The 30 variations are constructed over the Aria's bass line and its implied harmonies, not the melody itself, a common compositional method of the era.
Interpretation
Wanda Landowska, a pioneer in the 20th century, was the first to record the Goldberg Variations in 1933, choosing to play them on the harpsichord to revive the instrument.
Compositional Technique
The work is structured in groups of three variations: a 'character piece,' a virtuoso movement, and a strictly contrapuntal canon, with the canons rising by a note each time.
Composition History
The Goldberg Variations were published in 1741 as the final part of Bach's Clavier-Übung (Keyboard Practice) cycle, an anthology exploring keyboard writing possibilities.
Recording & Production
This recording of the Goldberg Variations was made in February and April 2015 at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Composition History
The popular story that Bach composed the Goldberg Variations for Count Keyserlingk to alleviate his insomnia is likely untrue, as the harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg was only 14 at the time.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's Goldberg Variations are notable for their encyclopaedic nature, exploring a wide range of styles and affects within the unifying harmony of the Aria.
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