“Halls is a formidably talented young keyboard player, bursting with energy and inspiration.” Evening Standard “His inventive and ebullient playing is a delight.” Daily Telegraph Matthew Halls is one of the brightest sparks of the UK early music scene, who, as director of Retrospect Ensemble, has rapidly established himself as one of Britain's most exciting young conductors as well as a leading harpsichordist. ‘J.S. Bach: The Goldberg Variations’, features Bach’s popular masterpiece for keyboard, plus Sarabanda con Partite and Aria Variata. Matthew Halls’ debut solo recording presents J.S. Bach’s most significant variation sets for harpsichord in this, the second release in the Retrospect series. The Goldberg Variations is a work that that continues to fascinate and astound performers and listeners alike. The artistry and technique it demands is met with virtuosic skill and innate musical understanding by Matthew Halls. The two earlier works, Sarabanda con Partite and Aria Variata, show the extent to which Bach had become the true master of this composition technique by the time he came to compose The Goldberg Variations. Matthew Halls is Artistic Director of Retrospect Ensemble, whose debut recording, ‘Henry Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts’, was shortlisted for a Classic FM Gramophone Award in 2009. He has enjoyed a busy and exciting career, playing with many of the world’s leading period instrument orchestras, including the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Les Arts Florissants, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, Theatre of Early Music, Montreal and New York Collegium. As a keyboard soloist he has appeared at the Cheltenham International Festival; Händel Festspiele, Göttingen, Händel Festspiele, Halle; Enescu Festival, Bucharest; Ottawa International Chamber Festival; Antiquarium Festival, Moscow, Lamèque Festival, Canada and Dias da Mùsica, Lisbon.