Bach: Goldberg Variations

Bach’s Goldberg Variations have gained iconic status, its popularity
reaches well beyond the boundaries of traditional classical music
audiences.
• The Goldberg Variations BWV988 takes its name from a young pupil of
Bach, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who was in the service of Count von
Keyserlingk. The Count was a notoriously bad sleeper, and requested of
Bach a series of pieces for Goldberg to play to him when he could not
sleep; he then considered the work to be ‘his’, although it is widely
referred to by the name of its performer. The variations are in groups of
three, with the last in each group being a canon and the final variation
weaving together two popular song melodies into a quodlibet. The
variations range in character, and feature fughettas, a French overture,
ornamental slow arias as well as virtuosic pieces for two manuals.
• The Goldberg Variations present a cosmos of human emotions, ranging
from serenity, devotion, joy, wit and brilliance to deep sorrow and
darkness. A monument for Humanity and one of the greatest creation
man ever made.
• In the dark period of lockdown Klára Würtz found inspiration and solace
in working on Bach’s Goldberg Variations. She studied at the Liszt Ferenc
Academy in Budapest, imbibing the rich musical culture and knowledge of
such teachers as György Kurtág, Ferenc Rados, and Zoltán Kocsis. She
toured the world, playing in such famous venues as Amsterdam
Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Bernard Haitink, France (Roque d’Anthéron), Germany,
Italy, Salzburger Festspiele (Mozart recital) and Japan.

Sep/Oct 2022