Lost instrumental works

[Lawrence]

What instrumental works of Bach are specifically known to be lost?
Particularly interested in orchestral works (suites, concerti grosso,
solo concerti) but also any solo or chamber instrumental works. Are
there any indications where they were before being lost or any other
clues?

[Thomas Wood]

Post by Lawrence
What instrumental works of Bach are specifically known to be lost?
Particularly interested in orchestral works (suites, concerti grosso,
solo concerti) but also any solo or chamber instrumental works. Are
there any indications where they were before being lost or any other
clues?

The primary loss that comes to mind is the original form of the concerto BWV
1059 in D minor. Its outer movements are preserved as the Sinfonias in
Cantata BWV 35 (arranged for organ and orchestra), but no one knows for sure
what its second movement might have been. And although the first few bars of
a harpsichord/orchestra arrangement exists (in the same manuscript as the
other harpsichord concerti BWV 1052-58), its original form is a matter of
debate: it may have started out as an oboe or violin concerto in its
original form.

There are also sinfonias, choruses and arias in various cantatas that may
have been arranged from concerto or suite movements, but their original
versions haven't survived.

Tom Wood

[j***@yahoo.com]

Post by Lawrence
What instrumental works of Bach are specifically known to be lost?
Particularly interested in orchestral works (suites, concerti grosso,
solo concerti) but also any solo or chamber instrumental works. Are
there any indications where they were before being lost or any other
clues?

We don't really know about how many of Bach's instrumental works were
lost. There are few indications - the six Organ Sonata's appear to
contain some lost instrumental works. Also, some of the aria's in the
cantata's could have had origins in lost instrumental pieces. Finally
we see evidence that the Partitas have had originals in instrumental
pieces.

The point is that it is entirely possible that many of the lost
instrumental works ended up being used in known organ, keyboards,
instrumental and choral works.

Jimmy Boy