The Partita

“Partita” was initially a term to describe a single instrumental music work.

However, composers such as Kuhnau, Graupner, and notably among all, J.S. Bach started using the term for a larger collection of pieces grouped together. In that sense, it became a synonym for “Suite”.

Bach wrote several Partitas for solo violin and for solo keyboard. Among them, the Partita nr.2 for solo violin has a place in the musical collective as one of the most important works of the Baroque.

From this Partita, the energy and spirit of the Gigue (the 4th piece of the collection) make it a delightful conclusion to this work, offering a light-hearted yet technically demanding challenge for the performer. Bach's skill in blending complexity and elegance into a simple dance form is brilliantly showcased in this piece.

Not long ago, I made a transcription of the full Partita in d minor for solo bandoneon. The Gigue remains among my favorite ones.

You can listen to it at the top of my bandoneon playlist, right here.

Enjoy, and have a great day.

Claudio.