It is NOT a lullaby
The very first biography of J.S. Bach, written by Forkel, has this famous anecdote about how the so-called “Goldberg” Variations came to be.
[For this work] we have to thank the instigation of the former Russian ambassador to the electoral court of Saxony, Count Kaiserling, who often stopped in Leipzig and brought there with him the aforementioned Goldberg, in order to have him given musical instruction by Bach. The Count was often ill and had sleepless nights. At such times, Goldberg, who lived in his house, had to spend the night in an antechamber, so as to play for him during his insomnia. … Once the Count mentioned in Bach’s presence that he would like to have some clavier pieces for Goldberg, which should be of such a smooth and somewhat lively character that he might be a little cheered up by them in his sleepless nights. Bach thought himself best able to fulfill this wish by means of Variations, the writing of which he had until then considered an ungrateful task on account of the repeatedly similar harmonic foundation. But since at this time all his works were already models of art, such also these variations became under his hand. Yet he produced only a single work of this kind. Thereafter the Count always called them his variations. He never tired of them, and for a long time sleepless nights meant: ‘Dear Goldberg, do play me one of my variations.’ Bach was perhaps never so rewarded for one of his works as for this. The Count presented him with a golden goblet filled with 100 louis-d’or. Nevertheless, even had the gift been a thousand times larger, their artistic value would not yet have been paid for.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldberg_Variations
As nice as the story is, it is baseless. The major evidences that go against the story above are the followings.
- Goldberg was 14 years old in 1841
- There is no dedication on the title page
- No golden goblet was found among Bach’s possession at the time of his death
- It makes for an unlikely lullaby.
Then, why did Bach write this massive work?
Simply put, Bach probably wrote it for God. A devout Lutheran, he often wrote either of the followings in his manuscripts.
- S.D.G = Soli deo Gloria (for God’s glory alone)
- J.N.J = In Nomine Jesu (In the name of Jesus)
One evidence is in Bach’s symbolic use of numbers in the work
For example, you find the number “32” everywhere in the piece.
1. Aria + 30 variations + Aria = 32 sections
2. The variations are based on a 32-note bass note pattern.
3. The aria, as well as 25/30 variations are 32 measures long.
4. The first publication of the piece, edited under Bach’s own supervision, is 32 pages long.
In order to fit this long piece into 32 pages took a lot of maneuvering, including very inconvenient page turns in the middle of some variations.
What is so special about the number 32?
It is not so much 32, but 3 and 2. Look at the title page from the aforementioned first publication of the piece.
There are three lines with big fonts: Clavier Ubung: ARIA: Johann Sebastian Bach. For the rest of the title pages the lines are grouped in 2, or 3: 2-3-2-3-2
The 3’s throughout the Goldberg Variations
1. 30 variations are organized in 10 groups of three variations: each group contains an exercise in style, keyboard technique, and canon, representing the mind, the body, and spirit, like in the holy trinity (God, son and the holy ghosts).
2. Every variation is in G Major, except for 3 that are in G Minor.
3. Majority of the variations are in triple meter.
The 2’s throughout the Goldberg Variations
1. The whole piece is divided in two big parts, separated by Variation 16, the French Overture
2. Each variation is in two parts, separated in the middle by a repeat sign.
3. Two choices: G Major, or G Minor.
My album, Goldberg Variations, can be purchased here: https://musicalmakiko.com/en/discography
I hope these information enhances your listening pleasure of this great, great music! Please leave any comments or questions you might have!!