Still Goldberg After All These Years

When harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg asked Bach to write   pieces for him to play to help a Saxon count get to sleep at night he   could hardly have realized that he was playing a key role in creating   music that would inspire audiences and musicians for centuries. Not only are the Goldberg Variations among the most frequently  performed works  today, they also continue to inspire composers to write  new variations  on the famous themes. We’ll feature an incredible array  of these this  week on Relevant Tones. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produced by Jesse McQuarters Dan Tepfer: Improvisation 1 & Variation 1 Dan Tepfer, piano Uri Caine: The Introitus Variation Kettwiger Bach Ensemble; David Moss, vocals J.S. Bach: Aria fr. Goldberg Variations Jeremy Denk, piano Misha Zupko: Ghost Variation Lara Downes, piano Jennifer Higdon: Gilmore Variation Lara Downes, piano Derek Bermel: Kontraphunktus Lara Downes, piano Karlheinz Essl: Fantasia Chromatica fr. Gold.berg.werk for instruments and electronics Christina Neubauer, violin; Martin Kraushofer, viola; Eva Landkammer, cello Gabriela Montero: Improvisation on the Aria fr. Bach’s Goldberg Variations Gabriela Montero, piano Uri Caine: Variation 9 (Canon at the Third) Ralph Alesi, trumpet; Don Byron, clarinet; Uri Caine, piano; Reid Anderson, bass Uri Caine: Variation 10 (Fughetta) Kettwiger Bach Ensemble; David  Moss, vocals J.S. Bach: Aria fr. Goldberg Variations (excerpt) Lara Downes, piano Bright Sheng: Variation Fugato Lara Downes, piano