The History of Bach’s Solo-Violin Works

Abstract

Bach, famous as a keyboard player, was also an excellent violinist. His set of solo-violin works is analogous to other cycles such as the Brandenburg Concertos, the Inventions, the Well-Tempered Clavier, and the sets of suites for keyboard and for cello, each set demonstrating Bach's mastery of a wide range of compositional and stylistic possibilities in that genre. The notation of Bach's autograph score teaches us about many aspects of the music. The published editions in the 19th and 20th centuries, and arrangements of Bach's music by later composers, teach us how later eras perceived this music in different ways.