Johann Sebastian Bach
Italian Concerto
in F Major, BWV 971
Using the keyboard to emulate a traditional Concerto with orchestra and soloist, this three-movement work is one of Bach’s most popular keyboard pieces.
Piano score: PS Urtext 
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A Concerto for solo keyboard
The Italian Concerto is one of Bach’s most popular keyboard pieces. Using the keyboard to emulate a traditional Concerto with orchestra and soloist, it consists of three movements: a proud and joyous Allegro in F major, a pensive arioso-style Andante in d minor, and an intense finale marked Presto, again in F major. Both outer movements are in ritornello style, alternating recurring sections meant to imitate orchestral tutti with “solo” sections. The forte and piano markings, unusual for Bach, help guide the player by highlighting melodies and recurrences of the tutti themes.Background
Bach published his “Concerto in the Italian Style”, now known as the Italian Concerto, in 1735. In contrast to many of his keyboard works, which can be played on any keyboard instrument – in Bach’s time, this included the harpsichord, clavichord, or organ – it is clear this piece was composed for a two-manual harpsichord.Forum posts about this piece:
ARSM pieces by iamdopeuarenope
Wanted to ask for some opinions on what I've planned to learn for ARSM diploma. J. S. Bach - Italian Concerto BWV 971 (~14 Minutes) Glinka/Balakirev - The Lark (~5 Minutes 30...
Please help Presto from Italian Concerto!! by marijn1999
Hi guys, So I have this piano competition coming up in a little under three weeks and I'm freaking out because I chose to play Bach's Italian Concerto about three months beforehand but I...
Same Question - Too Old to Start and possible exercise in futility by mbpress01
Hi all and thanks for this great site and for the folks who post here regularly. Similar story you have read many times as I played for 1 year a very long time ago and now at 51 am starting again and of...
Bach Fantasies,Partitas, and Italian Concerto by chopinawesome
Which piece would you recommend?...
Italian Concerto technique by alpacinator1
I'm learning the first movement of Bach's Italian Concerto. I've been playing the notes with a more staccato style, but my teacher disagrees and tells me to play it more legato. The sheet music...
Italian Concerto by BoliverAllmon
How hard is the Italian Concerto? I have played Bach's a minor P&F book II and his D Maj. book I as well as several smaller pieces. I want to attempt a large Bach piece and am leaning towards this. I...
Difficulty of Bach Italian concerto by schubertiad
I need to prepare a bach piece for an audition in a few months, and have a number of candidates: a P+F english suite no.2 prelude italian concerto 1st mvt fantasia in c minor 1st mvt of...
Bach's Italian Concerto by uncle_trapspringer
Hello, this is my first post, though I've been lurking around the forums for a while. I'll be sixteen in a couple of months and have been playing for about two years and four...
Italian Concerto recordings by sevan626
Who is your favorite interpreter of Bach's Italian Concerto? I only have Gould's recording but would like to explore...
Bach - Italian Concerto by Womble
this is my first post im currently doing my grade 8 piano and have choen the bach italian concerto presto. i have trouble with the left hand keeping the quavers even, fast and at the right loudness. any...
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Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the prominent composers active in the Baroque era, has written this piece titled Italian Concerto BWV 971 in F Major . The composition is categorized as "Piece" in Piano Street's sheet music library and the level of difficulty is 8.