Air on the G String

Not to be confused with "Air" from Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3.

Air on the G String is August Wilhelmj's arrangement of the second movement in Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.

The arrangement differs from the original in that the part of the first violins is transposed down so that it can be played entirely on a violin's lowest string, i.e., the G string. It is played by a single violin (instead of by the first violins as a group), and the rest of the music is reduced to an accompaniment that obfuscates most of the detail of the original.

Bach's original

	"Air" from Bach's third Orchestral Suite String orchestra (2000) performed by the United States Air Force Band Strings (not exactly an historically informed performance, but no transpositions).
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Further information: Orchestral Suite No. 3 (Bach)

Bach's third Orchestral Suite in D major, composed in the first half of the 18th century, has an "Air" as second movement, following its French overture opening movement. The suite is composed for three trumpets, timpani, two oboes, strings (two violin parts and a viola part), and basso continuo. In the second movement of the suite however only the strings and the continuo play. This is the only movement of the suite where all other instruments are silent.

The music of the "Air" is written down on four staves, for first violins, second violins, violas, and continuo. The eerie, interweaving melody lines of the high strings contrast with a pronounced rhythmic drive in the bass.

Wilhelmj's arrangement

Air on the G String

Violin and piano (1920)

performed by Joel Belov (violin) and Robert Gayler (piano)

Violin and string orchestra (1990)

performed by Takako Nishizaki (violin), Capella Istropolitana, Oliver von Dohnányi (conductor); courtesy of Naxos Records

Saxophone and piano

performed by David Hernando Vitores (alto saxophone) – "on the G String"-like arrangement for a solo instrument without strings

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In the late 19th century violinist August Wilhelmj arranged the second movement of Bach's third Orchestral Suite for violin and an accompaniment of strings, piano or organ (harmonium). On the score he had "auf der G-Saite" (on the G string) printed above the stave for the solo violin, which gave the arrangement its nickname.

In Wilhelmj's version the piece is transposed down from its original key (D major) to C major. Then the part of the first violins is transposed down a further octave and given to a solo violin that can play the entire melody on its lowest string, the G string. The dynamic markings added by Wilhelmj are more in line with a romantic interpretation than with the baroque original.

As a violin can't play very loud in its lowest register, all the other parts of Bach's music were firmly reduced in Wilhelmj's version: the keyboard part is to be played staccato and pianissimo, causing the effects of interweaving melodies and of drive in the bass part to go lost. In the strings accompaniment version the violins and violas play muted (con sordino), and the bass part for cellos and double basses is to be played pizzicato and sempre pianissimo, with the same change in effect compared to Bach's original.

Later, a spurious story was put about that the melody was always intended to be played on the G string alone.^[1] The violin solo part of Wilhelmj's arrangement is sometimes played on the counter-tenor violoncello. As a result of the popularity of the piece, on the G string remained in the name of various arrangements whether or not a string instrument playing on its G string was involved. Most of these versions have in common that the original melody of the first violins is played in the low register of a solo instrument, accompanied by a reduction of the material of the other parts of Bach's piece, although occasionally versions that stay more in line with Bach's original can go by the same name.

References

↑ Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th edition, 1954, Vol. IX, p. 298, Wilhelmj, August

External links

Air on the G String (Wilhelmj arrangement): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Free sheet music of Air on the G String from Cantorion.org
Air on G String sheet music on musescore.com

Video clips

Air on the G String performance by the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber

Chamber music, Orchestral works and Transcriptions by Johann Sebastian Bach

Solo	Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001–1006 (Partita No. 1, No. 2, No. 3) Cello Suites, BWV 1007–1012 Partita for Solo Flute, BWV 1013

Ensemble	Six Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1014–1019 Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord, BWV 1027–1029 Flute Sonatas: in B minor, BWV 1030, in E♭ major, BWV 1031 (doubtful), in A major, BWV 1032, in C major, BWV 1033 (doubtful), in E minor, BWV 1034, in E major, BWV 1035 Sonata for two flutes and continuo, BWV 1039 Canonic Trio Sonata, BWV 1040

Concertos	Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042 Concerto for Two Violins, BWV 1043 Triple Concerto, BWV 1044 Sinfonia for violin and orchestra, BWV 1045 Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051 Keyboard concertos, BWV 1052–1065

Suites	Orchestral Suites, BWV 1066–1069 Orchestral Suite in G minor, BWV 1070 (doubtful)

Various	Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach The Musical Offering, BWV 1079 The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 (discography)

Adaptations	Air on the G String "Alphabet" "Ave Maria" Bach-Busoni Editions "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring "Lady Lynda" "They"

Albums	Bach's Greatest Hits Back to Bach Jazz Sebastian Bach Switched-On Bach Switched-On Bach II

List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach List of fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach

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