Editing Goldberg Variations (section)

=== Aria ===
The aria is a [[sarabande]] in {{time signature|3|4}} [[Time signature|time]], and features a heavily [[Ornament (music)|ornamented]] melody:
<score>
\new PianoStaff <<
 \new Staff \relative c''' {
  \key g \major \time 3/4
  g4 g( a8.)\mordent b16 |
  a8 \appoggiatura g16 fis8 \appoggiatura e16 d2 |
  g,4\mordent g4.\downprall fis16 g |
  a32( g fis16) g32( fis e16) \appoggiatura fis8 d2 |
  d'4 d( e8.)\mordent f16 |
  e8 \appoggiatura d16 c8 \appoggiatura b16 a4. fis'!8\turn |
  g32( fis16.) a32( g16.) fis32( e16.) d32( c16.) \appoggiatura c a'8. c,16 |
  b32( g16.) fis8 \appoggiatura fis g2\mordent |
 }
 \new Staff <<
  \new Voice \relative c' {
   \voiceOne \clef bass \key g \major
   s4 f\rest d |
   s4 e\rest d |
   s4 d\rest cis |
   s4 d\rest a |
   s4 d\rest g, |
   s4 d'\rest a |
   r8 c~ c b16 a g fis e fis |
   g8 a b2 |
  }
  \new Voice \relative c' {
   \voiceThree
   r4 b2 |
   r4 a2 |
   r4 g2 |
   r4 fis2 |
   r4 d2 |
   r4 e4. s8 |
  }
  \new Voice \relative c' {
   \voiceTwo
   g2. |
   fis2. |
   e2. |
   d2~ d8 c |
   b2. |
   c2~ c8 d |
   e8 c d2 |
   g,4. d'8[ e8.^\mordent fis16] |
  }
 >>
>>
</score>
{{listen|type=music|help=no|filename=Goldberg Variations 01 Aria.ogg|title=Aria|description=Performed by [[Kimiko Douglass-Ishizaka]] on piano}}
The French style of ornamentation suggests that the ornaments are supposed to be parts of the melody; however, some performers (for example [[Wilhelm Kempff]] on piano) omit some or all ornaments and present the aria unadorned.

[[Peter Williams (musicologist)|Williams]] opines that this is not the theme at all, but actually the first variation (a view emphasising the idea of the work as a [[chaconne]] rather than a piece in true [[variation form]]).