This series aims to make Bach's Goldberg Variations more comfortable to play on piano. Urtext notation edits and fingering suggestions featured in each video for download in my new edition:
VIDEO:
Bach Goldberg Variations (Complete) in Overhead Keyboard View (v.2)
http://youtu.be/OJieBT99R-4
FREE SCORE:
Google Drive non-compressed PDF Bach Goldberg Variations for piano 167MB
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzwr-5tDUtSESXI4amhJbC16Q0k/edit?usp=sharing
Google Drive compressed PDF Bach Goldberg Variations for piano 63MB
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzwr-5tDUtSEZ3g4UFhReHZ5dU0/edit?usp=sharing
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
FREE CREATIVE COMMONS AUDIO FILES:
"Bach Goldberg Variations, Paul Barton FEURICH harmonic pedal piano" (duration 1 hour 28 minutes) is offered to you with compliments of FEURICH - Vienna, the Harmonic Pedal - Paris, and myself in Thailand.
WAVE: 933 MB https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzwr-5tDUtSEVUhwaTNUWnRfWHM/edit?usp=sharing
MP3 file: 127 MB https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzwr-5tDUtSETTkwMU1yUklleDA/edit?usp=sharing
This recording was made on a FEURICH 218 grand piano with harmonic pedal. http://www.feurich.com
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
PIANO LESSON: videos take each variation individually, highlight changes made to the urtext notation and offer fingering suggestions via variation played at a slow tempo.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzSEchvesNHY3Sq1wQxk9inj0b09loCiZ
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ARIA: (and Aria da Capo) is played from the Ferruccio Busoni edition of the Goldberg Variations available (Free) from IMSLP Public Domain Music Library.
http://imslp.org/wiki/Goldberg-Variationen,_BWV_988_%28Bach,_Johann_Sebastian%29
Select "Arrangements and Transcriptions" tab.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
HARMONIC PEDAL:
In this recording I use the harmonic pedal (4th pedal on the Lyra) Our English and French language Harmonic Pedal channels:
http://www.youtube.com/Harmonicpianopedal
http://www.youtube.com/LaPedaleHarmonique
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Spoken dialogue in this video in English language text (as requested for online translation)
Here is Variation 1 from the urtext edition with my suggested fingering added.
I've re-grouped the notes in bars 13 and 14 (the section written by hand) to make these bars more comfortable to play -- it also allows the pairs of F# and G in bass clef to be played either legato or staccato, whereas in the urtext these notes can only be played in staccato with the right hand crossing over the left.
You can download this as part a free PDF "Bach Goldberg Variations for Piano" linked in the video info box below.
In the related Aria tutorial I covered in general terms how Bach composed the set of variations on a ground bass line. Let's remind ourselves how Variation 1 fits on top of this ground bass.
(example)
In this video series I attempt to relate the variations one to the other, sequentially.
The initial chosen tempo, dynamics and mood of the opening Aria can effect the tempo, dynamics and mood of follow-on Variation 1, and so on, to the end.
Just how much contrast in tempo, dynamics and touch we wish to make between Variation 1 and the preceding Aria - and that goes for Variation 1 and 2, -- 2 and 3 and so on, is something we can think about when practicing each variation individually. That's to say, While practicing we can (if we wish) consider how we choose to interpret any given variation it relationship to the preceding, following and as part of the variation set as a whole.
With that in mind here's the tail end of the Aria and Variation 1 run together in an overhead keyboard view. You will notice the way I have chosen to change how the notes are divided between the hands in bars 13 and 14.
Here is Variation 1 at a slow tempo for those looking for complete fingering suggestions.