Weimar Concerto Transcriptions (Bach)
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Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
date from his second period at the court in
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
(1708–1717). Bach transcribed for organ and harpsichord a number of Italian and Italianate concertos, mainly by Antonio Vivaldi, but with others by
Alessandro Marcello Alessandro Ignazio Marcello (; 1 February 1673 – 19 June 1747) was an Italian nobleman and composer. Biography Born in Venice, Marcello was the son of a senator, and as a nobleman, enjoyed a comfortable life that gave him the freedom to ...
,
Benedetto Marcello Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher. Life Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
,
Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...
and the musically talented
Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar (german: Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar) (25 December 1696 – 1 August 1715) was a German prince, son by his second marriage of Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Despite his early death he is remembered as a col ...
. It is thought that most of the transcriptions were probably made in 1713–1714. Their publication by C.F. Peters in the 1850s and by
Breitkopf & Härtel Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf. The catalogue currently contains over 1,000 composers, 8,000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on ...
in the 1890s played a decisive role in the Vivaldi revival of the twentieth century.
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
was a court musician in
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
from 1708 to 1717. He wrote most, if not all, of his concerto transcriptions for organ ( BWV 592–596) and for harpsichord ( BWV 592a and 972–987) from July 1713 to July 1714. Most of these transcriptions were based on concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Other models for the transcriptions included concertos by
Alessandro Marcello Alessandro Ignazio Marcello (; 1 February 1673 – 19 June 1747) was an Italian nobleman and composer. Biography Born in Venice, Marcello was the son of a senator, and as a nobleman, enjoyed a comfortable life that gave him the freedom to ...
,
Benedetto Marcello Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher. Life Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
,
Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...
and
Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar (german: Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar) (25 December 1696 – 1 August 1715) was a German prince, son by his second marriage of Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Despite his early death he is remembered as a col ...
.Boyd 2006
pp. 80–83
/ref>Breig 1997Jones 2007
pp. 140–153
/ref>Williams 2003
pp. 201–224
/ref>Schulenberg 2013
pp. 117–139
and footnote
pp. 461–3
/ref> Around 1715
Johann Bernhard Bach Johann Bernhard Bach (23 May 1676 – 11 June 1749) was a German composer, and second cousin of J. S. Bach.Smith, Timothy A"Johann Bernhard Bach 1676-1749" Northern Arizona University. Retrieved 3 August 2012. Life Johann Bernhard Bach was bo ...
, Johann Sebastian's second cousin, copied 12 of the concerto transcriptions in a single manuscript. This manuscript, shelf mark P 280 in the
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
, starts with the harpsichord transcriptions BWV 972–981, followed by the organ transcription BWV 592, and ends with BWV 982. The sequence of the concertos in this manuscript is possibly as intended by the composer. For the organ transcriptions there is no known sequence that may go back to Bach's time.


