The Open Goldberg Variations

Bach's Goldberg Variations, played by Kimiko Ishizaka

The English Patient and the Goldberg Variations

The second piece from Bach's Goldberg Variations, the Variation 1, is played by Hana (Juliette Binoche) in a war-destroyed home on a broken piano.

Maybe you're safe as long as you only play Bach

The English Patient: Hana plays Bach's Goldberg Variations

The English Patient: Hana plays Bach's Goldberg Variations

Hanna is playing on a broken piano when an Indian Sikh appears to warn her of possible mines, left behind by the Germans. Hanna jokes with him “Maybe you're safe as long as you only play Bach”, reasoning that the mine would not go off if Germanic music were played.

I'll probably marry him

Later, Hanna tells the English Patient that she'll probably marry that Indian Sikh, because her mother always told her that she would summon her future husband by playing the piano.

Listen to Variation 1, from Bach's Goldberg Variations, in the video below.