Anna Harwell Celenza - Bachs Goldberg Variations

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123

B ACHS

Goldberg

V ariation s

Anna Harwell Celenza

Illustrated by

JoAnn E. Kitchel

Text copyright 2005 by Anna Harwell Celenza

Illustrations copyright 2005 by JoAnn E. Kitchel

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Charlesbridge and colophon are registered trademarks of Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.

Published by Charlesbridge

85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

(617) 926-0329

www.charlesbridge.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Celenza, Anna Harwell.

Bachs Goldberg Variations / Anna Harwell Celenza ; illustrated by JoAnn E. Kitchel.

p. cm.

Summary: Eighteenth-century composer Johann Sebastian Bach helps young organist Johann Gottlieb Goldberg

by giving him lessons and by presenting him with a composition which came to be called the Goldberg Variations .

Includes historical notes.

ISBN-13: 978-1-57091-510-9; ISBN-10: 1-57091-510-5 (reinforced for library use)

1. Bach, Johann Sebastian, 16851750Juvenile fiction. 2. Goldberg, Johann Gottlieb, 17271756Juvenile fiction.

[1. Bach, Johann Sebastian, 16851750Fiction. 2. Goldberg, Johann Gottlieb, 17271756Fiction.

3. MusicHistory and criticismFiction.] I. Kitchel, JoAnn E., ill. II. Title.

PZ7.C314Bac 2004003301

[E]dc22

Printed in Korea

(hc)109876543

Illustrations done in watercolor and ink on Arches cold press paper

Display type and text type set in Operina, Giovanni, and Della Robbia

Color separations, printing, and binding by Sung In Printing, South Korea

Production supervision by Brian G. Walker

Designed by Diane M. Earley

Synched Read-Along Version by:

Triangle Interactive LLC

PO Bo 573

Prior Lake, MN 55372

ISBN-13: 978-1-68444-714-5 (e-book)

To Dominic Barth. Thanks for

being a great editor.A. H. C.

For David and Ford, a couple

of night owls.J. E. K.

n a cold autumn morning in 1737 ,

Count Keyserlingk sat in a wooden pew at St . Marys

church in Gdansk , Poland. The Counts friend and

music adviser , Johann Sebastian Bach , had brought

him there , promising a special treat .

What in the world do you expect to show me

here ? asked the Count , shivering . All I see is a drafty

church with a few old parishioners .

Bach pointed to the organ loft above . There he is .

I knew he would come . This is what we have been

waiting for .

The Count looked up as a ten-year-old boy sat

down in front of the organ . Within minutes , waves

of glorious music poured down from the pipes above .

Who is that young man ? whispered the

Count , impressed .

His name is Goldberg , replied Bach .

Johann Gottlieb Goldberg .

He has talent ! said the Count .

Bach nodded . He is good , but not as good

as he could be . It is a pity he will never get the

training he needs .

What do you mean ? asked the Count .

Why not ?

Goldberg is an orphan , said Bach . He has

no one to take care of him .

Then I shall take care of him , declared the

Count , proud of himself for being so generous .

I have been looking for someone to polish my

silver and help in the kitchen . I will give him a

position at court . There he will be able to earn

his keep, and in his spare time he can play the

harpsichord in my salon .

Bach did not say anything at first . He had

hoped the Count would take young Goldberg

under his wing , but not as a houseboy . Since

you are being so generous , said Bach , I will

make an offering as well . Each time I come visit

you at court , I will give the boy a music lesson .

Splendid ! said the Count . It appears we

have both done our good deed for the day .

So Goldberg went to work at the

Counts palace in Dresden . Every

morning and evening he helped in the

kitchen , and in the afternoons he spent

hours polishing the Counts silver .

There was little time for music , but

Goldberg was not discouraged . His new

music teacher , Mr . Bach , gave Goldberg

a lesson three or four times a year . Mr .

Bach was very kind to him . Goldberg

was determined to become a great

musician , and he tiptoed into the salon

every night and practiced the harpsichord

while Count Keyserlingk slept .

Life continued on like this for several

years . But then in 1741 , Count Keyserlingk

began having stomach pains . He found i t

hard to sleep . As he lay in bed one night ,

he thought he heard music coming from the

salon . Who could be playing at this time

of night ? he wondered .

Goldberg was so absorbed in his music

that he never heard the

tap ... tap ... tap

of approaching footsteps . The door slowly

opened creak ... Goldberg stopped

playing and cautiously turned around .

Next page

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