While many electric bassists study the Bach cello suites at some point, fewer attempt the sonatas and partitas for un- accompanied violin (BWV 1001-1006). Composed around 1720, the sonatas and partitas display rich polyphonic writing, unlike the simpler monophonic cello suites. This collection features a challenging but rewarding transcription of the complete A minor Violin Sonata (BWV 1002), which fits particularly well on the bass. Also included are the well-known gavotte en rondeau from the E major violin partita (BWV1006) and the complete A minor partita for solo flute (BWV 1013), transposed here to D minor. Finally, an arrangement of the familiar chorale Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (from BWV 147) takes advantage of the bass's natural and artificial harmonics. Performance notes are included. Written in notation and tablature for the 4-string electric bass.

Johann Sebastian Bach is recognized as one of the world's supremely great musicians. Known primarily as an organist and then only later recognized as a composer, Bach transformed the conventional structures of preludes and fugues. J.S. Bach for Bass will open up a whole new world of phrasing for the aspiring bassist. Selections include: Prelude #1 in C Major; Suite #1 in G Major; Suite #2 in D Minor; Suite #3 in C Major; Partita #1 in B Minor; Partita #2 in D; Partita #3 in E Major; Sonata #1 in G Minor; and Sonata #3 in C Major. This book is written in notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio

A unique study of dance forms and rhythms in the Baroque composer’s repertoire. Stylized dance music and music based on dance rhythms pervade Bach’s compositions. Although the music of this very special genre has long been a part of every serious musician’s repertoire, little has been written about it. The original edition of this book addressed works that bore the names of dances—a considerable corpus. In this expanded version of their practical and insightful study, Meredith Little and Natalie Jenne apply the same principles to the study of a great number of Bach’s works that use identifiable dance rhythms but do not bear dance-specific titles. Part I describes French dance practices in the cities and courts most familiar to Bach. The terminology and analytical tools necessary for discussing dance music of Bach’s time are laid out. Part II presents the dance forms that Bach used, annotating all of his named dances. Little and Jenne draw on choreographies, harmony, theorists’ writings, and the music of many seventeenth- and eighteenth-century composers in order to arrive at a model for each dance type. Additionally, in Appendix A all of Bach’s named dances are listed in convenient tabular form; included are the BWV number for each piece, the date of composition, the larger work in which it appears, the instrumentation, and the meter. Appendix B supplies the same data for pieces recognizable as dance types but not named as such. More than ever, this book will stimulate both the musical scholar and the performer with a new perspective at the rhythmic workings of Bach’s remarkable repertoire of dance-based music.

Now available in paperback, this landmark biography was first published in 2000 to mark the 250th anniversary of J. S. Bach's death. Written by a leading Bach scholar, this book presents a new picture of the composer. Christoph Wolff demonstrates the intimate connection between Bach's life and his music, showing how the composer's superb inventiveness pervaded his career as a musician, composer, performer, scholar, and teacher.

Publisher Description

Tells the story of the history-making meeting between scorned master composer Johann Sebastian Bach and Prussia's Frederick the Great.