Bach: Goldberg Variations
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According to legend, the Goldberg Variations was written for one of Bach’s pupils, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who was employed by a Russian Count, suffering from insomnia. Bach was paid handsomely to compose something which Goldberg could play during the Count’s sleepless nights, to cheer him up a little. The resulting work is one of the greatest challenges to pianists or harpsichordists. Still, also less advanced players have much to enjoy here. Not all the variations are fiendishly difficult, and it would be a shame not to profit from the mental and spiritual refreshment bestowed by the solemnly poetic Aria which opens and closes the work. Highlights among the variations that might be within the reach of the intermediate pianist are, for example, Nos. 7, 10, 13, 18, 22, 27 and 30. If you are interested in having a taste of the technical problems involved in many of the variations you could have a look at Nos. 5, 14, 20, 23, 26 and 28. The emotional temperature rises towards the end of the piece, perhaps most of all in the heartbreaking variation Nr. 25, sometimes called The Black Pearl and contrasting spectacularly with the following variation, a richly embroidered sarabande.
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 Recital Performance [VIDEO] Bach: Aria BWV 988 -Scary Moments
May 27, 2010, 09:17:21 PM by philiphotchkiss
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Last Monday I performed the J.S. Bach Aria BWV 988, from the Goldberg Variations. It wasn't a train wreck, but it didn't go quite as I had hoped.
I'm sure many of you will relate to this video which shows the performance with a variety of humorous thought bubbles along the way:)
If this makes you laugh, smile or elicits any other emotions or reactions, please share. Let's have some fun.
_________________________
Philip Hotchkiss
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Help with Kirkpatrick edition of Goldberg Variations
January 02, 2010, 09:37:36 AM by dtmowns
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Hello, I've noticed that in this edition, in his modified scores above the original text, sometimes he transposes and flips things to different clefs etc.... but I don't understand sometimes they are actually different notes!
For instance look at page 22 (Variation eight) Bar 20 and see if you can make sense if the alternate text above the original, the notes don't match!
Forgive my ignorance...as I am sure there is an explanation
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Goldberg Variation no 1
June 10, 2009, 01:06:26 PM by beethoven_fan
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Hi, everybody !
I'd like to know the grade (I know that grades are all subjective) for the first variation. I like it so much, so beautiful. I have looked at the score, it doesn't seem that hard. Is it harder than it looks ? I'd love to play it, but I don't want to mess it.
I'm not very adavanced. Here's what I have played by Bach (besides the Aria from the Goldberg and Prelude in C major that everyone plays) :
Inventions no 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, ,8 , 9, 10, 13, 14
Sinfonia no 15
Menuet from French Suite no. 2 in C minor
Menuet from French Suite no. 4 in Eb major
Gavotte from French Suite no. 5 in G major
Menuet from French Suite no. 6 in E major
I can play those very fine, I'm very comfortable with them.
I have tried about a year ago to play Prelude in C minor from WCT 1, but could not play it at tempo. That's all I have I played from the WTC. No fugue yet.
Is Variation no 1 around my level ? Or is it too advanced for me ?
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VIDEO: Bach: Goldberg Variations #1
October 22, 2008, 10:11:50 PM by kard
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So, this is it 
I've been recording my practices recently. I usually mess around and try and perform something every once in a while and this came out pretty decently (in my opinion...). And yes, I'm still cringing at the crossing hands flub, but, nothing's perfect :-/.
Critique please!! I would really appreciate it. It's only been recently that I've moved past technique problems for the most part to listening.
Recorder: Audio- Laptop Mic, Video- Generic webcam software.
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Goldberg Variations PS Urtext (sheet music) 
