Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Goldberg
Variations
The
Goldberg
Variations
is
the
last
series
of
keyboard
music
Bach
composed
for the German Clavierubung publishing series (Tomito). And though the
is much more than a practice etude (Williams). These variations are often regarded
as the most serious and ambitious compositions ever written for harpsichord
(Tomito). Interestingly though, Bach did not show a major interest in variation style
writing throughout his compositional life. Unlike other composers of the Baroque
era who wrote many variation pieces, Corelli and Handel, Bach only wrote a few
minor chorales in this form (Tomito). Despite his lack of experience in this style, the
Goldberg Variations became a major work for keyboardist during that period and led
on to inspire composers past the Baroque period, like Beethoven, Brahms &
The entire work is based off of the aria of the piece. Though the melody that
is heard in the aria may not be heard in the thirty variations, the melodic structure
and movement in the aria is the same, and is what Bach based the thirty variations
dance, originating from Spain and France (Form). But the aria, though slow in a
time, does not sound or feel like a dance. Bachs instruction of tender may have
purposely
been
put,
so
that
the
aria
did
not
sound
like
a
typical
dance.
What
makes
the
aria
unique
to
the
piece
as
a
whole
is
that
it
is
played
as
an
opening and closing to the work. It welcomes the listener with a stately, but tender
address, and then is repeated to finish the piece. Bach does not re-notate the aria, he
instead he gives the instruction da capo e fin after the last variation (Tomito).
Being that the opening and closing are written identically they should sound
identical, but the repeat of the aria has a sadness and remembrance to it unlike the
first time it is played and leaves the listener in a different state. As Peter Williams
heard on its repeat with a sense of something coming to an end, the same notes but
The aria of the variations begins with slow and steady arpeggiating chords
the use of passing and neighbor tones, of each triad is present in the right hand so
that the chord is sustained throughout the measure (Bach). This type of movement
stays in the second system, except for the substitution of the vi chord for a first
inversion ii chord. In the third system C# is used repeatedly, suggesting that the
This modulation is most clearly seen in the last measure of the third system
with the use of a secondary dominant. This measure spells out an A Major chord,
with the consistent use of arpeggios, and leads to a first inversion D Major triad
(Bach). This V I progression, and the constant use of C# leading tone, solidifies the
pieces movement into D Major. The first section ends with the same ii V I
progression.
The
second
section
is
similar
to
the
first.
The
left
hand
is
pulsing
steady
arpeggiating chords, but the ornamentation in the right hand is at a quicker pace
(Bach). Instead of a steady held back feeling, the music feels like it is moving
forward. This is clearly heard in the recording of Glen Goulds performance. In this
section humming and large audible breaths are heard from Gould while playing
(Gould). Since these physical actions did not occur during the first section, it can be
inferred that the second section has more drive and drama to it.
The second section eliminates the C# used in the first modulation, and
introduces a D#, suggesting a modulation into the relative minor, e minor. Unlike
the first section, where it took four measures to modulate into the new key, the
second section modulates into e minor one measure after the leading tone is
introduced (Bach). Like earlier the piece lands on the new key with the use of a
secondary dominant, seen in the first measure of the second system. The e minor
chord is sustained for a few measures, through use of ornamentation, before going
with the use of another secondary dominant, and uses the same simple progression
that has repeated throughout the piece. The final cadence lands on the downbeat of
the last measure, and the I chord is prolonged throughout the measure with the use
of ornamentation. To give the feel of a final ending the leading tone is suspended
into the fourth beat and resolves on the end of the beat (Bach).
common harmonic progression while spreading across the entire emotional plate,
The
Goldberg
Variations
offer
something
new
to
the
listener.
As
Peter
Williams
states,
what
the
Goldberg
really
brings
to
the
listener
is
a
world
of
experience
otherwise unknown, and I am not sure anyone can succeed in describing that world
to others (Williams).
Work Cited
Bach,
J.S.
1741.
Aria
with
30
Variations:
The
Goldberg
Variations.
Masters
Music
Publications
1992.
"Forms and Genre ." Forms and Genre. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.
<http://solomonsmusic.net/forms.htm>.
Gould,
Glenn.
Bach:
The
Goldberg
Variations.
Zenph
Re-Performance.
1955.
Tomito, Yo. "The Goldberg" Variations." J. S. Bach: The Goldberg Variations. Queens
Univeristy Belfast, United Kingdom., 1997. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.qub.ac.uk/~tomita/essay/cu4.html>.
Williams, Peter. Bach, the Goldberg Variations. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2001.
Print.