Jean Rondeau, celebrated contemporary ambassador for his instrument, plays the Goldberg Variations on harpsichord. Composed (according to the title page) “for the soul’s delight of music lovers”, Bach’s Goldberg Variations fascinate every generation of musicians. This music reflects the world it finds itself in: past, present and future. The Goldberg Variations are 75 minutes of wildly virtuosic keyboard music: demanding, exacting, filled with glittering, intricate ornaments, but equally liberating for player and listener both. As Bach himself wrote, they were “composed for music-lovers to refresh their spirits” (reportedly in particular for warding off insomnia). Each of the 30 successive variations grows out of the previous one yet unfolds its own individual magic and drama, offering reassurance as well as exhilaration. We are thrilled to welcome outstanding musician Jean Rondeau to Bold Tendencies for the first time, to play the Goldberg Variations on the harpsichord - as they would have been when first played in 1741 by Bach’s student, 14-year-old harpsichordist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg. This event is supported by Scops Art Trust and the Continuo Foundation. Presented by Bold Tendencies. All ages.