Marcin Swiatkiewicz J S Bach_ Goldberg Variations, Bwv988 (2020)

J S Bach’s Goldberg Variations is a masterpiece. First written for harpsichord, it opens with a beautifully tranquil and ornamented Aria followed by 30 intricate and distinct variations. The work was both an artistic triumph for Bach and a tour de force of what could be played on a keyboard.For three centuries the work has been arranged and interpreted for different instruments and ensembles. NZSO brings this Baroque gem to regional audiences, with the variations performed on a variety of instruments.

I decided to cultivate the tradition of recording Goldberg Variations. This 20th-century ritual resulted in hundreds or thousands of interpretations performed on various instruments and recorded on various labels. Believers collect recordings of this lengthy masterpiece.