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RACK 6-Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Ciaconna, partita 2 BWV 1004(transcription Galle Solal)

Masterpiece which culminates the second partita for solo violin, it has a symmetrical structure: theme, 30 variations, theme, 30 variations,adential theme and variation. Built on a plaintive and well-known four-measure bass line that descends stepwise from tonic to dominant.Thisasso figure was known as the Romanescain the Renaissance and occurs in music today, even in popular styles, as a ground for a set of variations.

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So, the subject S is one note per bar and four measures long descending from tonic to dominant. However, it does not occur in a pure form at theutset.
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S is altered at the beginning, because the passage is harmonic. The harmonic minor is used in order to avoir the an augmented second, theorbidden interval,

(http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/capture-d_c3a9cran-2013-06-16-c3a0-03-2-19.jpg)ariation 1: the subject S. In order to avoid this forbidden interval, Bach circumvents it as D C# D Bb A, returning to D before descending to Bb,n interesting evasive maneuver.

(http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/capture-d_c3a9cran-2013-06-16-c3a0-03-2-39.jpg)ariation 2-7: The subject occurs this way, every four measures,ariation 8 +9 : with exceptions to this harmonic bassoccur when there is a chromatic descent in these 2 variations.

(http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/capture-d_c3a9cran-2013-06-16-c3a0-03-2-30.jpg)ariation 10: the subject (chromatic form) temporarily shifts to the sopranoariation 11: the subject (chromatic form) is back in the bassariation 12: The lines become more melodic. From this point there is an alternation of the subject between bass and soprano. S shifts again to theoprano, occuring off the beat, but accentuated, nevertheless, by the leaps that precede each subject-note. From this point the subject S is used in
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ts the pure form, the diatonic form.ariation 13: the subject goes back into the bass, but still off-beat.ariation 13+14: S consists of the bass notes of each measure.ariation 15: the bass descends chromaticallyariation 16: S returns to the diatonic form till variation 22ariation 22: arpeggiated chords return, and the harmonic bassresumes. Bach wrote the arpeggiations as block chords, as in a Schenkerianeduction. The arpeggios are to be improvised

ariation 23: Bach made the bass melodic, and the diatonic form resumesariation 24: S switches to the sopranoariation 26: S back to the bassariation 27: It picks up some alto notes finishing in the bassariation 28: S is in the soprano (chromatic descending form)ariation 29: resumes in the bassariation 30: S goes back to its normal form with diminutions.ar 126: The Theme returns. This is the half way point in the form.

ariation 31: the last variation in a minor keyariation 32: changes to D major, and the music remains in major until variation 51.ariation 41: S switches to an upper voice (alto)ariation 42: back to the bassariation 47: omission of C from Sariation 51: D minor

ar 249: return of the Theme53-257: one extra cadential variation

he work has an overall symmetrical binary structure: || Theme | 30 variations || Theme | 30 variations ||It then ends with || Theme, cadential variation ||

0 variation pattern, exactly as the number of variations in the Goldberg Variations.

ariation techniques:Bach was fond of using the symmetric thematic transformations of transposition, inversion, retrograde, and retrograde inversion. These are

ormally supplemented with diminution, augmentation, interpolation, fragmentation, octave displacements, and elision operations. All of thesere found in the chaconne.


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In order to perform what is clearly scored and designed, the performer needs to be aware of these transformations of the basic four-note subject.Not only does S repeat every four bars in implied dotted half notes, but Bach restated and transformed it in many condensed versions, in sixteenth

nd eighth notes, and the performer should be aware that these segments divide the music into basic motifs, basic statements. Therefore, thehole piece begins to emerge as a multileveled musical fractal, with the same basic shape being reiterated in multifarious forms and sizes.

ut this is also the Chaconne!he violinist Arnold Steinhardt, first violonist of the Guarneri String Quartet) puts it this way:

To prepare for [a friend's funeral] service, I had been practicing the Chaconne every day fussing over individual phrases, searching for better ways totring them together, and wondering about the very nature of the piece, at its core an old dance form that had been around for centuries. After the manyimes I had heard and played the Chaconne, I had hoped it would fall relatively easily into place by now, but it appeared to be taunting me. The more Iorked, the more I saw; the more I saw, the further away it drifted from my grasp. Perhaps that is in the nature of every masterpiece. But more than

hat, the Chaconne seemed to exude shadows over its grandeur and artful design. Exactly what was hidden there I could not say, but I would loseyself for long stretches of time exploring the works repeating four-bar phrases, which rose and fell and marched solemnly forward in ever-changingatterns. Arnold Steinhardt, in Violin Dreams

More on Steinhardt & the Chaconne (http://www.radioopensource.org/bachs-chaconne/)

Complete analysis (http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bachs-violin-chaconne-in-d-analysis.pdf)

Original score (http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/chaconne-bach-original_.pdf)(http://chaconnespassacailles.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/chaconne-bach-original_.pdf)

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