Johann Ernst Prinz von Sachsen-Weimar: 6 Violinkonzerte Op. 1 (Band I)

Johann Ernst Prince of Saxe-Weimar (1696–1715) was a respectable violinist. In J. G. Walther’s Musikalisches Lexikon of 1732, we read that during his short life the prince composed nineteen instrumental pieces (violin concertos?), six of which were published.

During Johann Ernst’s lifetime, Johann Sebastian Bach was active as court chapel-master in Weimar (1708–17), so that direct contact between the prince and J. S. Bach can be assumed. Bach arranged at least four, and possibly as many as seven of Johann Ernst’s violin concertos as concertos for harpsichord or organ.

Our edition is based on the six concertos mentioned by J. G. Walther, which were published in part books by G. P. Telemann in 1718. They are presented here in a modern edition for the first time.

All six concertos are in the Italian style, and Vivaldi’s influence is noticeable. The solo violin part seldom goes higher than first position, but is nevertheless technically demanding. The second violin also repeatedly has solo passages. The ensemble is a four-part string orchestra, whereby the bass part is specified as being for “Cembalo o Violoncello” (but only for “Cembalo” in Concerto I).

Edited by Hans Bergmann

  Concerto I     B-Dur    Allegro -  Adagio/Allegro - Un Poco Presto
  Concerto II    a-Moll    Allegro - Largo - Andante
  Concerto III   e-Moll    Vivace - Pastorella - Presto

CD recordings:

  Anne Schumann, Sebastian Knebel, Ensemble Fürsten-Musik, CPO, DDD, 2014
  Thüringer Bach Collegium, Audite, DDD, 2018