"Gothenburg Variations" (BWV988) is a late keyboard work of J.S. Bach, published in 1741. The whole song has 32 sections, and all performances are 40-80 minutes. This work has not been taken seriously until the first half of the 20th century—public performance and recording of female harpsichord Landowska (Landowska). Later, in 1955, Canadian pianist Glenn Gould chose it as his first recording. The Gothenburg Variations are regarded as one of the most important variations in Bach's works. The whole work includes themes, 30 variations and repeated themes.

J. S. Bach's "Gothenburg Variations", BWV988, is Bach's famous harpsichord work, made around 1741-1742. Bach was in Leipzig, and his eyesight began to decline. This great variation was originally called "Arias with Variations" and was published in 1742. It was written as Johan Theophil Goldberg, a student of Bach. Gothenburg was a young performer serving Count Hermann Karl von Keyserlingk, the Russian envoy based in Dresden. Bach once dedicated his "Miss in B minor" to Catherine, and was therefore awarded the title of "court musician". From 1741-1742, Katherine lived in Leipzig, where Bach taught Gothenburg to learn playing skills. The earl has insomnia, and when he has insomnia, he needs Gothenburg to play for him. Gothenburg asks Bach to help compose music for his performance needs. After Bach composed this variation, Catherine gave him a gold cup full of 100 gold Louis as a reward.

This is the largest, most magnificent, and greatest variation in music history. This variation is for the two-layer harpsichord, and Bach specifies the type of keyboard in each variation. The Variations form is based on a theme, leading to the proposition of comparison and the corresponding (against) proposition, and then explores the various possibilities of deduction and comparison. Bach's work was developed into 30 variations on a Sarabande theme in his small collection of 1725 for Anna Magdalena. The number of 30, dominated by 3, is expressed as a canon in a group of 3 variations: a canon in unison, a canon in a second degree, and a canon in a third-degree...then it reaches the ninth canon. Later, the tenth variation was a four-voice fugue, in which various forms such as creative tunes, tokens, and arias continued to appear. The first layer alternates with the second layer keyboard. The sixteenth variation is the centre, and the speed is divided into two halves. The subtle architectural structure of this composition technique is truly breathtaking!