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Goldberg Variations: Aria

In 1741, Johann Sebastian Bach published a complex, intricate, and mesmerizing keyboard piece that would become known as the Goldberg Variations. Named after one of Bach’s pupils, who is purported to have played the variations to lull his noble employer to sleep, the Goldberg Variations begins with a simple, delicately ornamented aria that inspires thirty inventive melodic, harmonic, and contrapuntal variations. The opening aria is an elaboration on the Sarabande ground bass, which is then reimagined and reshaped through different meters, melodic and harmonic stresses, and contrapuntal filigree.  

Festival Home > Goldbergs Transformed > Pierre Hantaï Performs > Goldberg Variations: Aria

Program

Johann Sebastian Bach

Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria


Performers

Pierre Hantaï
Bio


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