History, purpose, transmission and significance

Bach's concerto transcriptions reflect not only his general interest in and assimilation of musical forms originating in Italy, in particular the concertos of his Venetian contemporary Antonio Vivaldi, but also the particular circumstances of his second period of employment 1708–1717 at the court in
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
. During his first brief period in Weimar in 1703 Bach was employed as a court violinist for seven months by
Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (Weimar, 22 June 1664 – Weimar, 10 May 1707), was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. Life He was the second son of Johann Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Christine Elisabeth of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. ...
, who ruled jointly with his elder brother
Wilhelm Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Weimar William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (19 October 1662 – 26 August 1728) was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. Life He was born in Weimar, the eldest son of Johann Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Princess Christine Elisabeth of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonder ...
. Wilhelm Ernst's Lutheran piety contrasted with his younger brother's alcoholism. On Johann Ernst's death in 1707, he was succeeded as coregent by his elder son Ernst August, who lived with his younger stepbrother, Prince Johann Ernst, outside the ducal ''Wilhelmsburg'' in the ''Rotes Schloss''. A talented amateur musician, from an early age Prince Johann Ernst had been taught the violin by the court violinist Gregor Christoph Eilenstein. Johann Ernst studied the keyboard with Bach's distant cousin
Johann Gottfried Walther Johann Gottfried Walther (18 September 1684 – 23 March 1748) was a German music theorist, organist, composer, and lexicographer of the Baroque era. Walther was born at Erfurt. Not only was his life almost exactly contemporaneous to that ...
, after he became organist at the Stadtkirche in Weimar in 1707. The following year, when Bach himself was appointed as organist in Weimar in the ducal chapel or ''Himmelsburg'', he not only had at his disposal the recently renovated chapel organ but also the organ in the Stadtkirche. In the ''Wilhelmsburg'', Wilhelm Ernst had already revived the court orchestra, of which Bach eventually became Concertmaster in 1714. As well as music-making in the ''Wilhelmsburg'', Bach was almost certainly involved in the parallel more secular musical events in the ''Rotes Schloss'' organised by August Ernst and Johann Ernst. Harpsichords were available to Bach at both venues. traces the influences on Bach's early keyboard compositions—in particular his sonatas (BWV 963/1, BWV 967) and
toccata Toccata (from Italian ''toccare'', literally, "to touch", with "toccata" being the action of touching) is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtu ...
s (BWV 912a/2, BWV 915/2)—not only to the works of his older compatriots
Kuhnau Johann Kuhnau (; 6 April 16605 June 1722) was a German polymath, known primarily as a composer today. He was also active as a novelist, translator, lawyer, and music theorist, and was able to combine these activities with his duties in his offici ...
, Böhm and
Buxtehude Buxtehude (), officially the Hanseatic City of Buxtehude (german: Hansestadt Buxtehude, nds, Hansestadt Buxthu ()), is a town on the Este River in Northern Germany, belonging to the district of Stade in Lower Saxony. It is part of the Hamburg ...
, but also to the works of Italian composers from the end of the seventeenth century; in particular the chamber sonatas of Corelli and the concertos of
Torelli Torelli may refer to: People * Achille Torelli (1841–1922), Italian playwright *Alec Torelli (born 1987), American professional poker player *Bernard Torelli (1955–2016), French guitarist and audio engineer *Cesare Torelli (died 1615), Italian ...
and
Albinoni Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (8 June 1671 – 17 January 1751) was an Italian composer of the Baroque era. His output includes operas, concertos, sonatas for one to six instruments, sinfonias, and solo cantatas. While famous in his day as an opera comp ...
. Early works like BWV 912a and BWV 967, probably composed before 1707, also display concerto-like elements. The first documented evidence of Bach's engagement with the concerto genre can be dated to around 1709, during his second period in Weimar, when he made a hand copy of the continuo part of Albinoni's ''Sinfonie e concerti a 5'', Op. 2 (1700). Earlier compositions had been brought back to Weimar from Italy by the deputy Capellmeister,
Johann Wilhelm Drese Johann Wilhelm Drese (bapt. 8 July 1677; bur. 25 June 1745) was a German composer. He succeeded his father Johann Samuel Drese, Samuel Drese as ''Kapellmeister'' (capellmaster) at Weimar. Education In 1702, he spent eight months in Italy studying ...
, during his stay there in 1702–1703. In 1709 the virtuoso violinist
Johann Georg Pisendel Johann Georg Pisendel ( – 25 November 1755) was a German Baroque violinist and composer who, for many years, led the Court Orchestra in Dresden as concertmaster, then the finest instrumental ensemble in Europe. He was the leading violinist of ...
visited Weimar: he had studied with Torelli and is likely to have acquainted Bach with more of the Italian concerto repertoire. In the same year Bach also copied out all the parts of the double violin concerto in G major, TWV 52:G2, of
Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...
, a work that he might have acquired through Pisendel. Bach would also have known Telemann well then since he was court musician at
Eisenach Eisenach () is a town in Thuringia, Germany with 42,000 inhabitants, located west of Erfurt, southeast of Kassel and northeast of Frankfurt. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia and bordering northeastern Hessian regions, situat ...
, Bach's birthplace. Telemann's concerto for solo violin, TWV 51:g1, transcribed by Bach for harpsichord as BWV 985, comes from the same series of Eisenach concertos as the double violin concerto; moreover, as explained in , there is evidence that the slow movement of Telemann's oboe concerto TWV 51:G2, also from the series, was borrowed and adapted by Bach for the opening sinfonia of the cantata ''Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe,'' BWV 156 and the slow movement of the harpsichord concerto in F minor,
BWV 1056 The keyboard concertos, BWV 1052–1065, are concertos for harpsichord (or organ), strings and continuo by Johann Sebastian Bach. There are seven complete concertos for a single harpsichord (BWV 1052–1058), three concertos for two harpsichords ...
, both dating from his period in
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
. Telemann also had a documented social connection with Bach: in March 1714 he was godparent at the baptism in Weimar of Bach's second son Carl Phillip Emanuel. Later in July 1713, Prince Johann Ernst returned from
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
after studying there for 2 years. A keen amateur violinist, he is likely to have brought or sent back concerto scores from
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
, probably including the collection ''
L'estro armonico ''L'estro armonico'' (''The Harmonic Inspiration''), Op. 3, is a set of 12 concertos for stringed instruments by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, first published in Amsterdam in 1711. Vivaldi's Twelve Trio Sonatas, Op. 1, and Twelve Violin ...
'', Op.3 of
Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widesprea ...
, published there in 1711. Once back in Weimar, he studied composition with Walther, concentrating on the violin concerto. In July 1714, however, poor health forced him to leave Weimar to seek medical treatment in Bad Schwalbach: he died a year later at the age of nineteen. A number of his concertos were published posthumously by Telemann. Johann Ernst's enthusiasm for the concerto fitted well with Bach's own interests. It was under these circumstances that Bach, as composer and performer, made his virtuosic concerto transcriptions for organ (BWV 592–596) and for harpsichord (BWV 972–987 and BWV 592a). Although Bach served as Concertmaster in Weimar from 1714–1717, when he is presumed to have composed his own instrumental concertos, the only surviving works in Italian concerto-form from this period are his transcriptions of works by other composers. Of these, the main body were by Vivaldi, with others by Telemann,
Alessandro Alessandro is both a given name and a surname, the Italian form of the name Alexander. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Alessandro * Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), Italian portrait painter * Alessandro Baricco ...
and
Benedetto Marcello Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher. Life Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
and Johann Ernst himself. At the same time, Bach's cousin Walther also made a series of organ transcriptions of Italian concertos: in his autobiography, Walther mentions 78 such transcriptions; but of these only 14 survive, of concertos by Albinoni, Giorgio Gentili, Giulio Taglietti, Telemann, Torelli and Vivaldi. Bach and Walther arranged different sets of concertos: Bach favoured the more recent ritornello form, less prevalent in the earlier concertos transcribed by Walther. has given the following explanation for the transcriptions: Schulze has further suggested that during his two year period studying in the Netherlands, Prince Johann Ernst is likely to have attended the popular concerts in the Niewe Kerk in Amsterdam where the blind organist Jan Jakob de Graaf performed his own transcriptions of the most recent Italian concertos. It is possible that this could have led to Johann Ernst to suggest similar concerto transcriptions to Bach and Walther. Other circumstantial evidence concerning music-making in Weimar is provided by a letter written by Bach's pupil Philipp David Kräuter in April 1713. Asking for permission to stay longer in Weimar, he states that Prince Johann Ernst, Kräuter's letter ties in with the organ repairs by Trebs made between June 1713 and May 1714. Commentators have found Schulze's arguments persuasive, but nevertheless point out that not all the transcriptions need have been made in the period from July 1713 to July 1714 when the Prince was back in Weimar. While this could be true for the simpler harpsichord transcriptions, some of the more virtuosic organ transcriptions could date from later, possible composed as a memorial to the prince, after his untimely death. Published records of Bach's life include his Nekrolog or obituary, written in 1754 by his son
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (8 March 1714 – 14 December 1788), also formerly spelled Karl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, and commonly abbreviated C. P. E. Bach, was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and sec ...
and former pupil
Johann Friedrich Agricola Johann Friedrich Agricola (4 January 1720 – 2 December 1774) was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio. Biography Agricola was born in Dobitschen, Thu ...
, and the 1802 biography of
Johann Nikolaus Forkel Johann Nikolaus Forkel (22 February 1749 – 20 March 1818) was a German musicologist and music theorist, generally regarded as among the founders of modern musicology. His publications include '' Johann Sebastian Bach: His Life, Art, and Work ...
. The Nekrolog contains the famous statement about the Duke, Wilhelm Ernst, encouraging Bach as an organist-composer, quoted at the start of this section. In the often quoted passage from his biography, Forkel wrote: Although Forkel's account is generally acknowledged to be oversimplified and factually inaccurate, commentators agree that Bach's knowledge and assimilation of the Italian concerto form—which happened partly through his transcriptions—played a key role in the development of his mature style. In practical terms, the concerto transcriptions were suitable for performance in the different venues in Weimar; they would have served an educational purpose for the young prince as well as giving him pleasure. has carried out a systematic study of headings and markings in surviving manuscripts to ascertain the intended instrument for Bach's keyboard works. These have customarily been divided into two distinct groups, his works for organ and his works for harpsichord or clavichord. Although in early music the intended instrument was often not specified, but left to the performer, this was often not the case with Bach's music. Based on known manualiter settings within Bach's works for organ, the possible audience for performances of virtuosic keyboard compositions and the circumstances of their composition, Marshall has suggested that the concerto transcriptions BWV 972–987 might originally have been intended as manualiter settings for the organ. The reception of the concerto transcriptions is reflected in their transmission: they were less widely disseminated than Bach's original organ or keyboard works and were only published in the 1850s during the mid-nineteenth century Bach revival. More significantly perhaps, the concerto transcriptions played a decisive role in the Vivaldi revival which happened only in the following century. The meteoric success of Vivaldi in the early eighteenth century was matched by his descent into almost complete oblivion soon after his death in 1741. In Great Britain, France and particularly his native Italy, musical taste turned against him and, when he was remembered, it was just through salacious anecdote. Only in Northern Germany, where his concertos had influenced a school of composers, was his legacy properly appreciated. The publication of Bach's transcriptions has been recognized by Vivaldi scholars as a decisive step in his revival. In fact the new edition of the concerto transcriptions published by the
Bach-Gesellschaft The German Bach-Gesellschaft (Bach Society) was a society formed in 1850 for the express purpose of publishing the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach without editorial additions. The collected works are known as the Bach-Gesellschaft-Ausga ...
in the 1890s and the ensuing controversy in assessing their authorship and that of the original concertos in the 1910s sparked a reevaluation of Vivaldi and subsequently the rediscovery of his "lost" works. Although no precise dating of the concerto transcriptions is possible, combining a careful scientific analysis of surviving manuscripts—including their watermarks—with a knowledge of documented events in Bach's life has given a clearer idea of when they might have been written: it is generally thought that most were probably written in the period 1713–1714, but that some could have been written later. The transcriptions themselves became known through a variety of sources. The two most significant for dating purposes are the autograph manuscript of the organ transcription BWV 596; and the hand copies of the organ transcription BWV 592 and the harpsichord transcriptions BWV 972–982 made by Bach's second cousin
Johann Bernhard Bach Johann Bernhard Bach (23 May 1676 – 11 June 1749) was a German composer, and second cousin of J. S. Bach.Smith, Timothy A"Johann Bernhard Bach 1676-1749" Northern Arizona University. Retrieved 3 August 2012. Life Johann Bernhard Bach was bo ...
from Eisenach, who is known to have visited Weimar in May 1715. These include all the transcriptions of the Venetian concertos (those by Vivaldi and the Marcello brothers). The remaining organ transcriptions come from copies made in
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
by Bach's family and circle: these include his eldest son
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784), the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer. Despite his acknowledged genius as an organist, improviser and compose ...
, whose organ repertoire included the transcriptions; his pupil
Johann Friedrich Agricola Johann Friedrich Agricola (4 January 1720 – 2 December 1774) was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio. Biography Agricola was born in Dobitschen, Thu ...
; and
Johann Peter Kellner Johann Peter Kellner (variants: Keller, Kelner) (28 September 1705 – 19 April 1772) was a German organist and composer. He was the father of Johann Christoph Kellner. Biography He was born in Gräfenroda, Thuringia, and was intended by his pa ...
. The other harpsichord transcriptions BWV 983–987 are contained in a collection of manuscripts of Kellner ("Kellner's Miscellany"), copied by himself and others.


