The Timeless Charm of the ‘Goldberg Variations’ & Tchaikovsky

As a special treat, the Goldberg Variations will be performed by Orchestra della Toscana which will conducted by Dmitry Sitkovetsky for the first time on Saturday, March 10 at Verdi in Florence and on Tuesday, March 13 at Verdi Theatre in Pisa, starting at 9 pm. The second half of the ORT program will be dedicated to an interpretation of the Serenade for String Orchestra Opus 48 by Tchaikovsky.

As the story of the Goldberg Variations goes, Hermann Carl Keyserling, an 18th century Russian ambassador to Dresden, Germany, who suffered from insomnia commissioned Bach to compose several pieces to help relieve his sleepless nights. The pieces originally titled ‘Aria mit verschie-denen Veränderungen’ were to be performed by the young and talented Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, a harpsichordist at his service. The works later became known by their performer’s name “Goldberg Variations, “ which were meant to be explored through diverse instrumental combinations: harpsichord and piano, two pianos, wind quartet, organ, and later on, with the guitar, a jazz trio and even with the synthesizer.

The solo violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky transcribed ‘Goldberg Variations’ in 1984 for string trio that soon became a classic. One of the most talented and renowned musicians of his generation, Dmitry Sitkovetsky celebrates his love for Italy and arrives for the first time at the ORT to lead his 1992 transcription of the ‘Goldberg Variations’ for a chamber orchestra. Sitkovetsky has come up with new arrangements for over 50 classic compositions including those of Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Bartók, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, and Schnittke.

An exceptional violinist with a career documented by dozens of recordings and a wide selection of chamber repertoire, Sitrovetsky is also a bold innovator in the field of musical communication.  He has made several digital shows designed for active involvement. His multimedia project  “Not So Classical” combines film and live performances in a new format which was inspired by Histoire du Soldat by Stravinsky and includes street dance, physical theater, poetry and animation.   (berfin altinisik)