Multilayered Masterpiece: Bach's "Goldberg Variations"

Johann Sebastian Bach's so-called "Goldberg Variations" is seen by many as the most significant composition for keyboard before Beethoven's groundbreaking sonatas. Not only does it require exceptional technical and mental skills from those who dare perform it, but it presents itself to the listener as a multi-layered creation that invites almost endless and equally rewarding exploration.

On the surface, the work is a delightful collection of short movements that are in turn serene, charming, ebullient, majestic, virtuosic, melancholic, fun, wistful, disconsolate, and exuberant. We'll dig below the surface of the work and explore its intricate and ingenious structure, as a supreme example of music that reaches the highest peaks of both intellect and emotion. We'll also discuss the history of the work and why its name is subject to controversy. Finally, we will enjoy a full performance of the work and discuss it, so we'll plan for a longer program than usual.