Bach's transcriptions


Organ transcriptions, BWV 592–596

These transcriptions for organ have been dated to 1713–1714. They are scored for two manual keyboards and pedal.


Concerto in G major, BWV 592

This concerto is a transcription of a concerto by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar.


Concerto in A minor, BWV 593

This concerto is a transcription of Antonio Vivaldi's double violin concerto, Op. 3 No. 8, RV 522.


Concerto in C major, BWV 594

This concerto is a transcription of Antonio Vivaldi's '' Grosso Mogul'' violin concerto, RV 208.


Concerto in C major, BWV 595

This concerto movement is a transcription of a composition by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar.


Concerto in D minor, BWV 596

This concerto is an transcription of Antonio Vivaldi's double violin concerto, Op. 3 No. 11, RV 565. # llegro # Pieno. Grave – Fuge # Largo e spiccato # llegro This transcription of Vivaldi's concerto had the heading on the autograph manuscript altered by Bach's son
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784), the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer. Despite his acknowledged genius as an organist, improviser and compose ...
who added "di W. F. Bach manu mei Patris descript" sixty or more years later. The result was that up until 1911 the transcription was misattributed to Wilhelm Friedemann. Despite the fact that
Carl Friedrich Zelter Carl Friedrich Zelter (11 December 1758 15 May 1832)Grove/Fuller-Datei:Carl-Friedrich-Zelter.jpegMaitland, 1910. The Zelter entry takes up parts of pages 593-595 of Volume V. was a German composer, conductor and teacher of music. Working in his ...
, director of the
Sing-Akademie zu Berlin The Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, also known as the Berliner Singakademie, is a musical (originally choral) society founded in Berlin in 1791 by Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch, harpsichordist to the court of Prussia, on the model of the 18th-century ...
where many Bach manuscripts were held, had suggested Johann Sebastian as the author, the transcription was first published as a work by Wilhelm Friedemann in 1844 in the edition prepared for C.F. Peters by Friedrich Griepenkerl. The precise dating and true authorship was later established from the manuscript: the handwriting and the watermarks in the manuscript paper conform to cantatas known to have been composed by Bach in Weimar in 1714–1715. The autograph manuscript is remarkable for its detailed specifications of organ registration and use of the two manuals. As explained in , their main purpose was to enable the concerto to be heard at Bach's desired pitch. The markings are also significant for what they show about performance practise at that time: during the course of a single piece, hands could switch manuals and organ stops could be changed.


Harpsichord transcriptions, BWV 592a and 972–987


Concerto in G major, BWV 592a

After a concerto by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar, and Bach's earlier organ transcription, BWV 592.


Concerto in D major, BWV 972

After Violin Concerto in D major Op. 3 No. 9, RV 230, by Antonio Vivaldi. There is an early version of the transcription, BWV 972a.


Concerto in G major, BWV 973

After Violin Concerto in G major, RV 299, by Antonio Vivaldi.


Concerto in D minor, BWV 974

After Oboe Concerto in D minor by
Alessandro Marcello Alessandro Ignazio Marcello (; 1 February 1673 – 19 June 1747) was an Italian nobleman and composer. Biography Born in Venice, Marcello was the son of a senator, and as a nobleman, enjoyed a comfortable life that gave him the freedom to ...
.


Concerto in G minor, BWV 975

After Violin Concerto in G minor, RV 316, by Antonio Vivaldi.


Concerto in C major, BWV 976

After Violin Concerto in E major Op. 3 No. 12, RV 265, by Antonio Vivaldi.


Concerto in C major, BWV 977

After an unidentified model.


Concerto in F major, BWV 978

After Violin Concerto in G major Op. 3 No. 3, RV 310, by Antonio Vivaldi.


Concerto in B minor, BWV 979

After Violin Concerto in D minor, RV 813, by Antonio Vivaldi (formerly RV Anh. 10 attributed to Giuseppe Torelli).


Concerto in G major, BWV 980

After Violin Concerto in B-flat major, RV 383 by Antonio Vivaldi.


Concerto in C minor, BWV 981

After ''12 Concerti à cinque'', Op. 1, No. 2 in E minor, by Benedetto Marcello.


Concerto in B-flat major, BWV 982

After Violin Concerto in B-flat major Op. 1 No. 1 by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar.


Concerto in G minor, BWV 983

After an unidentified model.


Concerto in C major, BWV 984

After the Violin Concerto in C major by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe–Weimar (like BWV 595).


Concerto in G minor, BWV 985

After the Violin Concerto in G minor, TWV 51:g1, by Georg Philipp Telemann.


Concerto in G major, BWV 986

After an unidentified model.


Concerto in D minor, BWV 987

After Concerto Op. 1 No. 4 by Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar.


