Bach/Busoni Transcriptions

Ich Ruf Zu Dir (I Call On You), BWV 639, is one of the forty-six chorale preludes for organ in Johann Sebastian Bach's Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book), written between 1708 and 1714. Ferruccio Busoni wrote a famous transcription for piano. This chorale prelude is the central musical theme of the 1972 Russian movie Solaris.

The Chaconne in D Minor for solo violin is the fifth and last movement of J. S. Bach's Partita Number 2, in D minor, BWV 1004. Violinist Yehudi Menuhin called the Chaconne "the greatest structure for solo violin that exists"; and violinist Joshua Bell said the Chaconne is "not just one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history." Several different transcriptions of the piece have been made for other instruments: the piano, by Ferruccio Busoni and Joachim Raff; the piano left-hand, by Johannes Brahms, and classical guitar, by Andrés Segovia.

Busoni's Fantasia, Adagio e Fuga, BV B 37, is a piece for piano solo adapted from two works by J. S. Bach:

• Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 906

• (sections 1 and 3)

• Adagio in G Major, BWV 968 (section 2)

J. S. Bach's Prelude in C minor for Lute or Harpsichord, BWV 999, was composed around 1725. Busoni's arrangement for piano was published in 1914 as "No.3 of 17 Kleine Präluden und eine Fughetta, BV B 32".

Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924) was an Italian composer and pianist. Most of Busoni's works are for the piano. He edited and transcribed works by other composers, especially those of Bach, Liszt, and Mozart.

The music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) is one of humanity's greatest treasures. It is unsurpassed in its expression of profound reverence for life, and in its depth and diversity of ideas and feelings. It provides boundless joy to listeners and performers.

Tutorials

• Adagio BWV 564

• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV565

• Ich Ruf Zu Dir BWV 639

• Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland BWV 659 (request from Italy)

• Fantasia in C Minor BWV 906 Part 1 Part 2

Fugue in C Minor BWV 906

• Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999

• Chaconne in D Minor BWV 1004 Part 1 (p. 2) Part 2 (pp. 3 to 5) Part 3 (pp. 5 to 8)

Eleven pages of the Chaconne remain. I quit :)

Sheetmusic

• Ich Ruf Zu Dir (starts on page 16)

• Chaconne in D Minor

• Fantasia in C Minor

• imslp: Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1915. Plate 27667