Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G

J. S. BachBWV 1048

Key

G

Time

C

Tempo

♩=96

AO focus

AO3

Form

Concerto for three trios — three violins + three violas + three cellos + continuo. No solo / tutti distinction; every player is both soloist and ripienist. Two movements (the 'middle' is famously just two chords).

Teaching points

• 9-part string texture — discuss the unusual scoring. Why no winds? Why three of each string?
• First-movement opening tutti — all nine strings on the same gesture, then split into three-part counterpoint
• AO1: a school string ensemble can stage this — accessible parts, no fearsome solos
• AO3: the only Brandenburg without a slow movement — Bach writes two cadential chords and lets the players improvise the link