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Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto Transcriptions

Bach's transcriptions for harpsichord of a number of Italian and other concertos date from his years in Weimar, probably 1713-1714. Most of these transcriptions were based on concertos by Antonio Vivaldi, but there are also works by Alessandro Marcello, Benedetto Marcello, Georg Philipp Telemann, and the musically talented Prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar.

In July 1713, Prince Johann Ernst returned to Weimar after studying in Utrecht for 2 years. A keen amateur violinist, he is likely to have brought back concerto scores from Amsterdam, probably including the collection L'estro armonico, Op.3 of Vivaldi, published there in 1711. Bach's transcriptions of these works could have served an educational purpose for the young prince as well as giving him pleasure, but were probably also important for Bach's own development as a composer. His biographer Forkel wrote:
"Vivaldi's violin concertos, which had just been published, gave him the guidance he needed. He had often heard them praised for their artistic excellence and decided upon the happy idea of arranging them all for the clavier. He was thus led to study their structure, the musical ideas on which they are built, the pattern of their modulations, and many other characteristics."

Moreover, the publication of these works in the 19th century led to a Vivaldi revival lasting into our own time.

Sheet Music Downloads:

Collection ID: 238

Title	AST	Key	Composed	Type	Level
Concerto 1 BWV 972		D Major	1714	Transcription	6
Concerto 2 BWV 973		G Major	1714	Transcription	6
Concerto 3 BWV 974		D Minor	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 4 BWV 975		G Minor	1714	Transcription	6
Concerto 5 BWV 976		C Major	1714	Transcription	6
Concerto 6 BWV 977		C Major	1714	Transcription	6
Concerto 7 BWV 978		F Major	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 8 BWV 979		B Minor	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 9 BWV 980		G Major	1714	Transcription	8
Concerto 10 BWV 981		C Minor	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 11 BWV 982		B-flat Major	1714	Transcription	8
Concerto 12 BWV 983		G Minor	1714	Transcription	8+
Concerto 13 BWV 984		C Major	1714	Transcription	8
Concerto 14 BWV 985		G Minor	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 15 BWV 986		G Major	1714	Transcription	7
Concerto 16 BWV 987		D Minor	1714	Transcription	8+