Pianist Lim Yunchan’s live Carnegie Hall performance album, ‘Bach: Goldberg Variations’, has been selected as Apple Music Classical’s ‘2026 Classical Album of the Year.’
According to Apple Music Classical on the 12th, the albumβreleased in February by classical label Decca Classicsβclaimed the No. 1 spot on the global Top 100 chart for 16 weeks and spent a total of 39 weeks in the Top 10.
Capturing the live performance from Lim’s Carnegie Hall debut in New York last April, this release marks his fourth album since signing an exclusive contract with Decca Classics.
Apple Music Classical praised the album as “one of the most remarkable interpretations in recent years,” highlighting its delicate expression, character-driven tempos, and a deep respect for Bach’s grand architectural vision.
Major foreign media outlets, including The New York Times and The Guardian, also lauded the performance for blending youthful vitality with restrained poetic nuance.
Expressing his gratitude, Lim shared, “Recording a live performance at Carnegie Hall was a lifelong dream. Knowing that this performance resonated with so many people is the greatest gift an artist could hope for.”
This marks Lim’s second major accolade from Apple Music Classical, following his 2024 album ‘Chopin: Etudes’, which was named ‘Album of the Most Popular.’ Often considered a towering challenge for pianists due to its immense technical demands and emotional depth, the ‘Goldberg Variations’ remains one of Bach’s definitive masterworks.
Building on this success, Lim won ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the German Opus Klassik Awards in June and was shortlisted for the Gramophone Classical Music Awards in September.
To celebrate the milestone selection, Apple Music Classical is set to release a deluxe edition featuring exclusive bonus content.
