Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 (Transcribed for Viola) Cover Image

Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 (Transcribed for Viola): Viola (Solo)

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Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 (Transcribed for Viola) Cover Image
Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 (Transcribed for Viola): Viola (Solo)

Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 (Transcribed for Viola): Viola (Solo)

By Johann Sebastian Bach

Item: 98-EP71999
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Description

Transcription for Viola solo by Simon Rowland-Jones

Edited by Rowland-Jones and David Ledbetter

The aim of this edition is to make Bach’s landmark works for solo violin accessible to viola players by presenting a musical text that remains close to the original but also has a distinctly practical focus. Additionally, it provides interpretative guidance on Baroque performance practices and how they can be applied to the viola. In this transcription, all pieces have been transposed down by a fifth, but no further changes were made.

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Additional Details
Series: Edition Peters
Publisher: Edition Peters
ISBN10: 0-577-01104-9
ISBN13: 979-0-577-01104-2
UPC: 9790577011042
SKU: 98-EP71999

More about this title

About the Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) wrote the Six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin late in his career, around 1720, as a comprehensive exploration of what a single melodic line could express. These works stand among the most demanding and rewarding pieces in the string repertoire, requiring players to create harmonic and structural coherence without accompaniment. Bach's mastery of counterpoint, his understanding of idiomatic string writing, and his ability to sustain musical architecture across extended movements make these works central to any serious string player's development.

For viola players, these works have long presented both an obstacle and an opportunity. The original violin writing sits high and often exploits the instrument's brilliance in ways that don't translate directly to the viola. This edition by Simon Rowland-Jones addresses that challenge by transposing the entire cycle down a fifth, bringing the music into the viola's natural range while preserving Bach's original harmonic language and structural logic. The result allows violists to engage with some of the greatest music ever written for solo strings without compromise to either the music or the player's instrument.

Why we love this

Bach's solo works demand everything from a player: secure intonation across wide ranges, absolute clarity of phrasing in the absence of harmonic support, and the interpretive maturity to shape long musical lines. Rowland-Jones's transposition succeeds because it respects the original while acknowledging what the viola actually is. Advanced students and professionals get to claim this cornerstone of the repertoire as their own rather than viewing it as borrowed material.

What to expect

Intimate and architecturally intricate. Each movement unfolds as a complete world unto itself, moving between meditative passages that feel almost conversational and sections of technical brilliance that showcase the viola's full range. The absence of accompaniment places you directly in the listener's ear.

Who it's for

Advanced violists preparing recital programs, graduate students building a comprehensive solo repertoire, and teachers seeking rigorous material that develops both technical security and musical independence. These works are accessible in range but demand maturity in interpretation.

How to get the most out of it

  • Study the harmonic implications beneath the melodic surface. Bach writes single lines that imply complete harmonic progressions; identifying these underlying chords will shape your phrasing and intonation in ways that simply following the notated notes cannot.
  • Approach ornamentation as structural, not decorative. Each trill and turn marks a moment of harmonic or melodic emphasis. Baroque convention allows flexibility in execution; use that freedom to enhance rather than obscure the architecture.
  • Project tone without forcing. The viola's natural warmth can actually deepen the introspection of these works, but only if you avoid compensating for the absence of accompaniment by pressing harder. Let the melodic content carry the weight.

How to use it

These work beautifully as anchors for recitals devoted to solo string music across centuries, or as contemporary additions to programs mixing Baroque, Classical, and modern works. A single movement or two can also function as a compelling interlude in a mixed chamber concert.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining long musical phrases without harmonic or rhythmic support
  • Intonation accuracy across extended ranges and in the absence of reference pitches
  • Interpreting Baroque ornamentation and applying historically informed practices to the viola
  • Creating harmonic coherence from a single melodic line
  • Building interpretive independence and personal musical voice

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