At some time in the vicinity of 1727 to 1730, Johann
Sebastian Bach finished compiling a set of six organ
sonatas that, records show, he intended as practice
pieces for his oldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. It
seems that the purpose was fulfilled; W.F. Bach got a
prestigious appointment as organist of the
Sophienkirche of Dresden, in 1733, and became widely
known for his outstanding playing. The pieces in the
set are sometimes called trio sonatas because in
texture they resemble works of that...(+)
At some time in the vicinity of 1727 to 1730, Johann
Sebastian Bach finished compiling a set of six organ
sonatas that, records show, he intended as practice
pieces for his oldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. It
seems that the purpose was fulfilled; W.F. Bach got a
prestigious appointment as organist of the
Sophienkirche of Dresden, in 1733, and became widely
known for his outstanding playing. The pieces in the
set are sometimes called trio sonatas because in
texture they resemble works of that period made up of
three independent musical lines; two in the treble
function more or less as a duet and a third is in the
pedal register of the organ.
Bach tended to follow the form of the Italian concerto,
particularly examples of it by Vivaldi, in shaping
these six sonatas. Whether or not it is true that Bach
wrote them as teaching pieces for his son, the works
are in fact excellent both as concert works and as
practice pieces. They promote independence of the hands
from each other and from the feet and are on the
curriculum for every student organist. Often the
texture evokes a flute and a violin, frequent choices
for the top two instruments in trio sonatas of the
time, plus a mellow bass line.
It is suspected by musical scholars that some of the
movements of some of these six sonatas may have been
originated considerably earlier, but there seems to be
agreement that the sixth and final sonata was written
specifically for this set. The opening movement of the
sonata, Vivace, has a rapid unison figure for the
melody lines that is quite reminiscent of Vivaldi. Bach
leaves his Italian models to use a Germanic binary form
for the slow movement, "Lento." The finale is one of
Bach's most up-to-date compositions, being composed in
the new galant style that would soon supplant the
counterpoint-rich Baroque style.
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