Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations (Zhu Xiao-Mei)

Information

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

• Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Live at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, 2014)

Zhu Xiao-Mei, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Accentus Music

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Zhu Xiao-Mei is widely regarded as one of the leading pianists of her generation and a distinguished interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach. Central to her career is Bach’s Goldberg Variations, a work she describes as her most profound musical encounter and which launched her international recognition. She made history as the first artist to perform the cycle at Bach’s final resting place in St. Thomas Church, Leipzig. This remarkable concert has been preserved in an acclaimed live recording, celebrated for its depth, sensitivity, and spiritual intensity.

Zhu Xiao-Mei (born 1949) is a Chinese-French pianist and teacher whose career reflects both artistic distinction and personal resilience. Born in Shanghai, she showed early musical promise but faced severe disruption during the Cultural Revolution, including years in a labor camp before resuming her studies. After emigrating to the United States and later settling in France, she established an international career. Renowned for her interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach, she has recorded major keyboard works and gained critical acclaim. Also an esteemed educator and competition juror, she continues to support younger generations.