Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
August 5, 2018

Bach’s Goldberg Variations have long been the stuff of legend. The earliest of these legends was spread by one of the composer’s early biographers, Johann Nikolaus Forkel, who claimed the variations were written for Johann Gottlieb Goldberg to play in an effort to soothe the insomnia of his employer, Count Keyserling, a Russian ambassador. Forkel also contends the count paid Bach for the music with a golden goblet filled with money. It all seems highly unlikely: Goldberg was only 14 at the time of the music’s publication and the count’s name does not appear on the title page of the music.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra. Photo © Julian Kingma

The aura of mystery surrounding the Goldbergs was further enhanced last century by the Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould. Gould’s two recordings have often been the first (and sometimes only) experience listeners have had of this marvellous work with its aria and 30 variations. Gould played an important role in reviving the popularity of the work which prior to his own landmark 1955 recording had first been recorded on harpsichord in 1933 and on piano in 1947. Gould’s...