You can’t blame Sony Records (formerly Columbia) for “exploiting” their back catalogue, yet they’ve found yet another way to release Glenn Gould’s groundbreaking 1955 Goldberg Variations album. This time, it’s an 8-disc release of the complete recording sessions, with all takes, plus the final edit, the interview he realized with Tim Page, and a vinyl version of the record. (Amazon.com, Amazon UK)
Yes, this is a great recording, but does one really need to hear the outtakes? Sure, it includes a “coffee-table book,” but does one really need “45 sensational, newly discovered photos from the recording sessions?”
This sort of release does work for an artist like Bob Dylan, where outtakes are interesting, but for a classical recording, it makes no sense.