J.S. Bach/Geert Bierling Ciaccona Partita II BWV1004, Gerard Adriaanse organ St Jan 's-Hertogenbosch

Live registration concert July 1st 2023, organ 1620/1787, transcription for organ by Geert Bierling. Link to the entire concert registration:    • Organ (1620/1787) St Jan 's-Hertogenb...  .

Finally, the greatest chaconna ever (Bach used the Italian designation Ciaccona). The surviving manuscript of Bach (1685-1750) is dated 1720, when he was 35 years old. The repeated bass theme includes 4 bars. Each repetition, 64 in total, is a variation with its own character. The piece is written for violin solo.

A contemporary of Bach, Johann Friedrich Agricola, wrote that Bach often played this piece himself on clavichord (a keyboard instrument), and added as much harmony on the spot as he thought necessary at the time. In the course of time, many arrangements have been made to be able to perform the chaconne on instruments other than violin.

Geert Bierling often performed the ciaccona improvising on organ and harpsichord, following Agricola's description, working out harmonies on the spot according to the basso continuo practice that was common in Bach's time. On request, he has recently elaborated on this in this organ transcription.