Yunchan Lim's 'Goldberg Variations' fulfills pianist's childhood goal, with new dreams on the horizon
Published: 06 Feb. 2026, 15:02
![Yunchan Lim performs Bach's ″Goldberg Variations″ (1741) at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 25, 2025. [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/06/6db7650b-b1ae-4cc1-a606-61161d7bdbaa.jpg)
Yunchan Lim performs Bach's ″Goldberg Variations″ (1741) at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 25, 2025. [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]
Even in his dreams, Yunchan Lim is still performing recitals.
The pianist, who has just released a recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” (1741), said in a written interview with the JoongAng Ilbo ahead of the album’s release on Friday that he recently dreamed of performing an entirely new program.
“I gave a recital a few days ago in my dream,” he said. “I played Schoenberg and Bach in the first half, and Beethoven in the second.” He added that there are now so many works he wants to play that “it’s hard to write them all down” — and even listed the exact opus numbers of the pieces from his dream.
Lim’s “Goldberg Variations” album is a live recording from his recital at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 25 last year. Reviewing the performance, New York Times music critic Zachary Woolfe described it as “a Bach of heightened, nearly Romantic intensity and contrasts,” adding that it told “the story of a young man’s maturation from innocence to experience.”
Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” is a monumental work lasting more than 80 minutes. It begins with an aria, followed by 30 variations, and ends by returning to the same aria. The piece is widely regarded as a culmination of Bach’s exploration of the keyboard’s possibilities and a distillation of various European musical styles of the time. For many pianists, it is considered the work of a lifetime.
Lim has previously said he had wanted to play the piece since childhood, calling it “music that contains the journey of a human’s life.”
The album includes a note by Carnegie Hall Executive and Artistic Director Clive Gillinson, who praises Lim as an artist destined to build an extraordinary career. The note also features a conversation with the pianist.
![Album artwork for Yunchan Lim's recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” (1741) [DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/06/8e5c5e5e-c1ba-444b-8278-19eff8fc0506.jpg)
Album artwork for Yunchan Lim's recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” (1741) [DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON]
When asked about his lifelong goals, Lim reportedly replied that one was to continue practicing and performing as much music as possible throughout his life, and another was to perform a two-piano concert with Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin.
Lim is set to return to Carnegie Hall for his third concert there on April 24.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q. Why did you choose the “Goldberg Variations”?
A. It felt like the moment I knew this was the piece I had to play had arrived.
What did you mean when you referred to the “Goldberg Variations” as “music that contains the journey of a human’s life”?
It came to mind because of the structure — starting with the aria, followed by 30 deeply human songs, and ending with the aria again.
Many great pianists have shown how their interpretations of this piece change with age. What’s your perspective on that?
For me, this piece is both deeply human and rich in playfulness and humor, while also drawing emotions that rise from the deepest part of the heart. In that sense, I don’t particularly like interpreting the “Goldberg Variations” as something endlessly solemn.
Do you have a favorite recording among the many “Goldberg Variations” albums?
I’ve listened to versions by all kinds of pianists, but as I studied the piece more deeply, I ultimately came to trust only the “Goldberg Variations” that exist in my own heart.
![Yunchan Lim performs Bach's ″Goldberg Variations″ (1741) at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 25, 2025. [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/06/b33d7b4b-34ac-4a2c-a8ba-a11bc8ed1815.jpg)
Yunchan Lim performs Bach's ″Goldberg Variations″ (1741) at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 25, 2025. [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]
There are no tempo or dynamic markings in the score. How did you decide on those in performance?
As I’ve struggled to find my own voice in music, when I look back at the moments when I felt I found it, they were always somewhere in between. The moment of discovering truth was never at either extreme — it was always in the middle.
What was the atmosphere like when you were recording the album?
I was completely immersed in the music, so I don’t remember thinking about anything beyond the music inside me.
Are there pieces you want to play next?
There are too many to write down. But a few days ago, I remember playing Schoenberg’s “Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11” (1909) and Bach’s “Partita for keyboard No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830” (1731) in the first half of a recital in my dream, and Beethoven’s “Diabelli Variations, Op. 120” (1819-23) in the second half.
You continue to receive acclaim on the world stage. What does that sense of achievement mean to you?
I think the most important truth is simply searching for music every day, and trusting and following what’s in my heart.
At Carnegie Hall, you played Chopin in 2024 and Bach last year. This year, you’ve announced that you’ll be playing Schubert and Scriabin. What led you to decide on this year's program?
When I think about the programs I’ve played so far, I feel overwhelmed. After crossing those great mountains, I found myself wondering what on earth I should play next. At first, I also wanted to play Schumann and Brahms, but I think those can wait a little. Especially Schumann’s “Fantasie” (1836) — I feel like I can truly play it only after turning 40. So I chose the pieces that are in my heart right now. Schubert and Scriabin are works that have been singing deep inside me since I was younger.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM HO-JOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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