Program Notes: Johann Sebastian Bach – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Welcome, dear concert-goer, to a journey into one of the most sublime and intellectually dazzling achievements in the entire history of music. Tonight, we immerse ourselves in Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – a work of astonishing beauty, inexhaustible invention, and profound contemplation.
Bach: The Master Architect of Sound
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) stands as a colossus in Western classical music, revered for his intricate counterpoint, his profound emotional depth, and his masterful command of form. While often associated with sacred choral works and grand organ pieces, his instrumental works, particularly those for keyboard, reveal a different kind of genius: a relentless pursuit of every musical possibility within a given framework.
The Goldberg Variations, published in 1741 (or 1742), belong to Bach’s late period, often seen as a summary of his life's compositional wisdom. They are the fourth and final volume of his Clavier-Übung ("Keyboard Practice") series, which aimed to present a compendium of styles and forms for keyboard instruments.
The Legend (and the Reality) Behind the Music:
The popular anecdote surrounding the Goldberg Variations involves Count Hermann Karl von Keyserlingk, the former Russian ambassador to the Saxon court in Dresden, and his harpsichordist, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg. The story goes that the Count suffered from insomnia and commissioned Bach to write "keyboard pieces... of such a smooth and somewhat lively character that he might be a little cheered up by them in his sleepless
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Program Notes: Johann Sebastian Bach – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Welcome, dear concert-goer, to a journey into one of the most sublime and intellectually dazzling achievements in the entire history of music. Tonight, we immerse ourselves in Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – a work of astonishing beauty, inexhaustible invention, and profound contemplation.
Bach: The Master Architect of Sound
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) stands as a colossus in Western classical music, revered for his intricate counterpoint, his profound emotional depth, and his masterful command of form. While often associated with sacred choral works and grand organ pieces, his instrumental works, particularly those for keyboard, reveal a different kind of genius: a relentless pursuit of every musical possibility within a given framework.
The Goldberg Variations, published in 1741 (or 1742), belong to Bach’s late period, often seen as a summary of his life's compositional wisdom. They are the fourth and final volume of his Clavier-Übung ("Keyboard Practice") series, which aimed to present a compendium of styles and forms for keyboard instruments.
The Legend (and the Reality) Behind the Music:
The popular anecdote surrounding the Goldberg Variations involves Count Hermann Karl von Keyserlingk, the former Russian ambassador to the Saxon court in Dresden, and his harpsichordist, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg. The story goes that the Count suffered from insomnia and commissioned Bach to write "keyboard pieces... of such a smooth and somewhat lively character that he might be a little cheered up by them in his sleepless nights." Goldberg was then to play them.
While this charming tale, recounted by Bach's first biographer, Johann Nikolaus Forkel, is widely known, its complete accuracy is debated. Goldberg was only 14 when the work was published, and while a talented student of Bach’s, it’s unlikely a demanding commission of this scale would have been solely for a teenager. Regardless of the exact circumstances, the name "Goldberg Variations" stuck, adding a delightful layer to the work's mystique.
A Simple Idea, an Infinite Universe: What to Listen For
The Goldberg Variations are based not on a thematic melody, but on the bass line and harmonic progression of a simple, beautiful, and deeply moving Aria. This Aria, first heard at the beginning, returns precisely the same way at the very end, bookending the entire colossal structure. In between, Bach spins out 30 variations – each a universe unto itself, yet all connected by the invisible threads of the Aria's fundamental harmonic structure.
The variations are astonishingly diverse:
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Canons: Every third variation is a canon, starting with a canon at the unison, then at the second, then the third, and so on, up to the canon at the ninth. These are intellectual marvels, where one voice strictly imitates another, yet Bach makes them sound effortlessly musical.
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Dances: You'll encounter various stylized dances – a Sarabande, a Gigue, a Passepied, a Fuga (fugue-like movement), and a Quodlibet.
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Virtuosic Showpieces: Many variations are brilliant displays of keyboard dexterity, with dazzling runs, intricate cross-hand passages, and rapid figurations that challenge the performer (especially on the two-manual harpsichord for which it was written, but equally so on piano).
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Character Pieces: Each variation possesses its own distinct personality and emotional character, moving from moments of playful exuberance to profound contemplation, from witty dialogue to meditative introspection.
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The Quodlibet (Variation 30): The final variation before the return of the Aria is a joyful and unique "Quodlibet" (Latin for "what pleases"). Here, Bach combines the Aria's bass line with two German folk songs that would have been well-known to his audience: "Ich bin so lang nicht bei dir g’west" (I haven't been with you for so long) and "Kraut und Rüben haben mich vertrieben" (Cabbage and turnips have driven me away). It’s a moment of delightful humor and earthy charm, a rare glimpse into Bach's lighter side, and perhaps a nod to the convivial atmosphere of the coffee house performances.
A Journey of Transformation and Return:
Listening to the Goldberg Variations is like watching a master artisan take a single, exquisite piece of raw material and sculpt it into 30 entirely different, yet equally beautiful, forms. The return of the Aria at the end is profoundly moving, creating a sense of cyclical completion, as if after a long journey, we have returned home, seeing the familiar with new eyes, enriched by the vast musical landscape we have traversed.
This work is more than just a musical challenge; it is a meditation on repetition and transformation, on the infinite possibilities within a finite framework, and a timeless testament to Bach’s unparalleled genius. It invites deep listening and promises immense reward.
So, lean back and let the endless inventiveness, the emotional depth, and the sheer intellectual brilliance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations unfold around you. It is truly a work for the ages.
