Concerto for Harpsichord No.2 in E major (BWV 1053) (two-piano reduction)

J S Bach Concerto for Harpsichord No.2 in E major (BWV 1053) (two-piano reduction)

In early 1729 Bach became director of the so-called "Schottischen Collegium Musicum" a music organization of students and local citizens.  The remarkable results of this undertaking are the concertos for harpsichord.  Today it is almost certain that practically all of these concertos were transcribed from concertos for melody instruments (mostly violin or oboe).

BWV 1053 is the second piece in the autograph score of harpsichord concertos that Bach prepared in or around 1738 (Berlin Staatsbibliothek, Mus. ms. Bach P 234).  It was probably transcribed from a concerto for a solo woodwind instrument, although opinions differ on the original key and instrument.  Bach had already reworked the original concerto in two church cantatas in the autumn of 1726 (BWV 49 and BWV 169), at which time he assigned the solo part to the organ.  Perhaps the original concerto is not much older than these cantatas, for the siciliano slow movement is closely related in expression to many numbers from his great Passion settings.

- Urtext of the New Bach Edition

- Full score & parts (BA5225), two-keyboard reduction (BA5225-90) and study score (TP410) format 22.5 x 16.5cm (all 6 concertos) available for sale