Italienisches Konzert

Historical context

The Italienisches Konzert, BWV 971, was published by Christopher Weigel, Junior, in Niirnberg in 1735, as part of ‘Clavierubung, Part II.’ As ‘the book’ itself describes, it is a ‘Concerto in the Italian style for a Clavier with two manuals,’ composed ‘in the Italian taste’ (‘nach italianischem Gusto’) and released at Easter that year. This work is a vivid reflection of the violin concerto form, adapted for a single clavier, with the influence of the violin most perceptible in the Andante. It is considered the classical predecessor and prototype of the modern pianoforte sonata.

Its innovative nature was recognized even by contemporaries. Scheibe, in his Critischer Musikus, despite his usual criticism of Bach, acknowledged this clavier concerto as a “perfect model of its kind,” possessing “splendid qualities and sound working-out.” He further noted that it was envied by German composers and vainly imitated by foreigners.

Drawn from Forkel, Johann Nikolaus, 1749-1818; Terry, Charles Sanford, 1864-1936, Johann Sebastian Bach; his life, art, and work, tr. from the German of Johann Nikolaus Forkel, with notes and appendices (1920); Spitta, Philipp, 1841-1894, Johann Sebastian Bach : his work and influence on the music of Germany, 1685-1750 (1899) — public domain, archive.org.