Chaconne (Partita No. 2 for solo violin)

J. S. BachBWV 1004 mvt 5

Key

Dm

Time

3/4

Tempo

♩=60

AO focus

AO3

Form

Chaconne — closing movement of the second Partita for solo violin. ~13 minutes long, 64 variations on a 4-bar harmonic progression. The single most-celebrated piece in the violin repertoire; often played alone as a recital piece.

Teaching points

• Chaconne — variations over a repeating bass / harmonic progression. 4-bar units throughout
• Solo violin polyphony — Bach implies up to 4 voices on a single line. Multi-string chord technique
• AO3: Brahms wrote: 'On a single staff, for a small instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thoughts and most powerful feelings'
• Practical: Grade 8 / diploma audition piece. The Mount Everest of solo violin