the usage of the “goldberg variations” in hannibal has always fascinated me, even more so now that i know the origin of why bach composed them in the first place:
so basically, the variations were created to soothe the count who was ill/sleepless which hannibal mirrors in the books (and in the silence of the lambs film) by being calmed by them. in fact, we are first introduced to hannibal in apéritif with one of the variations playing in the bg while he calmly dines on a fancy dish of people. then in fromage, hannibal plays the aria variation on the harpsichord after his fight with tobias, presumably to return to a state of stasis.
the next time we hear aria, it is a piano rendition in kō no mono when will and hannibal ritualistically devour the ortolans. it seems that will is a calming, grounding force for hannibal and it eventually becomes their shared melody. heartbreakingly, a song called “bloodfest” by brian reitzell which is based on the variations plays in dolce (when hannigram reunites in the uffizi gallery) and in digestivo (when they talk in the cabin after escaping muskrat farm).
a similar slowed down version plays in the series finale called “the wrath of the lamb, pt. 2 / bach aria, pt. 2” when will/hannibal are in the glass house, right before they defeat francis. even throughout the series, there are variations to the variations such as this, as well as hannibal’s own composition “suite no. 4 - III. sarabande: la d'aubonne” by antoine forqueray & christophe rousset, which has similar vibes to the goldberg variations. perhaps inspired by them?
but the body of music isn’t simply used as a calming metaphor or an ode to will - rather, it is a deeper, existential contemplation that was nicely summed up by jeremy denk & donald francis tovey: (Hannibal Lecter’s Guide To The ‘Goldberg Variations’; NPR):
the goldberg variations are a representation of a cycle, a reflection, a “becoming” of sorts; a longing to be free but also a cautionary tale that once someone is seen for who they truly are, there is no turning back. and in the blink of an eye, this beautiful lie that we call life is over.
