Bach - Italian Concerto

[saundersbp]

Hello,

I just wondered if anyone had a copy of the Italian Concerto on C system/freebass with fingering that they might be willing to share (or indeed other trickier Bach)? I know I'm unlikely to get a response to such a specific enquiry but thought there might be a chance given some forum members have studied at conservatoire level and might have studied it as students.

I've learnt so much from the relatively scarce fingered freebass music I've come across and its been invaluable in tackling new music. Just hoping for a leg up on this one. If I was looking for a piano of score of the same there would be numerous examples I could buy, beg or borrow but realise printed accordion fingering is ultra-rare in Bach.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[JerryPH]

Wow, that was one of my favs from Bach in the day... lol

I used to use the version that came in a book for piano, and just kind of worked out the fingering myself measure by measure by photocopying the pages and writing all over them (I used to be a bit of a weird kid in that I didnt like notations in my books... lol).  It took a while as I recall, but it was lovely.  I no longer have the photocopies, but I do have the original book.

Its called Bach - His greatest Piano Solos by Alexander Shealy

 

[Deleted member 48]

Halleonard has sheet music for the Concerto Italiano BWV 971, arranged for accordion.

https://www.halleonard.com/product/50493854/concerto-italiano-bwv-971

The Italian publisher is Ricordi Classica.
You have a 50% chance the fingering notation is for C-system or ... piano accordion.

There is no info on the arranger or accordionist publishing the score.
So you will have to check with Ricordi in Italy, because PA still is dominant in Italy.


There is a chance both PA and CBA fingering numbers are included, but Halleonard doesnt give any information about this important element of the score.

You could email some accordion teachers. Bach pieces are played by every accordion student at conservatory. They will have handwritten fingering notations on the scores.

 

[Eddy Yates]

And now, for something different:

 

[JerryPH]

So much fun, but I could not help thinking that my teacher would have beat me with a bat if I played it like that!   

Had to bring it back in to line :

 

[fphlpsnrg]

Fingering is highly personal. All of us have significant physiological an neurological differences that affect fingering. My own personal wish is that I was born with Duke Ellingtons hands.


In most cases, for music not written specifically for the bayan, we need to develop our own fingering. Bach in particular utilizes passages that are based upon scales. A useful strategy for those passages is to base the fingering for those passages on the fingering used in those scales. An additional approach is to map the pattern of a passage to the hand such that it feels natural and aids in transitioning to the next passage. Bach in particular has written sections for the left hand that would be challenging on 4–row bassetti (have fun here). Finally, developing your own fingering re–enforces the learning process. Useful tools for developing fingering are these sheets (the diagrams present both the left and right hands as if the musician were viewing the instrument in a mirror):

(4–row bassetti)


(5–row bassetti)



An excellent source for Urtext Bach scores is the William & Gayle Cook Library

 

[JerryPH]

I wish I had more time, laying down the fingering again for this song would be a lot of fun.

Traditionally, that is the one big challenge with the Free Bass accordion, the fact that we not only have to control the bellows, but that compared to pianists, we have only 4 fingers to play with on the left hand. Another small challenge for styles of accordion like mine is that I have 3 rows, not 4 dedicated for FB.

All that said, does it really bother me? Not in the slightest... I do what gives me pleasure, no one is paying me for this stuff.

 

[Tom]

Good luck you guys! Bach wrote some beautiful music but it seems so complicated. Is there a "Bach for Dummies" on piano accordion?

 

[JerryPH]

I think that he saved the easier pieces for Anna Magdelena Bach (Minuet in G Major from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach)... lol
… and that's another lovely piece too!

 

[Tom]

Thanks Jerry! I'll check it out. Are there any arranged for accordion?

 

[saundersbp]

Thanks very much for all the responses. I guess I'll have to do it the slow way and work it out from scratch. I did check out the Ricordi edition but is PA and a valiant attempt at the piece with stradella bass!

Happy practicing.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Then the Ricordi arrangement is not an option. 
You are right to prefer the free bass version. 

Companies selling classical accordion sheet music should always give more specific details about the person who made the arrangement, about the layout system PA or CBAs for fingering numbers, and certainly if it is Stradella or free bass. 

This is crucial info for the customer, and it should be mentioned on their website. 

Sorry I couldn't help you with this. 

I'm sure in Russia they will have sheet music including fingering for the Concerto Italiano, but only for bayan B-system,  possibly also for PA.

 

[Corinto]

Maybe have a look here = https://musicsquare.co.uk/137815_PWM-Bach-Johann-Sebastian-Selected-pieces-for-accordion.html



Or here = http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/arrangements.html

 

[Deleted member 48]

A june 2020 YT video with the Italian Concerto on free bass:
   
[color=var(--ytd-video-primary-info-renderer-title-color, var(--yt-spec-text-primary))][font=Roboto, Arial, sans-serif]J.S. Bach, Italian Concerto BWV 971 (I) - Vincent Lhermet, accordion  [/font][/color]

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This arr. of the BWV971 played by Bartosz Kolsut on the free bass accordion is also very beautiful

 

[saundersbp]

These are two fantastic performances and to my ears the music comes alive in three dimensions that rarely happens when played on the harpsichord. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Deleted member 48]

There are more YT videos from 2019 and 2020 with accordionists playing the Italian Concerto BWV 971.

And this is an old 1958 recording for free bass accordion of the BWV 971 piece by Christian Di Maccio, an old mono recording...

I hope you already found the free bass version sheet music to play it.