List of orchestral works by Johann Sebastian Bach

Structured list and sortable table covering Bach's orchestral suites and concertos

Orchestral works by Johann Sebastian Bach refers to the compositions in the eleventh chapter of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (BWV, catalogue of Bach's compositions),^[1] or, in the New Bach Edition, the compositions in Series VII.^[2]

Concertos

The orchestra of the concertos for one or more accompanied soloists (BWV 1041–1044, 1049–1050 and 1052–1065) consists in most cases of strings (two parts for violins and one viola part) and continuo (for example performed on cello and harpsichord). Such orchestra of the Baroque era can be indicated as string orchestra or chamber orchestra. In the 19th century, the Bach-Gesellschaft published Bach's concertos BWV 1041–1044 and 1046–1065 as chamber music – the designation as orchestral music becoming more common in the second half of the 20th century.^[3] Apart from the concertos for more than one performer listed in the sections below, Bach also wrote concertos for a single unaccompanied harpsichordist or organist:

• Weimar concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987
• Italian Concerto, BWV 971

Violin concertos (BWV 1041–1043)

• BWV 1041 – Violin Concerto in A minor^[4]
• BWV 1042 – Violin Concerto in E major^[5]
• BWV 1043 – Double Concerto in D minor for two violins^[6]

Triple concerto (BWV 1044)

• BWV 1044 – Triple Concerto in A minor for traverso, violin and harpsichord^[7]

Opening movement for a cantata, for violin and orchestra (BWV 1045)

• BWV 1045 – Fragment of a sinfonia in D major for violin and orchestra, from an unknown cantata^[8]

Brandenburg concertos (BWV 1046–1051)

• BWV 1046.1, formerly BWV 1046a, originally BWV 1071 – Sinfonia in F major (early version of Brandenburg Concerto No. 1)^[9]
• BWV 1046.2, formerly BWV 1046 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major for violino piccolo, three oboes, bassoon, two corni da caccia, strings and continuo^[10]
• BWV 1047 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major for trumpet, oboe, recorder, violin, strings and continuo^[11]
• BWV 1048 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major for three violins, three violas, three cellos and continuo^[12]
• BWV 1049 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major for violin, two fiauti d'echo (recorders), strings and continuo^[13]
• BWV 1050.1, formerly BWV 1050a – Concerto in D major for harpsichord, violin, traverso and strings (early version of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5)^[14]
• BWV 1050.2, formerly BWV 1050 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major for harpsichord, violin, traverso and strings^[15]
• BWV 1051 – Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat major for two violas, two violas da gamba, cello and continuo^[16]

Keyboard concertos (BWV 1052–1065)

• BWV 1052.1, formerly BWV 1052a – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in D minor^[17]
• BWV 1052.2, formerly BWV 1052 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in D minor (revised version)^[18]
• BWV 1053 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in E major^[19]
• BWV 1054 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in D major (after BWV 1042, Violin Concerto in E major)^[20]
• BWV 1055 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in A major^[21]
• BWV 1056 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in F minor^[22]
• BWV 1057 – Concerto for harpsichord, two recorders and strings in F major (after BWV 1049, Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major)^[23]
• BWV 1058 – Concerto for harpsichord and strings in G minor (after BWV 1041, Violin Concerto in A minor)^[24]
• BWV 1059 – Fragment of a concerto for harpsichord in D minor^[25]
• BWV 1060 – Concerto for two harpsichords and strings in C minor^[26]
• BWV 1061.1, formerly BWV 1061a – Concerto for two harpsichords in C major (without orchestral accompaniment)^[27]
• BWV 1061.2, formerly BWV 1061 – Concerto for two harpsichords and strings in C major^[28]
• BWV 1062 – Concerto for two harpsichords and strings in C minor (after BWV 1043, Double Violin Concerto in D minor)^[29]
• BWV 1063 – Concerto for three harpsichords and strings in D minor^[30]
• BWV 1064 – Concerto for three harpsichords and strings in C major^[31]
• BWV 1065 – Concerto for four harpsichords and strings in A minor (after Antonio Vivaldi's concerto for four violins in B minor, RV 580, L'estro Armonico, Op. 3 No. 10)^[32]

Reconstructed concertos

In Series VII of the New Bach Edition:^[33]

• BWV 1052R – Violin concerto in D minor
• BWV 1055R – Oboe d'amore concerto in A major
• BWV 1056R – Violin concerto in G minor
• BWV 1060R – Concerto for oboe and violin in C minor
• BWV 1064R – Concerto for three violins in D major

