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Bach's Goldberg Variations

Soul Music Series 9

An exploration of what Bach’s harpsichord piece from the 1740s Goldberg Variations means to different people now. From 2010.

Bach wrote his Goldberg Variations for harpsichord in the 1740s, but today it's performed by pianists all over the world.

People describe the place these pieces have in their lives.

This includes:

* A neuroscientist from New York
* Pianist Angela Hewitt
* A father driving his family through the night in the Australian Outback
* A woman from Oregon whose life was transformed, perhaps even saved, by this music.

Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.

Producer: Sarah Conkey

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2010.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 11 Apr 2026 00:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra

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Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations

Credits

Producer Rosie Boulton
Producer Lucy Lunt
Producer Sara Conkey
Composer Johann Sebastian Bach

Broadcasts

  • Tue 23 Mar 2010 13:30
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sat 27 Mar 2010 15:30
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 9 Sep 2016 18:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 10 Sep 2016 00:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 2 Mar 2021 18:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 3 Mar 2021 00:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 10 Apr 2026 10:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 10 Apr 2026 16:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 11 Apr 2026 00:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra

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Podcast

  • Soul Music

    Series about pieces of music with a powerful emotional impact