Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musici...(+)
Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso
organist than as a composer in his day. His sacred
music, organ and choral works, and other instrumental
music had an enthusiasm and seeming freedom that
concealed immense rigor. Bach's use of counterpoint was
brilliant and innovative, and the immense complexities
of his compositional style -- which often included
religious and numerological symbols that seem to fit
perfectly together in a profound puzzle of special
codes -- still amaze musicians today. Many consider him
the greatest composer of all time.
This is probably the original version of Bach's Sonata
for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027). Bach
reassigned the first flute part to the gamba, with the
right hand of the harpsichordist taking the second
flute part and the left hand assuming all of the bass
duties. In this first version of the sonata, there is
also a viola da gamba, but here it merely reinforces
the bass line. The work follows the Italian church
sonata format, four movements alternating in
slow-fast-slow-fast tempos. And, Italian style, the
first two movements often place the instrumental lines
in close imitation; this is also a product of Bach's
fascination with counterpoint, which extends to the
final movement. The flowing first movement, marked
Adagio, falls into three major parts. Initially, the
first flute lays out the melody over a striding bass,
with the second flute providing a simple harmonic line
(Bach designed this music to be accessible to
amateurs). Then the two flutes share a more complex
version of the melody in close imitation. Finally, the
first section is repeated, though with a slightly more
elaborate role for the second flute (if the player is
attuned to the practice of ornamenting repeats).
Imitative counterpoint abounds in the sprightly
Allegro, which follows from the first movement after an
expectant cadence rather than a conclusion. The
Allegro's central section consists of the opening
melody turned upside-down, winding through new
contrapuntal thickets. Third comes the brief Adagio e
piano, in which the flutes play gentle, endlessly
repeated arpeggios (in a manner later associated with
Philip Glass) restlessly wandering through several keys
over broken chords in the bass. The concluding Presto
is a burbling three-voice fugue, with the right hand of
the harpsichordist finally coming into its own.
Although originally written for 2 Flutes & continuo, I
created this Arrangement of the Trio Sonata in G Major
(BWV 1037) for String Trio (Violin, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION