Johann Sebastian Bach

Largo ma non troppo from the Double Violin Concerto in D minor

The second movement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D minor, entitled Largo ma non troppo, exemplifies some of the best aspects of this great composer’s output. Simultaneously serene and studied, it encapsulates the most rewarding qualities to be found within the Baroque idiom. While said idiom is often branded as stiff, academic, and overly-pedantic in nature, the piece under consideration is at once emotive and technically sophisticated. At the onset of the piece a single violin sounds the principal theme, a tranquil descending melody which works its way back up to be joined by a second violin, emulating the principal theme yet starting from a high C.

The first violin complements the second with an ascending pattern which kicks off the contrapuntal development fully explored throughout the course of the piece. All the while the orchestra provides a gentle, rhythmically invariant harmonic backdrop. The two violins rarely converge, instead complementing each other in a constant development of themes, occasionally joining in unison for temporary resolution. The serene mood remains unaltered throughout the entirety of the piece while the violins find themselves in a complex melodic interplay exemplifying depth, grace, and an unrivaled command of emotive expression within the boundaries of a studied, measured refinement.

- Logical Pragmatist

© 2006 mock Him productions in association with CORRUPT

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