The Genius of Glenn Gould’s ‘Goldberg Variations’

Pianist Glenn Gould at the keyboard. His recording of the "Goldberg Variations" set the standard for other performances of the composition. (Public Domain)

From the first notes you hear of any performance of J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” it is impossible not to think of Glenn Gould’s interpretations. No one could have predicted that his two recordings of Bach’s notoriously difficult work, almost 30 years apart, would not only make him internationally famous, but also change the scope of classical music forever.

The battered chair of pianist Glenn Gould, which he carried with him to perform. (Public Domain)

Referred to as a genius by the press, Gould perfectly fit the eccentric genius character with his reclusive personality and habits. No matter what the weather, he wore an overcoat and gloves. Wherever he would play, he would bring his battered chair, and warm his hands in a hot water basin before he performed. Then, he would play, hunched over his piano, often altering the tempo of pieces and humming along, as was the case with the “Goldberg Variations.”

In June 1955, the Canadian pianist, only 22, recorded his debut album at Columbia Records 30th Street studio in Manhattan, New York, in only four days. He chose to record the “Goldberg Variations,” an obscure work then, judged impossible even by Bach scholar, Albert Schweitzer. The people at Columbia tried to dissuade Gould, but he had already decided.

Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach, 1746, by Elias Gotlob Houssmann. The figure is shown holding holding the manuscript to BWV 1076, which is also the thirteenth canon in the Goldberg Canon cycle. (Public Domain)

His record sold over 100,000 copies in his lifetime, becoming one of the most well-known piano recordings ever. The album gained attention for the artist’s incredibly precise performance and his unique method, incorporating a finger technique that would provide a very clear articulation, even at high speed and little sustaining pedal.

An incredibly technical work first published in 1741, the “Variations” consists of 32 movements: one aria (a solo instrumental piece, the theme of a larger work), 30 variations, and an Aria Da Capo (an aria that concludes the piece as it returns to the initial aria).

The theme underlies the aria in the bass line, which was unusual for Baroque music. Each variation continues to follow this bass line with a harmonic progression, increasing the interval between the melodic lines. The last variation is a quodlibet, a combination of two popular songs in counterpoint that incorporates different musical lines in a composition, underneath the principal theme.

A piece of the score of the aria in "The Goldberg Variations." (Public Domain)

Gould presented all these contrapuntal details with surprising clarity through his superior technique, passion, and vigor.

Second Time Around

Gould chose to rerecord the “Goldberg Variations” in 1981 with CBS Masterworks, 27 years after his first recording. New technology and a desire to re-examine the work led him back to the recording studio. The record came out a week before his death and proved as successful as the first one, reaching over two million in sales by 2000.

His 1981 recording is still recognizable as Gould with his precision, attention to counterpoint, and idiosyncratic humming. But a lot changed between these two recordings.

Both are benchmarks for Bach’s music and Gould’s artistry, as well as being a staple of any musical collection. The first recording is often described as a young man’s recording: agitated yet controlled, full of exuberance in its eerily fast tempo while ignoring repeats, resulting in a record just over 38 minutes.

The second recording, over 51 minutes long, is often described as autumnal, and that of a mature artist. It is slower, more expressive and reflective, with a greater narrative flow between each variation, while maintaining Gould’s trademark clarity and crisp touch. Both of these recordings demonstrate the profoundness of time passing while keeping the genius of the artist much alive. The 1981 version became not just a pianistic, but a spiritual intensity.

Gould’s incredible artistry brought Bach’s music back to life for a wider audience. With his interpretation of the “Goldberg Variations,” he combined the two key elements of the composer’s music: the soul-enhancing effect combined with the “rational” structures. Gould managed to transmit both of these through his novel interpretations, which led the variations into the mainstream classical keyboard repertoire and beyond.

Title page of the "Goldberg Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach. (Public Domain)

Since Gould’s interpretations, hundreds of recordings of the variations came out with different artistic choices, instruments, durations, and use of repeats. But Glenn Gould’s revolutionary interpretations were always the reference point for all these artists.

The Gould versions continue to capture the public’s imagination as they seem to transcend time.