Air on the G String

The "Air on the G String" is an adaptation by August Wilhelmj of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air". The air is usually played slowly and freely, and features an intertwining harmony and melody.

History

The original piece is part of Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, written for his patron Prince Leopold sometime between the years 1717 and 1723.

The title comes from violinist Wilhelmj's late 19th century arrangement of the piece for violin and piano. By transposing the key of the piece from its original D major to C major, Wilhelmj was able to play the piece on only one string of his violin, the G string.

Popular culture

The popular name "Air on the G String" has today more or less taken the meaning of "any" arrangement of Bach's Air. These include:
* This piece is said to be the main inspiration of Procol Harum's most famous song, "A Whiter Shade of Pale".
* Guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen frequently performs versions of Air on his albums and live shows. His interpretations include "Air on a Theme", "Air on a G String" (on his live album) and "Air" on his album "Attack!!". The music of "Prisoner of Your Love" is also an adaptation of Air.
* San Francisco group The Fucking Champs perform an alt-metal version of "Air on the G String" and recorded it on their 2002 album V (Drag City)
* The song Everything's Gonna Be Alright by Sweetbox sampled based on Bach's Air (on a G String) from Suite No. 3.
* Australian musical comedy group Tripod released a vocal version of this with added lyrics.
* The visual novel "G Senjō no Maō" gets part of its name from this piece, which is a personal favorite of the protagonist.
* Another arrangement of this song was performed by boy choir Libera for their 2008 album, New Dawn.

External links

* (at the bottom)
* [http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=242 Musical score and MIDI file] at the Mutopia Project, Orchestral arrangement
** [http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=461 Musical score and MIDI file] at the Mutopia Project, Trombone Quartet arrangement
*
* Free typeset [http://cantorion.org/music/394/Air%2C%20from%20Suite%20No.3%20in%20D sheet music] for Trombone Quartet from "Cantorion.org"

Video clips

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljII_bRQQk Air on the G String performance] by the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FegmPKnARuo Usage] in a 1980s TV advert for "Hamlet"

Audio clips

* [http://www.theclassicalshop.net/mp3samples/CH/CHAN241-1101T01D02.wma Performed] by BBC Philharmonic and conducted by Matthias Bamert
* [http://gardnermuseum.libsyn.com/media/gardnermuseum/bach_bmv1068.mp3 Performance in arrangement for flute and orchestra by the Gardner Chamber Orchestra with soloist Paula Robison] from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format