Models and comments

There are, or have been, attribution issues regarding some of the models Bach used for his keyboard transcriptions: * The model for BWV 974 has been attributed to Antonio Vivaldi,
Benedetto Marcello Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher. Life Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
and
Alessandro Marcello Alessandro Ignazio Marcello (; 1 February 1673 – 19 June 1747) was an Italian nobleman and composer. Biography Born in Venice, Marcello was the son of a senator, and as a nobleman, enjoyed a comfortable life that gave him the freedom to ...
. In the second half of the 20th century the
oboe concerto A number of concertos (as well as non-concerto works) have been written for the oboe, both as a solo instrument as well as in conjunction with other solo instrument(s), and accompanied by string orchestra, chamber orchestra, full orchestra, conce ...
which was the model for Bach's transcription became attributed to Alessandro Marcello again —as it had been in its 1717 printed edition— through research of scholars such as Eleanor Selfridge-Field.Jones 2007
pp. 143–144
/ref> * The model for BWV 979 has been attributed to Vivaldi and to
Giuseppe Torelli Giuseppe Torelli (22 April 1658 – 8 February 1709) was an Italian violist, violinist, teacher, and composer of the middle Baroque era. Torelli is most remembered for contributing to the development of the instrumental concerto., especially co ...
. Listed as No. 10 in the Anhang (Appendix) of the
Ryom-Verzeichnis The Ryom-Verzeichnis or Ryom Verzeichnis (both often abbreviated ''RV'') is the standard catalogue of the music of Antonio Vivaldi created by Danish musicologist Peter Ryom. ''Verzeichnis'' is the German word for catalogue. First published in 1973 ...
(RV), it was generally attributed to Torelli. Federico Maria Sardelli argued against the attribution to Torelli, and in favour of an attribution to Vivaldi, in an article published in 2005. Consequently, the concerto was relisted as RV 813. The composition originated before 1711: for instance its seven movements and its second viola part are not compatible with Vivaldi's later style.Talbot 2011
pp. 28–29
an
p. 54
/ref>Schulenberg 2013
pp. 132-133
and footnote 38
pp. 462–3
/ref>Schulenberg 2016 * No models have been identified for
BWV 977 Apart from his orchestral keyboard concertos and his solo organ concertos, Johann Sebastian Bach composed keyboard concertos for unaccompanied harpsichord: * Most of his Weimar concerto transcriptions, over twenty arrangements of Italian and I ...
,
983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...
and
986 Year 986 ( CMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * August 17 – Battle of the Gates of Trajan: Emperor Basil II leads a Byz ...
. Stylistically BWV 977 is more Italianate than BWV 983 and 986. David Schulenberg supposes an Italian model for BWV 977, and German models for the other two concertos.


After Vivaldi

Bach transcribed seven concertos by Antonio Vivaldi for solo harpsichord ( RV 230, 265, 299, 310, 316, 381 and 813), and three for solo organ (RV 208, 522 and 565).Talbot 2011
pp. 28–29
/ref>


From ''L'estro armonico''

Bach transcribed two concertos of Antonio Vivaldi's Op. 3, ''
L'estro armonico ''L'estro armonico'' (''The Harmonic Inspiration''), Op. 3, is a set of 12 concertos for stringed instruments by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, first published in Amsterdam in 1711. Vivaldi's Twelve Trio Sonatas, Op. 1, and Twelve Violin ...
'' for organ (
BWV The (BWV; ; ) is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was first published in 1950, edited by Wolfgang Schmieder. The catalogue's second edition appeared in 1990. An abbreviated version of that second edition, known as BWV2 ...
 593 and 596), and three concertos of that collection for unaccompanied harpsichord (BWV 972, 976 and 978):Butler 2011 * After Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 3 (Violin Concerto in G major, RV 310): Concerto in F major, BWV 978 * After Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 8 (Concerto in A minor for two violins and strings, RV 522): Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 * After Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 9 (Violin Concerto in D major, RV 230): Concerto in D major, BWV 972, and earlier version BWV 972a * After Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 11 (Concerto in D minor for two violins, cello and strings, RV 565): Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 * After Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 12 (Violin Concerto in E major, RV 265): Concerto in C major, BWV 976 Later Bach would arrange Vivaldi's Op. 3 No. 10 (RV 580) to a concerto for four harpsichords and strings ( BWV 1065).


