Italian Concerto (BWV 971), French Overture (BWV 831) (Piano)

J S Bach Italian Concerto (BWV 971), French Overture (BWV 831) (Piano)

Part II of the Clavierübung appeared in 1735 at the Leipzig Easter fair, published by Christoph Weigel jnr. of Nuremberg.  Already by the Winter 1736/37 the work had to be reprinted, a fact which seems to reflect the wide distribution and popularity of it.

Praised in its own day as "a perfect model of a well-arranged solo concerto", the Italian Concerto, with its three-movement design, sharply etched themes and largely homophonic texture, pointed the way to the early classic sonata.  Today this perennial favourite has found a permanent place in the standard teaching repertoire.

The French Overture with its eleven movements comes closer to the French ideals than do the much shorter partitas of part I of the Clavierübung.  Both works were apparently completed long before they appeared in print and, like the partitas, were slightly revised for publication.

- Urtext of the New Bach Edition

- With early version of the French Overture BWV 831a