Musicologists have long had discussions about the timeframe in which Bach's sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord were written since only the first (in G major, BWV 1027) survives in the master's hand, with the others surviving in conflicting copies. The three sonatas likely come from Bach's time in Leipzig in the late 1730s and early 1740s, though persuasive arguments can be made that the works date from the composer's earlier time in Cöthen, where Bach's employer, Prince Leopold, played the viola da gamba and gambist ...
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Musicologists have long had discussions about the timeframe in which Bach's sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord were written since only the first (in G major, BWV 1027) survives in the master's hand, with the others surviving in conflicting copies. The three sonatas likely come from Bach's time in Leipzig in the late 1730s and early 1740s, though persuasive arguments can be made that the works date from the composer's earlier time in Cöthen, where Bach's employer, Prince Leopold, played the viola da gamba and gambist Christian Ferdinand Abel served as a court musician. These are trio sonatas, with the harpsichord taking two of the parts rather than simply performing the role as accompaniment: in fact, the first sonata is an arrangement of the Trio Sonata for two flutes and continuo, BWV 1039. The first two sonatas are written in the sonata da chiesa format with four movements alternating slow and fast tempos, while the third, possibly conceived as a concerto for a different instrument...
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