Concertos circulating as manuscript

Bach realised his other transcriptions of concertos by Vivaldi after versions circulating as manuscript. Later versions of some of these concertos by Vivaldi were published in his Op. 4 and  7: * After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in B-flat major (later version published as Op. 4 No. 1, RV 383a): Concerto in G major, BWV 980 (harpsichord) * After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in G minor, RV 316 (later version published as Op. 4 No. 6, RV 316a): Concerto in G minor, BWV 975 (harpsichord) * After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in G major (later version published as Op. 7 No. 8, RV 299): Concerto in G major, BWV 973 (harpsichord) * After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto ''Grosso Mogul'' in D major, RV 208 (later version published as Op. 7 No. 11, RV 208a): Concerto in C major, BWV 594 (organ) * After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in D minor, RV 813 (formerly RV Anh. 10 often attributed to
Torelli Torelli may refer to: People * Achille Torelli (1841–1922), Italian playwright *Alec Torelli (born 1987), American professional poker player *Bernard Torelli (1955–2016), French guitarist and audio engineer *Cesare Torelli (died 1615), Italian ...
): Concerto in B minor, BWV 979 (harpsichord)


After other Venetian composers

Apart from the concertos after models by Antonio Vivaldi (including one formerly attributed to Torelli), Bach also transcribed concertos by the Venetian brothers
Alessandro Alessandro is both a given name and a surname, the Italian form of the name Alexander. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Alessandro * Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), Italian portrait painter * Alessandro Baricco ...
and
Benedetto Marcello Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher. Life Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
. Benedetto was a more prolific composer than his elder brother Alessandro.


Benedetto Marcello's Op. 1 No. 2

Benedetto Marcello's Op. 1, containing twelve ''concerti à cinque'', was published in 1708. The second concerto in that collection, in E minor, had a ''violino principale'' in its first two movements. * BWV 981 – Concerto in C minor, after Benedetto Marcello's Concerto Op. 1 No. 2


Alessandro Marcello's Oboe concerto

Bach based his transcription of Marcello's oboe concerto on a lost manuscript that was circulating before the concerto was published in 1717. * BWV 974 – Concerto in D minor, after Alessandro Marcello's Oboe Concerto in D minor


After Telemann

BWV 985 is a Concerto in G minor for unaccompanied harpsichord, after
Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...
's .Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerti nach Vivaldi u.a. - III
at
BWV Anh. 213 is a lost Concerto in F major for solo organ, after an unidentified concerto by Georg Philipp Telemann.


After Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe–Weimar

Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar (german: Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar) (25 December 1696 – 1 August 1715) was a German prince, son by his second marriage of Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Despite his early death he is remembered as a col ...
's Op. 1 was published posthumously, some time after Bach had provided solo harpsichord arrangements for two out of six concertos contained in that bundle: * After Johann Ernst's Op. 1 No. 1: Concerto in B-flat major, BWV 982 * After Johann Ernst's Op. 1 No. 4: Concerto in D minor, BWV 987 Concerto in G major, after Johann Ernst's : * BWV 592: ''pedaliter'' version * BWV 592a: ''manualiter'' version Concerto in C major after Johann Ernst's : * BWV 984: harpsichord version * BWV 595: organ version (first movement only)


After unidentified models

There is no extant model for a few of Bach's concerto transcriptions for harpsichord: * BWV 977 – Concerto in C major * BWV 983 – Concerto in G minor * BWV 986 – Concerto in G major


Notes


References


Sources


Introduction
(in German and English)
Commentary
(English translation—commentary in paperback original is in German) * * * * * * *] * * * * * * * * * * *
Updates (2016)
* * * * * * * * * (a reprint of a 1985 publication in Early Music) * *


Further reading

* Sarah Elizabeth Hanks. ''The German Unaccompanied Keyboard Concerto in the Early 18th Century: Including Works of Walther, Bach, and Their Contemporaries''. University of Iowa, 1972 (dissertation). * Federico Maria Sardelli. "Le opere giovanili di Antonio Vivaldi", pp. 45–78” in ''Studi vivaldiani 5'', 2005. *
Jean-Claude Zehnder Jean-Claude Zehnder (born 1941) is a Swiss organist in church and concert, harpsichordist, and musicologist. In research and playing, he is focused on Baroque music, and has played and recorded at historic organs in Europe. He led the department ...
. "Giuseppe Torelli und Johann Sebastian Bach: Zu Bachs Weimarer Konzertform", pp. 33–95 i
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Manuscripts

