About this edition
Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A major, BWV 1055, is one of the most lyrical and buoyant works in the composer's cycle of seven solo harpsichord concertos. Believed to be an arrangement of a lost original — likely for oboe d'amore, given the concerto's characteristic tessitura and singing lines — the work is beloved for its radiant opening Allegro, its deeply expressive Larghetto in F-sharp minor built over an ostinato bass, and a dancing Allegro ma non tanto finale in 3/8. It stands as a cornerstone of the Baroque concerto repertoire and a favorite of harpsichordists, pianists, and chamber orchestras alike.
This score reproduces the text from the Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, Band 17, published by Breitkopf und Härtel in Leipzig in 1869, and edited by Wilhelm Rust (1822–1892). The Bach-Gesellschaft edition, prepared over nearly half a century by many of the finest Bach scholars of the nineteenth century, was the first complete critical edition of Bach's works and remains a foundational reference. Rust's editorial contributions to the series are particularly esteemed for their meticulous source study and their careful, sober approach to textual questions — qualities that have kept these volumes in active use by performers and scholars for more than 150 years.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score for solo harpsichord, strings, and continuo
- Includes concerto (pp. 107–132) with editorial commentary (pp. 318–319)
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, printed for clarity and ease of study
- Faithfully reproduced from a public domain historical source
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This edition makes a distinguished nineteenth-century engraving of Bach's masterwork available in an affordable, well-produced print format. We're delighted to help keep historical scores like this one in the hands of the musicians, students, and scholars who love them.
