This week is a grand adventure exploring two towering sets of variations, one from Johann Sebastian Bach and one from Ludwig van Beethoven. Our first three episodes will focus on Bach’s work published in 1741, and the title page reads, “A Keyboard exercise, consisting of an ARIA with diverse variations for harpsichord with two manuals and composed for music lovers, for the refreshment of their spirits.” We know this work as the “Goldberg Variations” BWV 988. Exploring Music’s last two episodes of this week will be the 33 variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli, finished in 1823 and commonly called the “Diabelli Variations.” Bill introduces Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, alongside the great heroes who made these works as well known as they are today. Our heroes include pianists Glen Gould, Murray Perahia, and Rosalyn Tureck.
Exploring Theme and Variations
Playlist
Episode 1
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria, Var. 1,2,3
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations
DG 00028948645534
8:49
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations Aria (excerpt)
Rudolf Serkin, piano
His Earliest Recordings (Rudolf Serkin On Welte Mignon)
Archiphon ARC 105
1:06
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Aria (excerpt)
Wanda Landowska, piano
Goldberg Variations/Italian Concerto/Chromatic Fantasy And Fugue
Angel Records 61008
1:10
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Aria
Rosalind Tureck, piano
Goldberg Variations / Aria And Ten Variations In The Italian Style
CBS Masterworks 79220
1:10
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations,: Aria
Glenn Gould, piano
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1981 Digital Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
0:58
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations,: Aria
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
1:03
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, Var. 4
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
0:56
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Var. 4 A 1 Clav.
Rosalind Tureck, piano
Goldberg Variations / Aria And Ten Variations In The Italian Style
CBS Masterworks 79220
1:16
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 5 a 1 ovvero 2 Clav.
Glenn Gould, piano
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1981 Digital Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
0:37
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 5 Var. 5
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
1:12
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 6, 7
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
3:18
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 7 a 1 Ovvero 2 Clav. (Instrumental)
Murray Perahia, piano
Goldberg Variations
Music on Vinyl MOVCL063
1:28
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 8, 9, 10
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
4:43
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 10 a 1 Clav. Fughetta (Instrumental)
Murray Perahia, piano
Goldberg Variations
Music on Vinyl MOVCL063
1:33
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 11, 12 13, 14, 15
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
15:13
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 -Var.15
Rosalind Tureck, piano
Goldberg Variations / Aria And Ten Variations In The Italian Style
CBS Masterworks 79220
2:22
Episode 2
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (excerpt)
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
1:26
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 16
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
2:40
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16 a 1 Clav. Overture (excerpt)
Glenn Gould, piano
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1981 Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
1:38
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16 Ouverture a 1 Clav. (Instrumental)
Murray Perahia, piano
Goldberg Variations
Music on Vinyl MOVCL063
0:56
Bach, J. S: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 17, 18, 19, 20
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
6:14
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Var. 20 A 2 Clav
Rosalyn Tureck, piano
Goldberg Variations / Aria And Ten Variations In The Italian Style
CBS Masterworks 79220
0:40
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Variation 20
Glenn Gould, piano
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1981 Digital Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
0:48
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 21
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
3:15
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 21 Canone alla settima (excerpt)
Glenn Gould, piano
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1981 Digital Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
0:55
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Var. 21 Canone Alla Settima. A 1 Clav (excerpt)
Rosalyn Tureck, piano
Goldberg Variations / Aria And Ten Variations In The Italian Style
CBS Masterworks 79220
0:58
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 22, 23 24
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
5:53
Bach, J. S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 24
Glenn Gould, piano
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1981 Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
1:44
Bach, J. S.: BWV 988 – Aria Var, 1,2,3,4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
NES Chamber Orchestra/ Sitkovetsky, Dmitry
Goldberg Variations
Nonesuch 7559-79341
23:58
Episode 3
Bach, J.S.: The New Goldberg Inventions – Variations 1-5
Zoë Black, Joe Chindamo
Chindamo: Goldberg Inventions, after Bach
ALFI ALFI15002
11:07
Bach, J.S.: The New Goldberg Inventions – Variations 13,26,27,28,29,30,31
Zoë Black, Joe Chindamo
Chindamo: Goldberg Inventions, after Bach
ALFI ALFI15002
14:09
Bach, J.S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Var. 25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Goldberg Variations – Johann Sebastian Bach
DG 4864559
21:20
Bach, J.S.: Glenn Gould Discusses His Performances of the
“Goldberg Variations” with Tim Page
Glenn Gould, piano
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1981 Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
1:31
Bach, J.S.: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria da capo
Glenn Gould, piano
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (1981 Recording)
Sony Classical SMK 52619
3:42
Episode 4
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: I. Theme. Vivace, 1. Alla marcia maestoso; 2. Poco allegro; 3. L’istesso tempo; 4. Un poco piu vivace; 5. Allegro vivace; 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
8:36
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Variations 7. Un poco piu allegro; 8. Poco vivace; 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto; 10. Presto
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
5:13
Beethoven, Ludwig van:Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Var. 9 excerpt
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
0:27
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Variations 12. Un poco piu moto; 13. Vivace; 14. Grave e maestoso; 15. Presto scherzando; 16. Alla marcia maestoso; 17. (Allegro)
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
9:07
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Variations 18. Poco moderato; 19. Presto; 20. Andante; 21. Allegro con brio – Menu allegro; 22. Allegro molto, alla ‘Notte e giorno faticar’ di Mozart
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
7:39
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Variations 23. Allegro assai; 24. Fughetta. Andante; 25. Allegro; 26. Piacevole; 27. Vivace
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
6:47
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: 28. Allegro; 29. Adagio ma non troppo; 30. Andante, sempre cantabile; 31. Largo, molto espressive
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
9:58
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: I. Theme. Vivace
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
2:31
Episode 5
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Theme
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
1:16
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Variations 32. Fugue. Allegro; 33. Tempe di Minuetto moderato
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
6:45
Beethoven, Ludwig van: 6 Variations (in G) on the duet “Nel cor piu non mi sento” from Giovanni Paisillo’s opera ‘La molinara’, WoO 70: Variation I,2,3,4,5, 6
John Ogdon, piano
Beethoven – Variations for Piano
Warner Classics 5857612
6:44
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109: I. Vivace, ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo – Tempo I; III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo)
Maurizio Pollini, Piano
Piano Sonatas Nos. 30, 31 & 32
DG 4974120
15:56
Beethoven, Ludwig van: No. 32 in C minor, Opus 111: Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile
Richard Goode, piano
Late Sonatas, Opus 101, 106 (Hammerklavier), 109, 110, 111
Elektra Nonesuch 792363
17:49
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Diabelli Variations, in C Major, Op. 120, ILB 320: Allegro 33 Tempe di Minuetto moderato
Arthur Schnabel, piano
Diabelli Variations
Pearl GEMM CD 9378
3:51
