Partitas for keyboard (Bach)

The six partitas for keyboard form the last set of suites that Bach composed, and are the most technically demanding of the three.

As with the French and English Suites, the autograph manuscript of the Partitas is no longer extant.

In comparison with the two earlier sets of suites, the Partitas are by far the most free-ranging in terms of structure.

The Overture in the French style was originally written in C minor, but was transposed a half step down for publication to complete the tonal scheme of Parts I and II as described below.

[5] This key sequence continues into Clavier-Übung II (1735) with the two larger works: the Italian Concerto, a seventh down (E to F), and the Overture in the French style, an augmented fourth up (F to B♮).

Title page of Clavier-Übung I
Title page of the first partita, printed in 1726 by Balthasar Schmid of Nuremberg
Autograph manuscript (1725) of Allegro for solo harpsichord from first version of Bach's sixth sonata for obbligato harpsichord and violin, BWV 1019a , later incorporated as Corrente in sixth partita, BWV 830.
Close of final Gigue from Partita No. 6, BWV 830, first edition, 1731