Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (arr. This frees the cello to play with the ornamentation above and the piano provides the other voices. for 2 viola da gambas): Aria (Claas Harders and Silke Strauf, violas da gamba)Īrranged for cello and piano, the cello takes the melody while the piano quietly fills in the background. If we use an instrument from Bach’s time, i.e., a viola da gamba, then we have an interesting throwback to a contemporary sound but with an unusual twist in instrumentation. (Duo Melisande)Īnd then, if you have a 10-string guitar, rather than the normal 6 strings, the sound changes immensely. How about 2 guitars? When you get into the pieces written for 4 voices, having those additional notes can be quite helpful. for 2 cimbaloms) – Variation 6: Canone all seconda (Ágnes Szakály and Rózsa Farkas, cimbaloms) The strings are struck, like a piano, but, like a harpsichord, there’s very little vibration. How about something for a more exotic instrument? Arranged for two cimbaloms, a Hungarian instrument played with two cotton-tipped sticks, this version places us somewhere between the harpsichord and the piano. (Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães, pianos) Perhaps you have 2 friends who are willing to help you catch some winks and who also happen to have brought two pianos with them. If you have more instrumentalists around you, then there are more arrangements that might fit your taste for sleepy-time music. We started with the usual Goldbergs for keyboard instruments: harpsichord, piano, organ and then expanding to accordion, harp, and guitar. If you’re like Berlioz, though, and don’t play the piano, but do play the guitar, there’s a version for you. Finch for harp) – Aria (Catrin Finch, harp) On the other hand, more idiomatic harp ornamentation can be substituted. The arrangement for harp is not unlike the original for the harpsichord but the ornamentation is a bit more difficult. for accordion) – Aria (Denis Patković, accordion) It’s an interesting take on the work, though, almost a mediation on the Aria. Still want to play it on a keyboard, but all you have to hand is an accordion? Then you can take advantage of the fact that you can keep a drone running in the bass while your other hand does the melodic motions. Canone alla Seconda (Hansjörg Albrecht, organ) The temptation to throw all the resources of an organ into the work might be self-defeating if you’re trying to get someone to sleep….sleeeep….sleeeeeep. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Aria (Wilhelm Kempff, piano)Īn arrangement for organ presumes that somewhere about your bedroom (or in the bedroom’s antechamber), you have an organ that might be pressed into service for your sleepless night. (Glenn Gould, piano) (1955)Īnother interesting version of this is the one performed by Wilhelm Kempff removing all ornamentation. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Variatio 6. The most obvious first arrangement is for the piano, which has a greater dynamic range than the plucked harpsichord. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Aria (Christine Schornsheim, harpsichord)īut what if you don’t happen to have a harpsichord around? What then? Luckily, we found the Goldberg Variations in arrangements for any number of groups with any number of players. The Aria that all the Variations are based on has its own deliberate opening, with just the right amount of movement and just the right amount of lyricism to fade into the background as you fall into sleep. We were thinking that the Variations would be perfect for all our pandemic insomnia. Written, as related by Bach’s biographer Johann Forkel, for the ill and often sleepless Count Kaiserling, who wished for some night music that was both smooth and lively enough to engage his attention during his insomniac periods, Bach produced his variation set for the Count and it was published in 1741. © We were thinking about Bach’s Goldberg Variations the other evening.