Goldberg Variations
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Bach's Goldberg Variations
Johann Sebastian Bach took the theme and variation genre to a new level with his complex composition, Aria mit verschirdenen Veraenderungen. This piece, commonly referred to as the Goldberg Variations, was written for a student of Bach's. He intended it to be a keyboard exercise for his student to play in order to develop the necessary technique that Bach's compositions demanded. The incredibly difficult keyboard skills needed to play these variations are exhibited in my two chosen variations, 14 and 29. I chose these two variations because of their extensively varied melodic ideas when contrasted to the original aria. Their extreme differences when initially listening to them are surprisingly minuscule upon further examination.
The aria and both chosen variations are all composed of two repeated sixteen bar phrases. The original aria is a very mellow and melodic piece. The emphasis falls on the beautiful melody and it's ornamentations. It is rhythmically reserved and taken at a slow tempo to highlight the incredible part writing skills, cadences, and suspensions...