Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 (two violas & piano)
Arranged for two violas and piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) collected his 'Brandenburg' Concertos together in 1721, as a set of six distinct works. They were presented to Christian Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, with a flattering dedication from Bach, possibly in the hope of being offered a job. The sixth concerto is originally for the lower strings (without violins) using 2 viole de braccio, 2 viole da gamba, cello and continuo. The viola da braccio is equivalent to the modern viola, while the gamba was an earlier instrument, a precursor to the modern cello. Much of the main thematic writing is for the two violas, so the concerto lends itself well to a two viola arrangement, with the keyboard taking the other parts. This arrangement consists of a new piano part that is neither a literal reduction of the accompanying parts, nor a completely free composition based on the continuo part. It maintains Bach's clarity while employing genuinely pianistic textures.
Includes full score and complete set of parts