# Bach's transcriptions of Vivaldi.



## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Bach admired Vivaldi, and the "italian style" in general. Evidently he was fascinated with it, he wrote various pieces in which there's an explicit mention of the "italian style" in the titles (like the "Italian Concerto for harpsichord", for example; the original name is "Concerto after the Italian taste").
And also he made transcriptions of his favorite pieces by known italian composers, most notably Vivaldi and Marcello.
What do you think of these transcriptions?.
Here are some examples:

-Bach: Concerto for 4 harpsichords BWV 1065: 



Vivaldi: Concerto for four violins in B minor RV 580: 




-Bach: Organ Concerto in A minor BWV 593: 



Vivaldi: Concerto for two violins in A minor: 




-Bach: Concerto for harpsichord BWV 974: 



Marcello: Oboe Concerto in d minor: 




I like the transcriptions. It's evident that Bach made slight changes in the harmony and counterpoint. In the original pieces, the harmony is a little more crude than in Bach's transcriptions. Bach added some notes and completed the chords, bettered the voice leading. In Bach's transcriptions, the harmony flows more smoothly. But I don't think Vivaldi didn't know about these subtleties. I think that this roughness is an integral part of the italian style, and reinforces its feeling of constant momentum and energy. Bach's transcriptions sound like the italian style with manners, you can't feel anymore that hurry and energy you find in Vivaldi. 
But they are still pretty interesting.


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## Picander (May 8, 2013)

Bach transcribed too Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (BWV 1083). A wonderful transcription of a wonderful piece:


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Bach's arias in his church cantatas and his great passions are also in the Italian style - the _da capo_ arias from Italian opera. Bach generally adopted the Vivaldi three movement concerto style preferring that over the multi-movement Corelli style that was also very prevalent during that time.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

One interesting thing about JSB is that his music sometimes integrates French, German and Italian styles. I think he's unique in that respect. And I'm sure it's very meaningful -- the three styles involve different, prime facie incompatible, political ideas.

Re the transcriptions of Vivaldi concertos, one of my favourite Bach recordings is Frans Raml's CD on a beautiful dusky colouful organ









I believe that Bach either transcribed or orchestrated some music by Palestrina too.

Re Bach Marcello, there's a wonderful antique performance by Edwin Fischer. Gould played it too. But maybe the one I find most intriguing is on this disc, which is pretty essential and pretty controversial


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

This one is pretty known also:

-Bach: Aria Variata alla Maniera Italiana, BWV 989, 



 (GG)


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Mandryka said:


> One interesting thing about JSB is that his music sometimes integrates French, German and Italian styles. I think he's unique in that respect. And I'm sure it's very meaningful -- the three styles involve different, prime facie incompatible, political ideas.


Quite true. And before globalization!.


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