J.S Bach - Fugue in Am

Niklas Widen · Post by **Niklas Widen** » 21 Aug 2003 2:22 pm

I'm finished with the first part of my transcription of Bach's lute fugue, bwv 1001, for E9th pedal steel. Before I proceed, some comments on the arrengement would be very welcome! There is a .doc file at http://user.tninet.se/~rmz810g/bachfugue.doc

and a midi file at http://user.tninet.se/~rmz810g/bachfugue.mid

/Nicke Widén

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 21 Aug 2003 8:20 pm

Nice job, Niklas.
I know this piece in G minor, not A minor. So you have sent me to search the Internet.

I had always thought that
BWV 995, 996, 997, 998, 999 ,1000 were written for lute
and
BWV 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006 were for written for violin.
and
BWV 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012 were for written for cello.

Also, Bach wrote a lute arrangement of BWV 1006, basically the same as BWV 1006 but with a few bass notes added, which is known as BWV 1006a.

My internet search reveals that BWV 1000 (G minor) is Bach's own lute transcripion of BWV 1001 (G minor) which you did in A minor like Paul Galbraith.

Also BWV 995 seems to be a transcription of the 5th cello suite (C minor)

BTW Paul Galbraith has recorded phenomenal versions of these suites. Check it out: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/NonVocal/Solo-Guitar-Galbraith-Kirk.htm
if for no other reason than to see his special guitar.

As you see, he does BWV 1001 in A minor, and he leaves only 2 of the 6 violin suites in their original keys. I say fine, do whatever fits the range of your axe. On extended E9 steel they all seem to work in their original violin keys, sounding an octave lower, since nothing goes below G.

Guitarists play all of these, but most especially 1006's Praeludium, and Rondo-Gavotte, which I heard Segovia play. Segovia tunes his low string down to D and adds some low notes on the D minor chaconne, which may be the best movement in all these suites: http://www.mangore.com/chaco.html
etc

Niklas Widen · Post by **Niklas Widen** » 21 Aug 2003 11:49 pm

Yeah, I knew it was originally a violin sonata, but I always mess those BWV numbers upp...

Thanks for the info anyway! I transcribed it on standard 10 string E9th tuning, so there is even a note on this transposed version, the low A, that I had to change to a C. I have heard many different guitar recordings of this particular Fugue, but I haven't heard Paul Galbraith's version - have to check it out. One of my favorites is the one played by swedish guitarist Göran Söllcher on 11 string alto guitar. Also, hearing the violin original is quite amazing! =)

/Nicke Widén

Niklas Widen · Post by **Niklas Widen** » 22 Aug 2003 12:02 am

Maybe I should add that you need MS Word to open the tab file correctly. If you haven't got Word, there is a free viewer at
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/wd97vwr32.aspx

I will make a tabledit version available when I'm finished with the complete project!

/Nicke W

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Aug 2003 6:25 am

I din't need Microsoft Wrod to see your tab; in fact Word had trouble with it, but Word Pad showed it perfectly.

Tell me about Göran Söllcher's 11 string guitar. Paul Galbraith's is an 8-string and he holds it like a cello.

Niklas Widen · Post by **Niklas Widen** » 22 Aug 2003 6:55 am

Here's a picture of an 11 string alto guitar
http://w1.137.telia.com/~u13702282/LatStaProduction/Bilder/HurundFront.jpg

it's tuned, from low to high,
Bb C D Eb F G C F Bb D G (third string A for lute music), the high G sounding a minor third higher than the standard guitar's first string E. The alto guitar was invented by swedish luthier Georg Bolin in the 1960's, since he wanted a guitar on which to play baroque lute music without transposing, but keeping the tone quality of a standard guitar.

/Nicke W

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Aug 2003 7:34 am

I like that!
If it were 3 frets lower, it would look like this:
E
B
G
D
A
E
D
C
B
A
G
standard 6 string guitar, plus 5 extra bass strings.