Johann Sebastian Bach — Italian Concerto, BWV 971 (1735)
Bach’s Italian Concerto comes from the second book of the Clavier-Übung (1735) and stands as one of the most successful examples of how he absorbed and transformed Italian instrumental style—especially that of Vivaldi—into something uniquely his own. Although written for a two-manual harpsichord, the work cleverly imitates the contrasts of a real concerto: the “solo” and “tutti” voices are created through terraced dynamics and texture rather than orchestral forces.
The opening movement bursts with bright energy, with a rhythmic drive and sequence-based writing that evoke the brilliance of an Italian concerto grosso. In the central Andante, Bach turns to a more intimate, aria-like expression: a singing melodic line unfolds over a gently pulsing accompaniment, creating one of his most poignant slow movements. The final movement is exuberant and virtuosic, full of quick passagework, playful exchanges, and the kind of jubilant momentum typical of Vivaldi’s finales.
The Italian Concerto combines clarity, elegance, and architectural brilliance, offering a glimpse into Bach’s imagination as he blends national styles into a seamless and highly expressive keyboard masterpiece.

Ferruccio Busoni — Chaconne in D minor (after J.S. Bach), BV 100 (1893)
Busoni’s Chaconne is one of the most iconic piano transcriptions of the Romantic era. Based on the monumental final movement of Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin, Busoni’s 1893 arrangement transforms the original into a work of symphonic breadth and pianistic grandeur. Rather than simply “transcribing,” Busoni re-imagines Bach’s music through the lens of a late-Romantic piano virtuoso, expanding textures, thickening harmonies, and pushing the expressive and technical capabilities of the instrument to its limits.
The chaconne form—a series of variations over a repeating bass progression—allows Busoni to unfold an immense emotional and sonic journey. The solemn opening develops into towering climaxes, cascading figuration, orchestral sonorities, and moments of radiant lyricism. Throughout, Busoni remains reverent to Bach’s structure while giving the piano an almost organ-like power, creating a work that is at once a tribute, a transformation, and an original artistic statement.
The Chaconne stands today not merely as a transcription but as one of the great virtuoso works of the piano repertoire—an encounter between Bach’s spiritual depth and Busoni’s visionary Romantic imagination.