GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

Bach in an Unusual Trio Arrangement by D. Sitkovetsky

 

Artists:

Gevorg Nachopetjan, violin
Jumiko Shibata, viola
Dmitrij Gornowskij, cello

 

Total duration: 

approx. 70 minutes
The duration of the programme can be adapted as needed.

 

 

 

CONCEPT AND PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

 

“Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations are among the most treasured masterpieces of the Baroque era – a cycle of timeless beauty that speaks to both mind and heart.” 

 

In the brilliant 1985 arrangement by Dmitri Sitkovetsky, created to mark Bach’s 300th anniversary, the Variations are re-imagined for a rare string trio: violin, viola, and cello. This version opens the work to new colours, contrapuntal dialogues and chamber-music intimacy – offering a fresh lens on one of Bach’s greatest achievements.

 

In this form, each variation becomes a discreet world – at times sparkling with virtuosity, at times tenderly poetic, and at others deeply meditative. Yet they remain interconnected, like currents in a river of baroque mastery newly awakened. Instead of a static repetition of the Aria with its thirty changes, the cycle is presented as a flowing journey – each set of variations an invitation to rediscover Bach’s universe in a fresh light.

 

The performance takes place in an intimate, sensuous atmosphere: warm candlelight bathes the space in golden glow while the trio unfolds Bach’s timeless music. Every line, every voice becomes palpable, every harmony felt – and the audience is invited to immerse themselves in the shimmering cosmos of the Variations, and in doing so, to experience a different kind of time.

 

 

 

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

​

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Trio Arrangement by Dmitri Sitkovetsky [approx. 70 min]

 

The duration of the programme can be adjusted.