Memo-2011

Type:

Bach Signature

Title:

Bach hidden signature in Goldberg Variations # 25

Description:

Variation 25 (adagio) has the strange almost atonal atmosphere of a minor key cantilene after the first cycle of the 8 triplevoiced canons (remember var 24=3x8). Also in 25 there is a suspicious place. For a long time I have been pondering about why Bach suddenly switches to triolas instead of 16ths and 32nds notes in bar 7. I assume that this is done to mark his signature. (See figure below.) A strange searching little loop, which has almost no relation to the rest of the variation! The signature is cleverly hidden in as well 'Bach-notes' (German b=H and German b-flat=B) as in the number of notes and also in the number of half tone distances between the notes. (Besides maybe there is also a symbolic link to the number 12 here. There are 11 triola notes and 1 with binding to the next. Maybe a symbol of the twelve Apostels, with Judas (the traitor, so just a bit different from the rest) as the last one.) Between the 6^th and 7^th note we can see 4 up, 1 down also as a weaker signature of J.S. Bach (9+18+14)

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Source/Links: Tjako van Schie
Contributor: Teddy Kaufman (December 2007)