Goldberg Story

RESONANCE - track 10

Stephanie Cummins; Cello/ Joey Pero; trumpet

Goldberg Variation 1:

Folklore winds a tale of the “Goldberg Variations” that is fanciful and lovely. It is said, that in 1736 while residing in Leipzig as the Polish Royal and Saxon Electoral court Composer, Johann Sebastian Bach would often receive visits from the Russian Ambassador to the Electorate of Saxony Count Keyserlingk, and his court musician, Johann Gottlieb Goldberg. The count was in poor health and would often have Goldberg play harpsichord for him on sleepless nights. One day, the Count asked Bach to write some pieces for Goldberg to play that might uplift his spirits and ease his insomnia. Enter; “The Goldberg Variations.”

Just as the Goldberg Variations were written to help the Count wind down, it also acts as the beginning of the wind down of Resonance. Originally written for keyboard, Joey has once again bridged a gap between old and new while managing to maintain elegance and integrity of the piece by voicing it for trumpet and cello. “The Goldberg Variations” can easily be associated with resonance as there purpose is to act as a cure to insomnia. We would challenge anyone to listen to the Goldberg Variations while trying to sleep; you may not make it past variation 5 before conking out. This is a testament to the power of musical resonance and its ability to penetrate at a biological level. Any and all of Bach’s works could easily have fit on the record we call Resonance. Coincidently, Joey and Stephanie recorded the Goldberg in the same studio that Glenn Gould recorded his iconic 1955 version.

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J.S. Bach will always be a source of inspiration and discovery to us. As part of the live adaptation of "Resonance", the band and I play a rock-n-roll version of Goldberg. Stay tuned, there is much more to come~!

Joey