Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1014–1019

Original Manuscript Altnickol (1748–1758)

Johann Sebastian Bach's Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord BWV 1014–1019 were probably compiled in Cöthen (1717–1723), and revived with a few modifications to the last two sonatas in Leipzig in the last decades of the composer's life.

Composition history

The Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord were probably composed in Cöthen (1717–1723),[1] and revived by the Leipzig Collegium Musicum after Bach became its director in 1729.[2]

The oldest manuscript of the sonatas, containing the earliest-known version of the sixth sonata, has a harpsichord part which was completed by Bach in 1725.[3] The most important extant early source for the final version of the set (that is, containing the third and last version of the sixth sonata) dates from 1747–59 and was written by Bach's student and son-in-law Johann Christoph Altnickol.[4] The earlier manuscripts indicate the sonatas as being for solo violin and harpsichord concertato, which means that the keyboard's role was not limited to a continuo part.[3][4]

Structure

To a large extent Bach followed the format of the Italian trio sonata, that is two upper voices and a continuo accompaniment. Bach gave one of the two upper voices to the harpsichord (right hand), thus giving a concertato role to the instrument. He goes further than the traditional format in giving more than one upper voice to the harpsichordist's right hand in some instances, and other variant formats.[2]

For the first five sonatas the succession of movements follows the sonata da chiesa four-movement model, that is starting with a slow movement, followed by a fast movement, and again a slow and a fast movement. The last sonata starts with an Allegro. After a few slow and fast movements, the sonata ends with an Allegro.[2]

No. 1 in B minor BWV 1014

The first sonata of the set is in B minor,[5] and consists of four movements: Adagio, Allegro, Andante, Allegro.[6]

BWV 1014 is considered history's very first modern duo sonata. Within the framework of the sonata da chiesa, Bach explores diverse forms such as those of the aria and the concerto.

No. 2 in A major BWV 1015

The second sonata of the set is in A major[7] and consists of four movements: the first movement, a slow movement, has no tempo indication but is considered an Andante, the other movements being Allegro, Andante un poco and Presto.[8]

This sonata is not as well known as others. Fugal and canonic passages occurring in every movement [...]

In the introductory Andante (marked Dolce in one copy), the first two measures are in canon; the following "Allegro” is entirely fugal; from beginning to end, the Andante con poco lays a strict canon in unison between the violin and the right hand of the harpsichord over a sixteenth-note bass line; and the final Presto features multiple canonic entries at the half-measure.[9]

No. 3 in E major BWV 1016

Adagio, Allegro, Adagio ma non tanto, Allegro

The opening Adagio is characterized by ornamental melodic writing divided into two sections. A pulsing bassline supports the melodic violin line. Adagio ma non tanto is created along the lines of a passacaglia. The running sixteenth notes in the beginning of the Allegro are reminiscent of Bach's keyboard inventions, before transforming into triplets. The movement ends with the return of the opening section.

No. 4 in C minor BWV 1017

BWV 1017 – 1. Siciliana
BWV 1017 – 3. Adagio
Performed by Petro Titiajev (violin) and Ivan Ostapovych (organ)
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Largo, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro

No. 4 is, stylistically speaking, the most unusual and forward-looking. Even though the four movements inscribe themselves in the lineage of the church sonata, two of them are especially ahead of their time.

The opening of the Largo of the fourth sonata (BWV 1017) is the famous aria "Erbarme dich” (have mercy) for alto and solo violin in the St. Matthew Passion, sung after Peter denies Jesus for the third time.

No. 5 in F minor BWV 1018

Without tempo prescription, Allegro, Adagio, Vivace

The Sonata in F minor, BWV 1018, subtly breaks the formal mould of the first three sonatas. The slow movement that opens this four-movement sonata is quite lengthy, and its two fast movements appear in reverse order, contrary to tradition.

