Description
In 2014, I recorded my arrangement for saxophone of Bach’s 3 violin solo partitas on my album Bach Partitas for Saxophone (CC 72648), a release which was accompanied by the publication of the sheet music by Schott Music. I had been playing around with that music for decades, trying out many different versions and transpositions.
Of course I knew that Bach’s violin solo works consisted of 3 solo sonatas and 3 partitas, and that the partitas were (generally) less complex in texture. So ever since, I felt tempted to work on bits of the sonatas as well. I am now presenting a collection of six of the twelve movements in an order that in my opinion create a convincing (grand) six-movement sonata. Of course I know that it is uncustomary to have a sonata in six movements, but this happens to work well. Feel free to pick your own collection from them.
I use urtext sources only, leaving the essential information, such as slurring, as original as can be, given the fact that these are arrangements. The result is a transposed and transformed piece that should sound well on the saxophone.
This publication comprises a second version (page 16 onwards) with additional dashed slurring as suggestions for future players. As I think that adding slurring is something quite personal, I would encourage players to play from the first version and only use the second as reference material. This is the way I perform it on my next album, Bach Solo for Saxophone.
