Provenance of Grandjany’s Bach arrangements ?

[Alison]

Has anybody accurately cross-referenced Grandjany’s arrangements in the Fischer volume of Bach ‘Etudes’ or located the originals, whether they be Violin Partitas or for Harpsichord as there is never a BWV number on the arrangements nor in the contents and their original key is not given, so it proves difficult to search. The same goes for the Allemand arrangement published by Durand.
I have a recording of the Violin Partita on which etude no 3 is based and the cover on the Allemand BWV 817 arranged by Anna Loro & printed by Salvi has been easier to locate. A spreadsheet list would be most helpful.
A web search led me to an imslp page where there were 3 keyboard Allemands in different BWV’s but at least I could listen to them.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Yes. But why do you want to do it? These are his personal arrangements. They are not meant to be scholarly. Are you just trying to identify the sources? I think the cover says that they are all from the violin partitas. Some movements are duplicated in other partitas, like for lute.

[Alison]

well for two reasons, a) so that I can listen to them in their original form and look at the original editions for the violin or piano and register their original form, dynamics and key signature;
b) revise the fingering, or even play from the original, unless that proves too difficult………but also so that I don’t have to read a forced left hand split into the lower stave (my pet hate)…..I’m not trying to waste time…. mine nor yours ! Actually I hadn’t noticed they are ALL for violin in the Fischer volume, because I got hung up on their minimal descriptions.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

If you don’t like his arrangements, then I would just play something else. His fingerings and voicings are the essence of what he was after. I wondered the same thing and it took a while to find the sources. If you want something by Bach, the Chaconne by Dewey Owens is a masterpiece. There is also the Suite edited by Sioned Williams. I don’t think most Bach sounds well on the harp, it is too heavy and low in register.

[emma-graham]

Sioned’s Suite is BWV 1006a. She did a lot of research on it and included an original facsimile of Bach’s score in the music. It is a joy to play. The prelude is Grandjany’s 12th étude but, as it isn’t doubled in the hands, it is much easier to play. It flows beautifully. It is quite difficult to find the music now as the original publishers sold the rights.

[Alison]

Thank you both, I hadn’t realised Sioned had reproduced Bach at all, knew only the Parry Sonatas. Playing Bach is growing on me, I could only listen before, aside from no 3, perhaps my articulation is improving. If they sold the rights maybe there’s a pile of spare copies somewhere.

[emma-graham]

You can buy the whole of Sioned’s suite from Holywell music in London. They have a little stash hidden in the cellars!

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