Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042
Johann Sebastian Bach
Work background
Researched classical background
Bach's E-major concerto gives the opening triad a conspicuous role in a bright exchange between solo violin and ensemble. A slower central movement unfolds over a repeated bass idea, allowing the solo line to become more sustained. The compact finale returns insistently to its principal material. The three movements show different balances between a recurring framework and the soloist's more flexible activity.
A listening guide
Compare the slow movement's recurring bass with the finale's recurring refrain.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Solo violin, strings, and basso continuo
Work date: Date uncertain
The original violin concerto's exact chronology is not established here; later adaptations and surviving manuscripts are separate evidence.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Date, title and version notes
No exact composition year is asserted.
Vioolconcert in E groot - Bach
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Vioolconcert in E groot - Bach
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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