Bach-Schumann-Camwell: Prelude from Partita BWV 1006 arr. for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Code: JP4063
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0153-3

The Prelude from Bach's Partita BWV 1006 originally was scored as the first movement of his Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir (We thank you, God, we thank you). This work was composed in Leipzig in 1731, for the inauguration of Ratscwechsel's new town council. Bach later adapted this music for unaccompanied violin, and in the next century, Robert Schumann created a piano accompaniment. In 1853, Schumann had heard a performance of the Bach Chaconne with Mendelssohn's piano accompaniment. Schumann thought that other works of Bach for solo violin would reach a wider audience if they also had piano accompaniments. He suggested this idea to the publisher Hartel on January 4 and completed the accompaniments to the six sonatas by February 5.

This arrangement for alto saxophone and piano is based upon the BWV 29 original version, which had used organ as the featured soloist, and Schumann's accompaniment. Alternate editions of this solo as an unaccompanied saxophone solo or as an alto saxophone feature with either symphonic winds or saxophone ensemble are also available from Jeanne, Inc. The saxophone ensemble edition is included on Camwell's recording, Bach-Centric, on the Teal Creek label.

A video sample of Bach-Schumann-Camwell: "Prelude" from Partita BWV 1006 is available on YouTube

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