Brad Mehdlau's Goldberg Variations VII

On his 2024 album After Bach II, Brad Mehldau improvises his own Goldberg Variations, loosely based on the harmonic structure of Bach's famous masterpiece. The result are seven short pieces, with different metrics (3/4, 4/4, 7/8, 5/8…). Each one is fascinating, and can teach a lot on Brad's playing!

Transcription is a form of translation, and choices must be made to make the musician's improvised choices understandable. Here, I admit that I had a hard time figuring out what Brad Mehldau was thinking.

So I made two versions of this transcription: a "simple" 4/4 version (with some quirks when I think Brad forgets a beat) ; and another one that navigates between 4/4 and 6/8, because at times it seems like Brad is thinking that way. I think the second one is easier to read, but you may disagree – in any case I don't think either one is perfect.

Listen here.

PDF, 4 pages (each version, you get both if you buy the transcription)

You can also buy the transcriptions of the entire variations.