The Brandenburg Concerti are six pieces of music written by Johann Sebastian Bach. Their name is rather misleading as they are not what we would call concerti nowadays. We think of a concerto as a piece of music for a solo instrument and accompaniment (usually an orchestra) in three movements. These concerti do not have a solo instrument and accompaniment. They are played by a small group of musicians, usually a chamber orchestra – although in Bach’s day there was no difference between a chamber orchestra and any other sort of orchestra. Although most of them are in three movements, No. 1 has four movements, and No. 3 has a very short second movement, sometimes considered to be part of the first movement.
The Brandenburg Concerti were written as a gift for Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg. He had met Bach in 1719 and heard Bach play on a harpsichord which was for sale. The Margrave asked Bach to send him some compositions. Bach sent him the Brandenburg Concerti in 1721, possibly thinking of them as a job application. The Margrave never made any acknowledgement of having received the concerti. He never had them performed and gave Bach no fee or job.
Although the Brandenburg Concerti were presented to the Margrave in 1721 and commissioned in 1719, it is quite likely that Bach had been working on them for a few years beforehand. It is thought that they mirrored a happy time in his life, when he was working for the court of Prince Leopold.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
IV. Menuetto, Trio – Menuetto, Polacca, Menuetto, Trio, Menuetto
Scoring
Two horns, three oboes, bassoon, violino piccolo, strings and continuo.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV 1047
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allagro assai
Scoring
Trumpet, oboe, recorder, violin, strings and continuo.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
Scoring
Three violins, three violas, three celli, double base and continuo.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto
Scoring
Violin, two recorders, strings and continuo.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
Scoring
Flute, violin, harpsichord, strings (without second violin) and continuo.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major, BWV 1051
Movements
I. Allegro
II. Adagio ma non tanto
III. Allegro
Scoring
Two violas, two bass viols, cello, double bass and continuo.
The term continuo is short for basso continuo, meaning a continuous bass line. This was usually played by the harpsichord. In the 5th Brandenburg Concerto the harpsichord has a very important cadenza.
Home