* 25448 MSM at Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles (): Fascicle
3
(BWV 972a) an
4
(BWV 981) at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website * D-DS Mus. ms. 66 at (BWV 974;
D-DS Mus. ms. 66
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website) * D-LEb Peters Ms. 8 at /
Bach Archive The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is an institution for the documentation and research of the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bach-Archiv also researches the Bach family, especially their music. Based in Leipzig, the city whe ...
: Fascicle
28
(BWV 984) an
29
(BWV 981) at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website * D-LEb Peters Ms. 11 at /
Bach Archive The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is an institution for the documentation and research of the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bach-Archiv also researches the Bach family, especially their music. Based in Leipzig, the city whe ...
: (BWV 592
D-LEb Peters Ms. 11
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website) * D-LEm Poel. mus. Ms. 29 at (BWV 592a, 973 and 983–4
D-LEm Poel. mus. Ms. 29
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website) * D-LEu N.I.5137 and 5138 at
Leipzig University Library Leipzig University Library (german: Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig), known also as ''Bibliotheca Albertina'', is the central library of the University of Leipzig. It is one of the oldest German university libraries. History The library was foun ...
(BWV 594;
RISM RISM may refer to: * Répertoire International des Sources Musicales * Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management {{disambig ...
Nos
200020992
an
200020991D-LEu N.I.5137
an
5138
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website)
Mus.ms. Bach P 280
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
(BWV 592 and 973–982;
D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 280
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website)
Mus.ms. Bach P 286
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
(): Fascicle
6
(BWV 595) an
7
(BWV 594) at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website
Mus.ms. Bach P 330
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
(Bach's autograph of BWV 596;
D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 330
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website)
Mus.ms. Bach P 400b
an
400c
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
(BWV 593 and 594;
RISM RISM may refer to: * Répertoire International des Sources Musicales * Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management {{disambig ...
Nos
467300036
an
467300037D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 400b
an
400c
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website)
Mus.ms. Bach P 801 (28)
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
("Concerto di Marcello", BWV 981;
D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 801, Fascicle 28
at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website)
Mus.ms. Bach P 804
at
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the ...
(): Fascicle
4
(BWV 974)
15
(BWV 976)
28
(BWV 985)
31
(BWV 592)
34
(BWV 987)
35
(BWV 983)
46
(BWV 986)
52
(BWV 984)
54
(BWV 973)
55
(BWV 972) an
56
(BWV 977) at
Bach Digital Bach Digital (German: ), developed by the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is an online database which gives access to information on compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and members of his family. Early manuscripts of such compositions are a major foc ...
website


External links

* At
IMSLP The International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), also known as the Petrucci Music Library after publisher Ottaviano Petrucci, is a subscription-based digital library of public-domain music scores. The project, which uses MediaWiki softwar ...
website: **BWV 592 and BWV 592a: Violin Concerto in G major (Johann Ernst Prinz von Sachsen-Weimar) ** Organ Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 (Bach, Johann Sebastian) and Concerto for 2 Violins in A minor, RV 522 (Vivaldi, Antonio) ** Organ Concerto in C major, BWV 594 (Bach, Johann Sebastian) ** Organ Concerto in C major, BWV 595 (Bach, Johann Sebastian) and Violin Concerto in C major (Johann Ernst Prinz von Sachsen-Weimar) ** Organ Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (Bach, Johann Sebastian) and Concerto in D minor, RV 565 (Vivaldi, Antonio) ** 16 Konzerte nach verschiedenen Meistern, BWV 972–987 (Bach, Johann Sebastian), Violin Concerto in D major, RV 230 (Vivaldi, Antonio), Violin Concerto in G major, RV 299 (Vivaldi, Antonio), Oboe Concerto in D minor, S.Z799 (Marcello, Alessandro), Violin Concerto in G minor, RV 316a (Vivaldi, Antonio), Violin Concerto in E major, RV 265 (Vivaldi, Antonio), Violin Concerto in G major, RV 310 (Vivaldi, Antonio), Violin Concerto in B-flat major, RV 383a (Vivaldi, Antonio) and Violin Concerto, TWV 51:g1 (Telemann, Georg Philipp) ** 12 Concerti Grossi, Op.1 (Marcello, Benedetto), L'estro armonico, Op.3 (Vivaldi, Antonio), La stravaganza, Op.4 (Vivaldi, Antonio), 12 Concerti, Op.7 (Vivaldi, Antonio) and 12 Concerti a 5 (Various) {{Compositions for Organ, Keyboard and Lute by Johann Sebastian Bach Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach