J. S Bach wrote six sonatas and partitas (three of each) for violin alone. He did the same for the cello with six suites for that instrument without accompaniment.
All 12 works were composed during the time when Bach was conductor of the court orchestra at Anhalt-Cöthen, where his patron, young Prince Leopold, was a very skilled musician.
Bach himself was a violinist of no small attainment, yet it seems likely that the solo cello and violin pieces were written, around 1720, for Leopold – high tribute indeed to the Prince for his musical taste and, if he could negotiate the demonic pieces, for his performing ability.
Of the six violin works, this one stands alone on a lofty summit, and this by virtue of the towering “Chaconne” that is its final movement. Preceding this finale are four dance movements that comprise the traditional Baroque suite: allemande, courante, sarabande, and gigue. Although they are splendid examples of their genre, they end by being an introduction to the monumental Chaconne, which is a set of more than 60 variations on a simple bass theme.
Here is this amazing music:
