Who's behind the notes? Discover Johann Sebastian Bach: Master of Baroque Music
The Air with Variations in C minor, BWV 991, is a harpsichord work by Johann Sebastian Bach found in the 1722 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. Interestingly, the work is incomplete in the manuscript - the bass line of the Air is missing, followed by one complete variation and another incomplete variation. This has led musicologists to speculate whether Bach intentionally left it unfinished or if pages were lost. The work showcases Bach's mastery of variation form within the Baroque style, though it remains one of his lesser-known keyboard works compared to more famous collections like the Goldberg Variations.