Concerto in G major

Concerto in G major

BWV 986 performed by Bart Naessens
at home in Bruges, Belgium

  • Menu
  • 1. (...)
  • 2. Adagio
  • 3. Allegro

Behind the music

Story
Story
Extra videos
Extra videos
Credits
Credits

A sunny concerto

A keyboard concerto with and without orchestra

Bach arranged twenty concertos, i.e. works for orchestra and one or more solo instruments, for organ or harpsichord – and in some cases even for both. It is generally accepted that he did so in the years 1713-1714, when he was working at the court at Weimar. The original compositions were either Italian (e.g. by Vivaldi of Marcello) or composed in the Italian style by Telemann, for example. Three of the compositions were also written by the musical prince Johann Ernst of Saxe-Weimar. Johann Ernst may actually have been the initiator of the transcriptions, as when he returned from a study trip to Utrecht in 1713, his luggage contained a batch of scores of Italian orchestral music published in Amsterdam.

Although it is not completely clear why Bach made these transcriptions, they undoubtedly contributed to his growing understanding of the Italian style. The composer of this ‘sunny’ Concerto in G major has remained anonymous. In his treatment of the very limited thematic material, Bach still demonstrates his great skill, as always. The Belgian harpsichordist Bart Naessens, who we visited in Bruges, says the work comes so naturally to the fingers that it is perfectly possible that the concerto arranged by Bach was also a keyboard concerto, but then with orchestra.

BWV
986
Title
Concerto in G major
Instrument
harpsichord
Genre
harpsichord works
Year
1713-14
City
Weimar

Extra videos

Harpsichordist Bart Naessens

“If you attempt a transcription, the result must be better than the original.”

Vocal texts

Original

Translation

Credits

  • Release date
    30 April 2020
  • Recording date
    22 March 2017
  • Location
    Bruges, Belgium
  • Harpsichordist
    Bart Naessens
  • Harpsichord
    Geert Karman after Henri Hemsch
  • Director
    Jan Van den Bossche
  • Music recording, edit and mix
    Guido Tichelman
  • Camera and interview
    Gijs Besseling
  • Producer
    Hanna Schreuders

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