Completed in a total of only four days and released in January 1956, Glenn Gould's first recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations became one of the most successful classical albums of all time and an icon in the history of the gramophone record.
What is so special about Goldberg Variations?
Consisting of an opening aria and then 30 different variations on it, the Goldberg Variations — named after its first performer Johann Gottlieb Goldberg and published in 1741 — is Bach's most popular keyboard work, partly because it isn't laden with the academic formality of the Well-Tempered Clavier, and covers so 10 Sept 2020
How many variations are there in Bach's Goldberg Variations?
30 variations
How long does it take to play the Goldberg Variations?
Goldberg played Bach's variations to the Count to assuage his sleeplessness and to entertain him during the wee small hours. The piece is eighty minutes long (when all the repeats are observed), and mostly in G major.5 Oct 2015
Why are the Goldberg Variations so called?
The Goldberg variations were first published in 1741, when Bach about 56 years old (in the last decade of his life). They're named as such because a man named Johann Goldberg, a super skilled keyboardist, was likely the first one to perform it. The Goldberg Variations were originally written for harpsichord.24 Jan 2017
How long are the Goldberg Variations?
The piece is eighty minutes long, and mostly in G major. Just think about that for a minute. Then (without a bathroom break) think very similar thoughts for 79 more minutes, winding around the same basic themes, and then you will have some idea of what it's like to experience—you might even say survive—the Goldbergs.19 Mar 2012
What is the structure of the Goldberg Variations?
The genre structure of the Goldberg Variations includes preludes, dance, inventions, canons and toccata. Among them, canon is the most important genre in this structure.2 Jun 2020
Why are the Goldberg Variations hard?
The Goldberg variations were designed to be pleasant enough and listened as a coherent whole, so they are more sought after, resulting in a larger competition. And you can't go easy on either the difficult or easy ones without impacting your overall performance.
Who made the Goldberg Variations famous?
Johann Sebastian Bach
How many times did Glenn Gould record the Goldberg Variations?
The late great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould made two significant and highly-acclaimed recordings of Bach's Goldberg Variations, the first in 1955 when he was just 22, the second a quarter of a century later in 1981 when he was nearing the end of his life.15 Jul 2018