In only four cases do the concertos upon which J.S.
Bach based his harpsichord concertos of the 1730s
survive (there was no such thing as a harpsichord
concerto until Bach began transcribing old violin and
oboe concertos for performance by the Leipzig Collegium
Musicum), and three of them are the famous three violin
concertos (BWV 1041, 1042, and 1043, the last for two
violins, and likewise for two harpsichords in the
adaptation). It is the first of those violin concertos,
the Concerto in A mino...(+)
In only four cases do the concertos upon which J.S.
Bach based his harpsichord concertos of the 1730s
survive (there was no such thing as a harpsichord
concerto until Bach began transcribing old violin and
oboe concertos for performance by the Leipzig Collegium
Musicum), and three of them are the famous three violin
concertos (BWV 1041, 1042, and 1043, the last for two
violins, and likewise for two harpsichords in the
adaptation). It is the first of those violin concertos,
the Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041, that Bach reshaped
into the Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G minor, BWV
1058.
The harpsichord version of the concerto, which is, of
course, transposed down a whole tone, offers perhaps
the most stunning solo part of all the Bach harpsichord
concertos. In each of the concertos, the harpsichord
solo part is less an arrangement of the original solo
line than it is a newly composed part that simply takes
the original as a starting point, but in BWV 1058, and
especially in the outer movements (which retain the
original tempo indications: none in the case of the
first movement, Allegro assai in the case of the
finale), the depth and richness of Bach's new take on
the solo part are wonderful. The harpsichord's status
as tame continuo instrument is left behind altogether
during the electrifying virtuoso passagework that
begins to creep into the finale just past its midpoint
and never leaves.
Although originally written for Harpsichord, 2 Violins,
2 Violas and Continuo, I created this Arrangement of
the Concerto in G Minor (BWV 1058) for Classical Guitar
& Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION