Evolutionary Aspects in the Italian Concerto BWV 971 by J.S. Bach

Evolutionary Aspects in the Italian Concerto BWV 971 by J.S. Bach

During the Baroque era, many magnificent pieces were written with the power to evoke deep feelings in the listener. They had an organised and logical structure. Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi are representative masters of this genre.

 

Already at the end of the Baroque, the concerto form was well defined; the solo concerto and the Grosso concert. The alternation of the solo was very common: a soloist that one or more instruments could interpret with a leading role, and the tutti: a filler (ripieno) that fills and solidifies the piece, alternating in prominence with the solo part.

 
 

In Germany, Johann Sebastian Bach was already experimenting and creating jewellery in the shape of a concerto. Therefore, it is worth mentioning his Brandenburg Concertos and those for a solo instrument and orchestral ripieno. 

 

Thanks to his experience in writing the seven concertos for strings and harpsichord, Johann Sebastian Bach set the pillars for one of the most popular future forms. These pieces were arranged for other instruments by the same composer.

 

Commonly, they were structured in this way:

 

Soloist

Violin I

Violin II

Viola

Continuo

The continuo used to be played by an instrument capable of creating harmonies such as the keyboards of the time, lutes or tiorbas. And the other part of the continuo is formed by a bass instrument, doubling the horizontal melodic line that opposes the verticality of the encrypted harmonies.

 
 

Italian Concerto BWV 971

 

This same structure was the one that Bach would use to shape his Italian concerto. But such was the veracity of the composer, that he allocated concepts such as the Italian way of writing his concertos, fast-slow-fast, the alternation of a solo in juxtaposition with a ripieno, the appearance of a rittornellos. In my opinion, all this is supported by rhetoric that demonstrates the Italian style, full of virtuosity, presence of character and an infinite presence of impulsive feelings.

 

The fact that Bach could capture all the elements for a single two-manual harpsichord without ever leaving Germany was splendid how he could recreate music with elements from other parts. This leads us to think that Bach appreciated and shared musical criteria regarding the music of Giuseppe Torelli and Antonio Vivaldi; the latter also inspired him to transcribe several of his Orchestral Concertos into a single keyboard instrument.

 

J.S. Bach’s music is often characterised by elaborate counterpoint and a relatively conservative set of aesthetic principles, the elements of the emerging gallant fashion being exemplified in specific compositions from his mid to late career. The gallant style, which increasingly took hold in European music during the middle decades of the 18th century, represented a simplicity and coherence fostered by the rigorous compositional approach for which Bach is remembered. One of the most substantial examples of its progressivity occurs in his Italian concerto, the famous BWV 971.

 
 

It can be found in the first half of his 1735 Clavier-Übung II, the piece for double manual harpsichord is imbued with techniques clearly employed as part of the gallant revolution.

 

Through an analysis of the work through the lens of textural, harmonic, schematic, organisational, and melodic techniques, this article reflects that Bach was very attached to the new stylistic fashions of his time. Although he never tried to abandon his core baroque values, works like the Italian concerto demonstrate that the composer is far from isolated from the newer musical language.

It is important to say that in this Italian concerto, as in some of his other compositions, Bach provided many indications for soft and loud, thus giving a clear picture of the alternation between a soloist and the ripieno.

 

Bach also left notes of dynamic plans in the concert. It should be noted that the lower manual produces a higher volume of sound than the upper manual. Therefore, in the lower manual, the tuttis would be played, and in the upper manual the soloist, with their alternations.

 

In the first movement, tutti starts the proceedings, stating the theme that remains in his possession throughout. Here, the vigorous and extroverted materials suggest all the forces of a string orchestra. These finally give way, after an intense and straightforward cadence.

 

The soloist’s theme is loaded with great expression. Its cantabile form is supported by homophony, a very important element in the gallant style of Rococo that would give way to Classicism.

 

Contrapuntal passages occur often, fusing his musical identity of German tradition, along with the Italian structure with a great presence of the gallant style. This is a glorious solo aria, touchingly dramatic, unfolding in large, expressive ornamental strands, all underpinned by an ostinato bass whose repetitions simulate an orchestral string accompaniment.

The competitive structural procedure that marks the first movement is reflected in a third movement that finds an unrestrained Bach revelling in a strong but joyous vigour that puts an end to any possible conception of the maestro as dry or pedantic.

One last point is that a pianist would have a much more significant challenge in defining and structuring the solo and orchestra parts than a performer on the two-manual harpsichord, for which the Italian concerto was originally conceived. Ultimately, breathing life into this piece on the piano certainly involves a significant effort, but an effort that is rewarded with beauty and nourishment for the soul.

 

 

Do not miss my post about the history and definition of the Sonata form. As well as the relation between Busoni & Bach.

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