No. 6 in G major BWV 1019

In its final version this sonata in G major, BWV 1019,[10] contains five movements: Allegro, Largo, Allegro for harpsichord solo, Adagio and Allegro.[11]

There appear to have been two earlier versions of the sonata (BWV 1019a):[12][13] in the first version of the sonata there had been another Adagio, with the third and fifth movement based on material from the Courante and Gavotte, movements 3 and 6 of Partita No. 6 for keyboard, BWV 830, and the sixth movement of the sonata a da capo of its first movement. In the second version of the sonata, the third movement, a keyboard Allegro, was replaced by a Cantabile ma un poco Adagio for both instruments. This cantabile was apparently based on an aria that reappeared as fourth movement in the church cantata Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille, BWV 120 and in an earlier wedding cantata with the same musical material, Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge, BWV 120a. The fourth movement of this second version of the sonata was either the same as the one from the first version[12] or the Adagio of the final version, and the fifth movement was dropped (the repeat of the first movement now becoming the fifth movement).[1]

Publication

The sonatas were published for the first time in the early 19th century, before the Bach Revival.[14] The Bach Gesellschaft published them in Volume 9 of the Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe in 1860.[15] The New Bach Edition included them in Series VI (Chamber Music), Volume 1 (Works for Violin) in 1958.[16]

Recordings

Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux recorded the violin sonatas with harpsichordist Christiane Jaccottet in 1978. Philips re-released this recording on CD in 1996.[17]

A digital recording of the sonatas was realized by Susanne Lautenbacher (violin) and Leonore Klinckerfuss (harpsichord) in 1989.[18]

A 1999 recording by Luis Otavio Santos and Pieter-Jan Belder was released by Brilliant Classics as part of the Bach Edition.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Alfred Dürr, Yoshitake Kobayashi (eds.), Kirsten Beißwenger. "BWV 1014-1019a Sechs Sonaten" pp. 415–17 in Bach Werke Verzeichnis: Kleine Ausgabe, nach der von Wolfgang Schmieder vorgelegten 2. Ausgabe. Preface in English and German. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1998. ISBN 3765102490 - ISBN 978-3765102493.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Violin Sonatas (CD 19–20): "Liner notes" by Clemens Romijn p. 13, and "Full tracklist" pp. 155–56 in J. S. Bach Complete Edition: Liner notes, sung texts, full tracklist. Brilliant Classics, August 2014 (re-release).
  3. 1 2 D-B Mus. ms. Bach St 162 at www.bachdigital.de
  4. 1 2 D-B Mus. ms. Bach P 229 at www.bachdigital.de
  5. ↑ Bach Digital Work 1193 at www.bachdigital.de
  6. ↑ Wilhelm Rust, editor. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Volume 9, pp. 67–83. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1860.
  7. ↑ Bach Digital Work 1194 at www.bachdigital.de
  8. ↑ Wilhelm Rust, editor. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Volume 9, pp. 84–97. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1860.
  9. ↑ Motion In Design. "Analekta – J.S. Bach: Sonates pour violon et clavecin, vol.1". Analekta.
  10. ↑ Bach Digital Work 1199 at www.bachdigital.de
  11. ↑ Wilhelm Rust, editor. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Volume 9, pp. 154–172. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1860.
  12. 1 2 Bach Digital Work 1200 at www.bachdigital.de
  13. ↑ Wilhelm Rust, editor. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Volume 9, pp. 253–259. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1860.
  14. ↑ Schneider, Max (1907). "Verzeichnis der bis zum Jahre 1851 gedruckten (und der geschrieben im Handel gewesenen) Werke von Johann Sebastian Bach", pp. 84–113 in Bach-Jahrbuch 1906, Neue Bachgesellschaft VII (3), p. 104
  15. ↑ Wilhelm Rust, editor. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Volume 9, pp. 67–172 and 250–59. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1860.
  16. ↑ Rudolf Gerber and Günter Haußwald (editors). New Bach Edition, Series VI: Chamber Music – Volume 1: Works for Violin. Bärenreiter 1958.
  17. ↑ Bach*, Arthur Grumiaux, Christiane Jaccottet, Philippe Mermoud – Complete Violin Sonatas BWV 1014 - 1023 at www.discogs.com
  18. ↑ Bayer records BR 100 086 / 100 087

External links

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