Air on G String

“It brings me great joy to present this unique musical gem – the sheet music for J.S. Bach’s “Air on the G String,” transcribed for the bandoneon.

The “Air on the G String,” also known as “Air for G String” and “Celebrated Air,” is August Wilhelmj’s 1871 arrangement of the second movement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.

The arrangement differs from the original in that the part of the first violins is transposed down so that the entire piece can be played on just the violin’s lowest string (the G string, hence the name). In performance, this part is generally played by a single violin (instead of by the first violins as a group).

For me, this piece holds sentimental value as it served as the soundtrack for “Super Quark,” a renowned Italian scientific outreach program. Fond memories flood back of watching this program with my uncle during my formative years, creating a lasting bond with the melody.

For the transciption I decided to mantain the Whilelmj’s version in C Major.

The level of difficulty is intermediate, making it accessible to a wide range of players.