Suites (BWV 1066–1070)

• BWV 1066 – Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major (for woodwinds, strings and continuo); Movements: [Ouverture] (no description, two sections), Courante, Gavotte I & II, Forlane, Menuet I & II, Bourrée I & II, Passepied I & II^[34]
• BWV 1067 – Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor (for traverso, strings and continuo); Movements: [Ouverture] (no description, two sections), Rondeau, Sarabande, Bourrée I & II, Polonaise & Double, Menuet, Badinerie^[35]
• BWV 1068 – Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major (for oboes, trumpets, timpani, strings and continuo); Movements: [Ouverture] (no description, two sections), Air, Gavotte I & II, Bourrée, Gigue^[36]
• BWV 1069 – Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D major (for oboes, bassoon, trumpets, timpani, strings and continuo); Movements: [Ouverture] (no description, two sections), Bourrée I & II, Gavotte, Menuet I & II, Rejouissance^[37]
• BWV 1070 – Orchestral Suite in G minor by an unknown composer^[38]

Sinfonia (BWV 1071)

• BWV 1071, renumbered as BWV 1046a: early version of the first Brandenburg Concerto.

Orchestral works in the 11th chapter of the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (1998)

References

1. (BWV^2a) Alfred Dürr, Yoshitake Kobayashi (eds.), Kirsten Beißwenger. 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, pp. 424–436
2. The New Bach Edition – Series VII: Orchestral Works at the Bärenreiter website
3. Werner Breig, translated by Steward Spencer. "The instrumental music", pp. 123–135, and "Composition as arrangement and adaptation", pp. 154–170, in The Cambridge Companion to Bach, edited by John Butt. Cambridge Companions to Music. Cambridge University Press, 1997. ISBN 9780521587808
4. "Concerto, a BWV 1041". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
5. "Concerto, E BWV 1042". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
6. "Concerto, d BWV 1043". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
7. "Concerto, a BWV 1044". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
8. "Fragment of a Sinfony for an unknown cantata BWV 1045". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-03-13.
9. "Sinfonia, F (Brandenburg Concerto no. 1, early version) BWV 1046.1". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
10. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 1, F (revised version) BWV 1046.2". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
11. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 2, F BWV 1047". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
12. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 3, G BWV 1048". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
13. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 4, G BWV 1049". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
14. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, D (early version) BWV 1050.1". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-29.
15. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, D (revised version) BWV 1050.2". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
16. "Brandenburg Concerto no. 6, Bb BWV 1051". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-15.
17. "Concerto, d BWV 1052.1". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
18. "Concerto, d (revised version) BWV 1052.2". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
19. "Concerto, E BWV 1053". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
20. "Concerto, D BWV 1054". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
21. "Concerto, A BWV 1055". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
22. "Concerto, f BWV 1056". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
23. "Concerto, F BWV 1057". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
24. "Concerto, g BWV 1058". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
25. "Concerto, d (fragment) BWV 1059". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
26. "Concerto, c BWV 1060". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
27. "Concerto, C (version for two solo harpsichords) BWV 1061.1". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
28. "Concerto, C (version for 2 harpsichords, strings and basso continuo) BWV 1061.2". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
29. "Concerto, c BWV 1062". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
30. "Concerto, d BWV 1063". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
31. "Concerto, C BWV 1064". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
32. "Concerto, a BWV 1065". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
33. Lost Solo Concertos in Reconstructions, Vol. VII/7 in the New Bach Edition, at Bärenreiter website.
34. "Overture (Orchestral suite), C BWV 1066". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-16.
35. "Overture (Orchestral suite), b BWV 1067". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-20.
36. "Overture (Orchestral suite), D BWV 10687". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-20.
37. "Overture (Orchestral suite), D BWV 1069". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2020-04-20.
38. "Overture, g BWV 1070". Bach Digital. Leipzig: Bach Archive; et al. 2019-10-16.
39. Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, .../Prefaces, .../Thematic Catalogue: documentation and facsimiles at the International Music Score Library Project
40. Neue Bach-Ausgabe: documentation at the International Music Score Library Project
41. Forkel & Terry 1920, p. 137 (footnote 4), pp. 234–235 and p. 242.
42. BWV 1045 at www.bach-cantatas.com
43. BWV 1045 at www.jsbachcantatas.com

Sources

• Forkel, Johann Nikolaus; Terry, Charles Sanford (1920). Johann Sebastian Bach: His Life, Art and Work – translated from the German, with notes and appendices. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe.