6 Partitas (Klavierubung Part 1) BWV 825-830

Johann Sebastian Bach's “six partitas" BWV 825–830 represent the pinnacle of his keyboard suites. In the search for the greatest variety of stylistic and compositional techniques, the collection shows itself to have the status of a “musical art book". In keeping with this, Bach had these most prestigious works printed at his own expense as Part I of the “Clavier Übung ".

This expanded new edition takes into consideration not only the revised main text of the “six partitas" but also, for the first time evaluates printed copies known to have been used by Bach and his closest circle and copies made by his circle of pupils. These include annotations on ornamentation and valuable hints on performance practice which are invaluable for present-day musicians. This is the first extensive edition to take all existing sources into account. The editor is the British musicologist Richard Douglas Jones, well-known for his numerous discoveries and publications on Bach.

Bach's Six Partitas are also published in an edition with fingerings by the renowned Bach interpreter Ragna Schirmer .

Preface / Notes on Fingering


Vorwort / Anmerkung zu den Fingersätzen


Faksimile / Facsimile: Einzeldruck (1726) der Partita 1, Titelseite / Separate print (1726) of Partita 1, title page


Faksimile / Facsimile: Einzeldruck (1727) der Partita 2, Titelseite / Separate print (1727) of Partita 2, title page

Faksimile / Facsimile: Originaldruck von 1731, Titelseite / Original print of 1731, title page


Faksimile / Facsimile: Verzierungstabelle in Bachs Handschrift / Table of ornaments in Bach's hand


Faksimile / Facsimile: Originaldruck von 1731, Sarabande der Partita 3 / Original print of 1731, Sarabande from Partita 3


Faksimile / Facsimile: Originaldruck von 1731, Beginn der Partita 5 / Original print of 1731, opening of Partita 5


Partita 1, BWV 825

Partita 2, BWV 823

Partita 3, BWV 827

Partita 4, BWV 828

Partita 5, BWV 829

Partita 6, BWV 830

Anhang I: Verzierte Fassungen / Appendix I: Ornamented versions:

Partita 1, Sarabande, BWV 825-4, Nach Quelle G 26 / According to source G 26

Partita 1, Menuet 2, BWV 825-6, Nach Quelle G 26 / According to source G 26

Partita 2, Sinfonia, BWV 826-1, Nach Quelle H 20 / According to source H 20

Partita 2, BWV 826, Nach den Quellen G 25, 26 und 28 / According to sources G 25, 26 and 28

Faksimile / Facsimile: Sinfonia, T. 17-30, aus dem Originaldruck von 1731 (Quelle G 25) / Sinfonia, bb. 17-30, from the original print of 1731 (source G 25)

Partita 4, Courante, BWV 828-3, Nach Quelle G 26 / According to source G 26

Partita 5, Sarabande, BWV 829-4, Nach den Quellen G 26 und H 20 / According to sources G 26 und H 20

Anhang II / Appendix II:

Partita 3, Gigue, BWV 827-7, Variantenfassung nach Quelle G 25 / Variant version according to source G 25

Faksimile / Facsimile: Gigue, T. 25-50, aus dem Originaldruck von 1731 (Quelle G 25) / Gigue, bb. 25-50, from the original print of 1731 (source G 25)

Annotations to the music text

Anmerkungen zum Notentext