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Classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein wowed critics in 2007 with her original and passionate take on the Goldberg Variations. With her new Bach: A Strange Beauty, she’s poised to do it again.

January 24, 2011
Simone Dinnerstein.(Courtesy Telarc)
Simone Dinnerstein.(Courtesy Telarc)

Simone Dinnerstein was living the relatively obscure life of a freelance classical pianist until 2007, when the Telarc label released her recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Her intense and original interpretation reached the top of the Billboard Classical Chart within a week of its release, and it was included in many best-classical-album lists from that year. The Brooklyn-based musician has been in high demand ever since.

Now Dinnerstein is releasing a new album, titled Bach: A Strange Beauty, on Sony Classical. The recording includes both solo and orchestral works, plus cover art by her father, renowned painter Simon Dinnerstein. Vox Tablet’s Sara Ivry visited Dinnerstein to talk about her journey to classical music stardom—from her art-centric childhood to her encounters with the Goldberg Variations while pregnant. [Running time: 18:27.]

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Vox Tablet is Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast, hosted by Sara Ivry and produced by Julie Subrin. You can listen to individual episodes here or subscribe on iTunes.

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