It is unknown when exactly Johann Sebastian Bach wrote
his Suite for Orchestra No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067. It
is a vibrant and fast-paced work, leaning towards the
entertainment side of pure music. This suite is one of
four such works that the composer wrote in his
lifetime. Bach was not even slightly opposed to writing
music for more money or power, but was less forthcoming
with light music; he did not like it much. All of the
lighter music he wrote was never published, including
these overture...(+)
It is unknown when exactly Johann Sebastian Bach wrote
his Suite for Orchestra No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067. It
is a vibrant and fast-paced work, leaning towards the
entertainment side of pure music. This suite is one of
four such works that the composer wrote in his
lifetime. Bach was not even slightly opposed to writing
music for more money or power, but was less forthcoming
with light music; he did not like it much. All of the
lighter music he wrote was never published, including
these overtures. (Telemann, the most famous composer
working in Germany at the time, wrote over 130
surviving suites for orchestra, and probably wrote over
1000 in his lifetime.)
These works were good for business, but Bach was more
comfortable writing church music or works featuring
striking fugal challenges. This suite gave him a chance
to write for transverse flute, which had just begun to
be in fashion. These four works are fine examples of a
lighter style and display some of the interesting ways
that Bach would use to approach the festive side of
music making.
The suite is a form derived from a collection of French
ballets and operas. They usually begin with an
overture, regal and poised, followed by a collection of
dances. French music and culture was the rage for much
of Germany and other European countries. However,
Bach's ear seems to have been more easily fixed on
Italy. The music of Vivaldi and the Scarlattis (father
and son) are constantly asserting themselves in Bach's
music. He seems to have been attracted to the Italian
brilliance of harmony, and the way they could make
speedy ostinatos inject more excitement into an already
lively beat. It was simply the most visceral music in
Europe at the time, and when Bach added it to anything,
sparks flew.
In this, his Suite for Orchestra No. 2, one can hear
Vivaldi's concerto style in the Sarabande and the
Minuet. Nothing is turgid about this piece. It was
probably written around 1720, certainly before 1723,
when he began work at Leipzig. He was usually too busy
to write much secular music, unless it was of very high
quality. These orchestral suites bare not dripping with
the profundity of Art of Fugue; they are simply
charming, summery pieces.
Although originally written for Flute, Strings &
Continuo, I created this Arrangement of the Orchestral
Suite No. 2 in B Minor (BWV 1067) for Flute & Piano.
SHEET MUSIC