5 January—Everybody knows or at least has heard of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. But who knows or has even heard of Goldberg?

First, to refresh your memory, the virtuosically torturous Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) comprise an aria—theme—and 30 variations for keyboard written by J.S. Bach and first published in 1741. But Goldberg didn’t write the theme. And the masterpiece wasn’t named for a Jewish impresario. Rather, namesake Goldberg may have been the first performer of the work.

May have been? Nobody’s certain. But who really cares?

In 1741 Johann Gottlieb Goldberg would have been only 14. It’s entirely possibly that he introduced Bach’s variations, though, because he was a keyboard prodigy—a virtuoso harpsichordist and organist from early childhood—and likely a student of both J.S. Bach and his eldest son, W.F. (Wilhelm Friedemann).

Johann Goldberg died in 1756 of tuberculosis. He was only 29. And, believe it or not, he wasn’t Jewish. Unlike a number of Jewish-born composers and conductors who converted, mostly to Roman Catholicism and usually for professional reasons, J.G. never suffered the stigma of being Jewish. (Rest assured, you don’t have to be Jewish to be Goldberg. But it helps.)

(Quite a few stubborn Jews also believe that you have to be Jewish to be called Gottlieb because it means “beloved by God.” Of course, they’re crazy. But that’s what religion is all about, after all. And what’s in a name?)

Anyway, in addition to being a successful performer, Johann Goldberg in his all-too-short life was a popular composer of instrumental and choral works. So here’s one of his solo instrumental compositions, the fugue from his Prelude and Fugue in F minor—played on a harpsichord: