Ep 3. J. S. Bach?Goldberg Variations

Trace the roots of this iconic masterpiece and the purported circumstances of its creation. Penetrate its complexity by digging into its "concentric" structure--the groups of variations and larger divisions in the material that form the work's musical architecture. In particular, discover the remarkable "trinities"-- successive groups of three variations, each trinity comprising character pieces, toccatas, and canons, and how they serve the larger unity and spiritual meaning of the set. Learn also about Bach's admittedly checkered relationship with the piano.