goldberg.mid: [38:10]
   Bach, Johann Sebastian [1685-1750, German]
   The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 [1741]

Notes from John Sankey, the sequencer:

   The "Air with several Variations for Harpsichord with 2
   Manuals", as J.S.Bach called it, was written in 1741 on
   commission to be played by one of Bach's pupils named
   Goldberg, and is now usually known as the "Goldberg
   Variations".

   Although some German harpsichords had as many as five sets
   of strings, Bach obviously wrote these variations for an
   instrument configured in the French manner, with three strings,
   an 8'(the normal pitch) and 4' (an octave higher) played from
   one manual, and a second 8' played from the second manual.
   Although the two manuals could be coupled together, this
   made the touch sufficiently heavy that it would not have
   been used for long periods of playing. Three primary tone
   colours were used - the two 8' in unison for passages where
   the longest possible sustaining power was desired, the
   8'+4' contrasted with the single 8' for a loud-soft effect,
   and each 8' separately when two overlapping equal-weight
   voices were wanted.

   General Midi makes no provision for such things, nor do any
   sound cards of which I am aware, so you will have to choose
   from among your available sounds those which best meet the
   above musical criteria. Channel 2 contains the parts I play
   on the upper manual 8', channel 3 the lower 8', channel 4
   the 8'+4', and channel 5 with the two 8' strings.

   Anyone may copy and play these files for their personal
   enjoyment. They are a record of my performance and are not
   mechanically derived from any source. They were created and
   edited using a MIDI keyboard, Cubase Compact for Windows,
   and a Soundblaster Pro. 

   John Sankey        bf250@freenet.carleton.ca

Please report errors or additional info for this description to
David K. Gasaway, dgasaway@elite.net or mndmld@usa.net