Overture in the French style, BWV 831
Encyclopedia
The Overture in the French style, BWV
831, original title Ouvertüre nach Französischer Art, also known as the French Overture and published as the second half of Clavier-Übung
II in 1735
(along with the Italian Concerto), is a suite in B minor
for two-manual harpsichord
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
. An earlier version of this work exists, in the key of C minor (BWV 831a)
The term 'Overture' refers to the fact that this suite starts with an Ouverture movement, and was a common generic name for French suites (his orchestral suites
were similarly named).
Movements:
The length of the piece is approximately 30 minutes, depending on repeats.
The style of this work refers to composers like François Couperin
who had published compositions in this suite format. Such suites had been composed for both solo instruments and for orchestral settings. Bach's composition, though a work for solo harpsichord, employs a fuller sound than was customary for the French composers to whom he referred.
BWV
The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...
831, original title Ouvertüre nach Französischer Art, also known as the French Overture and published as the second half of Clavier-Übung
Clavier-Übung
Clavier-Übung is German for "keyboard practice". In late 17th and early 18th centuries this was a common title for keyboard music collections, initially popular after its adoption by Johann Kuhnau in 1689, although today it is usually associated with Johann Sebastian Bach's series of publications...
II in 1735
1735 in music
-Events:*February 18 – Flora becomes the first opera performed in the United States – at Charleston, South Carolina.*Maurice Greene is appointed Master of the King's Musick....
(along with the Italian Concerto), is a suite in B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
for two-manual harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. An earlier version of this work exists, in the key of C minor (BWV 831a)
The term 'Overture' refers to the fact that this suite starts with an Ouverture movement, and was a common generic name for French suites (his orchestral suites
Orchestral suites (Bach)
The four Orchestral Suites or Ouvertures BWV 1066–1069 are a set of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, probably composed between 1725 and 1739 in Leipzig...
were similarly named).
Movements:
- Ouverture
- CouranteCouranteThe courante, corrente, coranto and corant are some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era....
- GavotteGavotteThe gavotte originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. It is notated in 4/4 or 2/2 time and is of moderate tempo...
I/II - PassepiedPassepiedThe passepied is a 17th- and 18th-century dance that originated in Brittany. The term can also be used to describe the music to which a passepied is set...
I/II - SarabandeSarabandeIn music, the sarabande is a dance in triple metre. The second and third beats of each measure are often tied, giving the dance a distinctive rhythm of quarter notes and eighth notes in alternation...
- BourréeBourréeThe bourrée is a dance of French origin common in Auvergne and Biscay in Spain in the 17th century. It is danced in quick double time, somewhat resembling the gavotte. The main difference between the two is the anacrusis, or upbeat; a bourrée starts on the last beat of a bar, creating a...
I/II - GigueGigueThe gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance originating from the British jig. It was imported into France in the mid-17th century and usually appears at the end of a suite...
- Echo
The length of the piece is approximately 30 minutes, depending on repeats.
The style of this work refers to composers like François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
who had published compositions in this suite format. Such suites had been composed for both solo instruments and for orchestral settings. Bach's composition, though a work for solo harpsichord, employs a fuller sound than was customary for the French composers to whom he referred.