audio tracks, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 "Stage" and "Audience" mixes as
well as a PCM 2.0 presentation. The "Stage" mix plays with a bit more immersion than does the "Audience" mix,
providing a slightly fuller, more all-encompassing sound. There's a slightly more pronounced rear-channel presence as
well. The PCM track, of course, delivers music only across the front; there's no surround output, and while listeners may
not find in the PCM track the same level of oomph and immersion, it's no less clear, precise, and invigorating. Generally,
all three tracks are exceptionally strong and each is well worth a listen through the program if only to experience the
music from three different perspectives. Listeners will become lost in any of the three presentations; although the 3D
visuals are a key component to the experience, the soundtracks are of such a high quality that listeners are encouraged
to darken the room, close their eyes, absorb the sound output, and transport themselves to another dimension of reality
on the waves of the soulful,
soothing, and honest music. AIX Records has encoded the disc so that users may listen
without the video output; the "red" button selects the 5.1 "Stage" mix, the "blue" button selects the 5.1 "Audience"
mix, and the "yellow" button selects the PMC 2.0 track. Best of all, though, is the quality of the listen across all three
presentations, none of which
sacrifices fidelity, clarity, vigor, or precision across the entire dynamic range, whether during the performance's softest
moments or the electrifying all-out jam sessions that deliver an incredible array of sound at high volume and unmatched
precision. Goldberg Variations Acoustica truly delivers one of the finest listens available on Blu-ray; even
viewers without 3D capabilities are encouraged to pick this disc up for its soundtracks alone, and the disc contains a 2D
version for playback in non-3D players, including the Playstation 3.
Aside from a brief introduction listed under "3D Music Album" in the main menu and a "channel identification" tab that
ensures listeners have their sound systems properly connected, there are no extras on the Goldberg Variations
Acoustica disc. However, a booklet featuring musician bios, notes on the release, credits, and information on other
AIX Records releases and this title in particular is included in the Blu-ray case.
Goldberg Variations Acoustica is an excellent first foray into the soon-to-burgeon world of 3D music titles on
Blu-ray. With the rich history of Bach's work behind them, the musical grouping of Jim Cox, Dean Parks, Laurence
Juber, Alberto Lopez, Kevin Axt, and MB Gordy has created a remarkably rich listen that's sure to please music lovers of
all styles and captivate even the hardest-to-please of fans. Not content to settle for plopping this remarkable feat of
music onto a disc and calling it a release, AIX Records has delivered a remarkably clean, precise, and proper series of
lossless and uncompressed multi-channel soundtracks that deliver every note with precision and, with that, all of the
music's integrity and the heart, soul, and honesty of the performers. The 3D visuals only further enhance the
experience, and combined with the amazing surround sound presentation, listeners will find themselves completely
immersed into this marvelous experience of sight and sound. Not only for its noteworthiness as one of the first BD 3D
titles on the market but also for the content and presentation found on the disc, Goldberg Variations Acoustica
earns my highest recommendation.
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