Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 988
Year of composition: 1741
The most famous variations, as written by Bach. A return to basics.
Historical notes
“For these variations, we have to thank the initiative of the former Russian ambassador to the electoral court of Saxony, Count Kaiserling, who often stopped in Leipzig and brought t with him the aforementioned Goldberg, in order to have him given musical instruction by Bach. The Count was often ill and had sleepless nights. At such times, Goldberg, who lived in his house, had to spend the night in an antechamber, so as to play for him. Once the Count ...
Bach: the Art of Fugue BWV 1080
Year of composition: 1740-1750
The last work of Bach. A legacy left to the world and received 260 years later
Historical notes
The Art of Fugue is considered as the culmination of the contrapuntal art of all time. It is Bach’s most enigmatic work and certainly one of the most enigmatic compositions in history. Even this unrivalled musician, whom some sources describe as capable of improvising 8-part Fugues, and who had composed the complete Musical Offering for King Frederick II of Prussia within two months of receiving the Royal Theme, laboured many years to ...
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier
Year of composition: 1722-1741
The experience of the original temperament
The Well-Tempered Keyboard
“Clavier”, starting with C means “keyboard”, not “harpsichord”. Many of the 48 preludes and fugues that constitute this work are more suitable to organ than to harpsichord. Consequently, the piano is a valid instrument for the performance of this the Well-Tempered Clavier, because it has the capability of modifying its timbre according to the needs and therefore to give more expressivity to music.
“Well-Tempered” is not referred to Equal Temperament, ...
Bach: the French Suites
Year of composition: 1721-1725
The return of Baroque freedom. Movements once lost and now found. The dance begins.
Historical notes: composition and second thoughts
The familiar 6 French Suites have catalogue number BWV 812-817, and they were composed between 1722 and 1725. In fact, around 1722, Bach had already composed a group of 6 Suites, which contained BWV 812 to 815 (the actual French Suites 1 to 4), preceded by BWV 818 and 819. Later on, from 1723 to 1725, Bach added the Suites BWV 816 and 817 to the list and eliminated the BWV 818 and 819, which were the ...
Bach: A Musical Offering BWV 1079
Year of composition: 1747
An acrostic, cryptic messages, enigmas in Latin... An intricate way to the solution
Historical notes
Johann Nikolaus Forkel, in his biography of Bach, tells us that Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel was employed as court musician at the residence of King Frederick II of Prussia, great music lover and amateur flutist. The King had long insisted to meet Carl Philipp Emanuel’s father, Johann Sebastian. The encounter took place in Potsdam, the 7th of May, 1747.
Frederick wanted to show the elder Bach a novelty, the piano, which had been ...
