On April 25, 2025, 20-year-old pianist Yunchan Lim performed Bach’s Goldberg Variations at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The performance received wide praise for its expressive yet mature interpretation, and on Feb. 6, the recording was released on physical and digital formats.
Lim initially rose to fame in 2022 at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Winning first place at just 18 years old and thus becoming the youngest winner of the competition, Lim’s undisputed dominance in the competition brought him a new fan base overnight. Following the competition, he released an album of all twenty-four of Frédéric Chopin’s etudes in 2024, The Seasons by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 2025, and now Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.”
The Goldberg Variations consist of the theme followed by 30 variations. The work is very long, at an hour and 17 minutes, with complex passages throughout. However, what is most impressive is how well he integrates his original interpretation throughout this work.
Lim takes advantage of Bach’s polyphonic writing by choosing when and where to bring these out — giving his recording its own distinct character. Lim makes use of repeats, adding articulations and changing the overall tone to expand the material with his own flair.
A long essay could be written on every genius detail in this performance, so here are some notes from listening: In the first variation, Lim imparts a bouncy feeling to the bass line that is really catchy. The spontaneity of this is very intentional, and it keeps the listener waiting for that moment again. The third variation harmonically contrasts the prior ones — Lim uses this and the phrases in a way that continually feeds the listener’s attention.
The twentieth variation is a naturally fun movement. Lim brings energy and a romantic soul that is present in the performances of Beethoven and Schumann. In a similar romantic way, Lim emphasizes the bass notes in a really satisfying way, driving the music to its cadence.
The overall highlight of the recording is the 14th through 16th variations. This section is impactful because of how each of the three variations contrasts with one another — the 14th being a very brisk finale to the first half, the 15th in a minor key being the middle of the 30 variations, and the 16th being the overture for the second half. Lim conveys the emotion in the 15th variation better than any recording, highlighting the duality of Bach’s writing and Lim’s own artistry.
Lim initially became famous for his multitude of intentionally placed details in each of his performances, making each performance a wholehearted, genuine interpretation. With the performance of Bach, there are a lot of contrasting preconceived notions of exactly how his music should be played. Lim respects these, but understands the tools he can use to create great music.
