Bach's Goldberg Variations
Kindergarten-Grade 3-This fictional account surrounding the composition and naming of one of Bach's most famous musical works tells the story of Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, an orphan who is one of the composer's students. When the boy becomes a servant for Count Keyserlingk, he has no time to practice during the day, so he practices in the middle of the night. One night, the Count hears him and urges him to learn a new piece every week; first one filled with energy, then a canon, then a piece "with everything." Desperate, the boy turns to his teacher, who plays his "Variations," a complex composition that has a musical "riddle" hidden within it. The child practices it faithfully and by the end of the week, he plays it for the Count, who is so delighted that he names Goldberg the Court's official harpsichordist and often calls out to him, "Goldberg! Play your variations!" A note explains that the origins of the piece are unclear, but it is known that Bach visited the count in Dresden in 1741 and shortly thereafter Goldberg began playing this composition. This accessible and readable story will lead young readers to find out more about both Bach and his young student. The watercolor illustrations, filled with period touches, give the lad an appealing personality as he struggles with his chores and his music. The four cherubs who adorn many of the pages add to the 18th-century tone as they echo both the sentiments and the music on the page.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.