Air on the G String
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The "Air on the G String" is an adaptation by August Wilhelmj of the Air, the second movement from Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.
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[edit] History
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A 21-piece string orchestra arrangement by the United States Air Force Band Strings of BWV1068.
Performed by
Alexander Jablokov (violin) Takako Nishizaki (violin) Capella Istropolitana Oliver Dohnanyi (Conductor) Courtesy of NAXOS |
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The original orchestral suite was written by Bach for his patron Prince Leopold of Anhalt some time between the years 1717 and 1723.
The title comes from violinist August Wilhelmj's late 19th century arrangement of the piece for violin and piano. By transposing the key of the piece from its original D major to C major and transposing the melody down an octave, Wilhelmj was able to play the piece on only one string of his violin, the G string.
[edit] Recording
The Air on the G String was the very first work by Bach to be recorded. This was by the Russian cellist Aleksandr Verzhbilovich and an unnamed pianist, in 1902 (as the Air from the Ouverture No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068).[1][2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Air on the G String (Wilhelmj arrangement): Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
- Musical score and MIDI file at the Mutopia Project, Orchestral arrangement
- Musical score and MIDI file at the Mutopia Project, Trombone Quartet arrangement
- Free sheet music of Air on the G String from Cantorion.org
[edit] Video clips
- Air on the G String performance by the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber
- Usage in a 1980s TV advert for Hamlet
