Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 12/28/2016, uploaded on 07/26/2017

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Of Bach’s tremendous compositional output, only a handful of his works were published during his lifetime. A significant portion is taken up by the collection of works published in the four volumes of the Clavier-Übung (“Keyboard Practice”) between 1726 and 1741. 

One such work in this collection is the Concerto after the Italian style, better known today as simply the Italian Concerto. It was published in 1735 alongside the Overture in the French Style as part of Clavier-Übung II. Since then, it has become one of Bach’s most popular works for keyboard and is often performed on both harpsichord and piano.

Though called a “concerto,” the work is for harpsichord alone. To achieve the effect of contrasting instrumental groups, which is the crucial element of any concerto, Bach employs the forte and piano manuals of the two-manual harpsichord. Incidentally, the Italian Concerto is one of only a few of Bach’s composition that specifically call for the two-manual instrument—the others being its companion, the French Overture, and the Goldberg Variations.

The three-movement concerto is in the key of F major. The outer movements, both in lively duple meters and ritornello style, frame a somber arioso movement in D minor.    Joseph DuBose

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Italian Concerto, BWV 971     Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach was a great admirer of the “Italian Style” and of Vivaldi among many other Italian composers of the time; he was known to frequently transcribe their concerti for solo keyboard and often even improved on the counterpoint and harmony. The Italian Concerto, or, “Concerto After the Italian Taste” is an original work in three movements for a double manual harpsichord, something which Bach had specified in very few of his works including the “Goldberg” Variations, BWV 988 and Overture in the French Style, BWV 831. 

Consisting of three movements, the outer two movements in F Major are in ritornello form while the contrasting middle movement in d minor is in an arioso style. One can immediately notice the effect that the double manual keyboard had upon observing the forte and piano indications written in the outer movements. These dynamic markings brilliantly showcase the contrast between the ripieno section consisting of the full orchestra and concertino section consisting of a small group of soloists.         Misuzu Tanaka

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.