Music Teachers National Association

comments on the GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

Author(s): ROBERT C. EHLE
Source: American Music Teacher, Vol. 19, No. 2 (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1969), pp. 20-22
Published by: Music Teachers National Association
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43537444
Accessed: 12-05-2020 07:10 UTC

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 comments on the

qolòBeRQ vacations
ROBERT C. EHLE

Introduction Variations. However, rather than simply r

While hardly the first, the Goldberg Variations arejective reactions, it is important to correla
probably one of the most famous compositions of "mood more technical observations made at other
music" in the history of music. The story of how Bachanalytical process. Thus the total analytical p
composed the work for Goldberg to play for Count vonin fact, justify the listener's subjective react
Keyserling during periods of insomnia is well-known. Thatjective descriptions. If it fails to do this, the
the work was successful for its intended purpose is alsoanalytical procedure is a mere exercise and a w
well known as is the fact that Bach was paid a gold cup Analytical Processes and the Goldberg Var
filled with one hundred louis-ďor. The work remains a One of the reasons the correlation between
favorite with music lovers to this day and is, in fact, con-
reaction and objective observation is rarely m
siderably more approachable than some of Bach's other it frequently seems naive. As a case in poin
keyboard works. This is probably due to the relatively berg Variations have a surface organization
small size of the movements and the predominance of sotwoobvious that it seems unnecessary to descr
or three-voice texture rather than the four-voice texture it is this clear organization which probably c
common in the fugues of Bach. great deal to the popularity of the work. And
Observations on General Analysis of the great obviousness of the analysis, it is p
The aim of this paper is to undertake to a limited de- because of its significance to the comprehens
gree the analysis of the Aria mit Verschiedenen V er ander-work. Probably the only amazing thing ab
ungen , commonly called the Goldberg Variations. Itface is organization is its great consistency.
useful to mention first, the general objectives of musical were designed by machine to a blueprint rath
analysis and the methods which may be employed. a great composer. As will be shown throug
The following flow chart illustrates the various stagesserves his great creative imagination for the
of a musical work from conception to perception (Ex. details
1). rather than expending it on a highly
The process of analysis may be carried out at any stage plan.
in this chart by simply examining the physical phenomena Master Plan of the Goldberg Variations
Ex. 1. Flow chart The Goldberg Variations consists of a theme, thirty
variations and an exact restatement of the theme. The
theme is in G major as are all but three of the variations.
[ COMPOSER'S ) ( NOTES ON ) ( SOUND IN AIR
The )theme and all of the variations are in strict binary
'k>ea/ '^paper/ VJ Jk form as follows:

II : first phrase, second phrase :||: third phrase, fourth

phrase :||. Every phrase in every variation is strictly eight
OPTIONAL or sixteen measures. The key scheme in the theme (Aria)
f IV ' OPTIONAL PATH / v v~^ v is as follows: first phrase-tonic, second phrase-dominant,
RECORDING ) (REPRODUCTION) ( LISTENER'S )
V J V 7 ^PERCEPTION/ third phrase-relative minor, fourth phrase-tonic. This key
scheme is strictly observed in all of the variations with the
only exceptions being the three variations which are in g
occurring at that point in the process. minor. For example,
In these anrelative minor is replaced
variations the
analysis of stage I must be carried out bysubmediant
by the the composer
major key (E-flat). Otherwise there
himself. An analysis of stage II is the most common
are no deviations type
in the key scheme (Ex. 2).
of musical analysis. This is the examination and analysis
Ex. 2. Bass line , keys , and chord progressions of the
of the music on the page. Analysis of stage III might be
"Goldberg Variations."
carried out with various electronic devices such as sound
pressure meters and so forth. Normally this actually in-
volves analysis on stages IV and V. This type of analysis
is gaining in popularity at the present time with the6
avail-
6
^ ^ ^G: ^ ~ ^V i IV ^
ability of electronic analytical instruments. Stage VI
involves the listener's subjective reactions to the final re-
sulting sound which he hears. This stage is extremely
I II im-
V?
J' i 1 ir' i J. i I
portant in analyzing a popular work such as6 the 6
Goldberg

20 THE AMERICAN MUSIC TEACHER

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 the analysis has failed to shed light on the aspects of mu-
sical composition which are most important in determining
D: VII I II V the value of a work. The next question we must ask is
6
"what are these aspects and how might we describe them?"
Since the appreciation of the Goldberg Variations is a
subjective aesthetic experience, perhaps an analysis of a
I7 II V I
6 6 subjective description will shed some light on the work.
A Subjective Reaction to the Goldberg
Variations
e: I7 III IV V On listening to the Goldberg Variations one is very
IV
likely to be immediately impressed with the technique of
the piece. This technique involves every facet of the
players technique but the technique is actually built into
I IV V I
6
the music. With few exceptions the music is virtuosic in
25
nature and is "grateful" to play, as pianists often say. That
is to say, it repays work with a natural brilliance in per-
,l
formance; it does not require special precautions so as to
G: II HI II y7 V
6 V make it "come off" as a piece of music.
32
A second impression might be that the music builds
to a natural high point in the several final variations with
I7 IV V I a sort of gathering of momentum. There is no denying
Every third that the most brilliant writing, from a pianistic (or rather
variation c
from the unison to the ninth. The canon is in two voices clavicinistic?) point of view is in the final variations where
figuristic writing often takes the place of counterpoint.
and is accompanied by a third free part (usually in the
In these movements, small figures are played in arrays
bass) thus producing a sort of trio sonata style where the
third voice in the bass establishes the functions and root over the entire range of the instrument and small, fast
trills and figurai patterns are interspersed in the middle of
movements in the pieces.
slow moving outer voices. Crossed hands (involving the use
The remaining twenty-one movements are a sort of
of two keyboards on the harpsichord) is a common occur-
compendium of Baroque forms all presented within the
rence as lines get transposed into all ranges of the instru-
rigid formal structure and key scheme outlined earlier.
ment. It is interesting to note that, although transposition
Movements include a Fughetta (Var. 10), a French over-
of all sorts occurs in many of the pieces, there is really
ture (Var. 16), a Quodlibet (Var. 30), a two-part invention
very little exact invertible counterpoint. Usually, if a so-
(Var. 1), a three-part invention (Var. 2), a Courant (Var.
prano line is transposed to the bass a new variation of the
6), a Fantasia (Var. 14), a Gigue (Var. 22), a Sarabande
previous counterpoint is devised to take the soprano (e.g.,
(Var. 13) and other forms not as easily identified. Of par-
ticular interest are the movements toward the end where Var. 2, Var. 5, Var. 17). On the other hand, a good ex-
ample of invertible counterpoint can be found in Var.
Bach uses a rather free fantasia style (Vars. 23, 25, 26 and
11, however, even here the invertible counterpoint (be-
28). The keyboard techniques become of particular inter-
tween measures 1 and 9) cannot be continued very far
est here as Bach seems to be interested in bringing the set
due to the necessities of modulation imposed by the rigid
of variations to a rousing conclusion.
tonal scheme.
Thus is presented the basic plan of the Goldberg Vari-
Another impression that the listener is likely to have
ations, a plan which is carried out flawlessly from a tech-
concerning the variations is that they are not isolated
nical standpoint. It is interesting to note the similarities
between this set of variations and the Chaconne or Pas- pieces but that they have structural inter-relations and that
sacaglia due to the incessant use of the identical chord the and entire piece works as a musical unit greater than the
key scheme for all variations. sum of its parts. Of course, the common form and key
scheme in all movements provides some of this effect but
Such an analysis, while describing the Goldberg Vari-
even more than that there is a sort of musical drama tak-
ations superficially, fails completely to convey the special
ing place as a certain motive is gradually revealed and
value of this music. It fails completely to explain why this
developed to a position of central importance as the vari-
is among the greatest and most popular of all Baroque
ations progress. The figure referred to is simply the use
music. It fails in this precisely because it fails to take into
of a note and its upper or lower neighbor: a, b, a in the
account the final element in the scheme of musical analysis
first and second measures of the aria, g, f#, g in the third
presented earlier. Thus, if we agree that the Goldberg
measure (Ex. 3). The figure is also reflected in the frequent
Variations is a fascinating and engrossing work, the most
Ex. 3. Examples of the changing tone figure in the Aria
significant thing our analysis could accomplish is to shed
some light on the characteristics which make it so. After r~rv

all, there is nothing in the description previously presented

that would indicate that the Goldberg Variations is any-
thing but a pedantic set of exercises. In fact, the very con-
sistency of keys and chord progressions in the various use of
movements and their unvarying use of the binary form ing var
would seem to suggest that the total work could be nothing 14, 19, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29. The figure also plays a
but boring. That it is not so is an obvious indication that (continued on page 22)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1969 21

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GOLDBERG VARIATIONS ( continued from page 21) ures - a degree of development takes place. Starting in
prominent role in the other variations even though measure
not nine, another level of development takes place;
here
appearing in the first measure. Any doubts that such a a figure almost identical with the lower part at the
plan is intended by the composer must be thoroughly dis- beginning is again in the lower part, but the upper part is a
pelled by variations 26, 28, and 29 where this figurenew is variant of the upper part at the beginning. In meas-
ure 13 an approximate inversion of measure nine appears
developed to such an extent that these special figures dom-
inate the movements completely (Ex. 4). but with still another degree of development and with a
Ex. 4. Examples of the development of the changing-tone cadence on the dominant to suit the key scheme.
figure. And so it is in virtually every piece. When a seeming
inversion or repetition appears, it turns out not to be exact
but some sort of development derived from the theme of
the movement. Perhaps this is one of the factors which
gives the work its constantly changing quality. There are
Var. 29 no set pieces in this work. The pieces all forge ahead with
great momentum, possibly due to the lack of exact repeti-
tion and the use of constant development.
L J w Also interesting is the fact that the melody of the
aria is never used in any of the variations; the variations are
Another subjective impression the Goldberg Variations
variations on the given bass rather than being thematic
is likely to generate is the feeling of great momentum in
variations as more recent works are likely to be. This
the musical ideas of many of the movements. This is one
heightens the similarity to the chaconne or passacaglia. It
of those things which is so difficult to analyze in any
also allows the composer to invent new melodic figures for
conventional musical terms. It is also a subject directly re-
each movement, which Bach does. Thus, in addition to the
lated to the great appeal of the music, and is directly re-
melodic use of the major-second figure already mentioned,
lated to the keyboard technique. This momentum is
every movement has its own unique melodic motives which
largely attained by means of repeated motives having
unify the movement. Certainly no better example could
strong motoric qualities. As outstanding examples of this
be found than Var. 4 where the figure of a third followed
see Var. 1, Var. 8, Var. 11, Var. 14, Var. 17, Var. 23,
Var. 26. by a fifth is used no less than sixteen times in the first
sixteen measures. It is used with somewhat more freedom
And so, it must be admitted that the first impression
and does not usually appear exactly the same in the second
the listener is likely to receive from the work as a whole
sixteen measures however.
is that it is a fantastically brilliant display piece for the
Those movements which do not have a specific melodic
keyboard virtuoso. That is to say, it offers perfect oppor-
motive always have a definite rhythmic motive used with
tunity for the virtuoso to exercise the total of his ability
great frequency and developed in the course of the move-
and at the same time play a work which is completely en-
ment. Thus, each movement is unified in itself by means
grossing to the listener as a musical experience. The author
of motivic development and through its unique form, i.e.,
feels that it is a great mistake to overestimate the cerebral
canon, overture, invention, and so forth. The complete set
qualities of Bach's music at the expense of the virtuoso
of variations is unified through the use of the common bass
and even perfunctory musicianship of the pieces. Bach,
line, chord progressions, key, and binary structure of the
unlike so many musicians today, was a complete musician
various forms employed in the various movements. The
who excelled in all phases of musical activity. Perhaps
total work is also unified by means of the development
this is one reason for the unusual power of his music; cer-
of the neighboring-tone motive and by means of a gradual
tainly his keyboard music was composed out of the great-
increase in the freedom of the forms and in the amount of
est store of knowledge and experience as a performer,
keyboard technique (free fantasia) which reaches a peak
composer, improviser, and so forth.
in the final variations. The work is also unified by means
Thus the Goldberg Variations, rather than being pe-
of the cyclic repetition of the aria at the end of the thirty
dantic in any way is more like, say, the Carnival of Robert
variations.
Schumann, also a virtuoso piece as well as a set of varia-
Many of these things, while obvious and easy to point
tions, than it is similar to any academic model that could
be found. out are not easy to compose. They would make the work
Further Details an important milestone in the development of music, par-
ticularly as a summary of Baroque forms and as an exer-
In analyzing the specific movements of the Goldberg
cise in the variation technique. Still, the thing which makes
Variations in detail one is constantly at a loss for words to
the work such a captivating experience for the listener or
explain what he feels is there but for which no convenient
terms have been coined. The motivic structure of the the player is the power and momentum contained in the
motives and in the melodic writing in these variations. This
movements has already been mentioned, as have the series
makes the work unique as an experience and usually strong
of canons. But the listener is constantly aware that there
when seen against the backdrop of Baroque keyboard
is something else which escapes precise analysis and which
music in general.
is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the entire work.
This something else might be described as progressive
Robert C. Ehle is currently a technical writer on the Ad-
variation. For example, in the first variation, a two-part
vanced Scientific Computer project at Texas Instruments Incor-
invention, two parts begin simultaneously in theporated,
first Dallas, Texas, and consultant to the Electronic Music
Composition Laboratory at North Texas State University,
measure. After four measures the two parts are inverted,
Denton, Texas .
but they are not exactly the same as in the first four meas-

22 THE AMERICAN MUSIC TEACHER

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