Bach: "Air" from Suite No. 3

Monument to J.S. Bach, in Shanghai

Johann Sebastian Bach died in 1750, the same year when an eminent English doctor, who happened to be in Leipzig at the time, recommended the great musician an ophthalmic operation to avoid blindness. Overcoming his initial reticence, Johann Sebastian agreed. The eminent doctor carried out the operation, but it failed. Then, the eminent doctor performed a second operation. This time, the father of Western music became completely blind.

Fortunately, Bach had already produced almost all the 1087 pieces included in the Bach Work Catalogue (BWV for Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis); he had tried practically all musical forms, with the exception of the opera, a genre he never tackled.  

Johann Sebastian composed four orchestral suites, of which suite No. 3 is one of the best known of all his orchestral production. This suite, also called Overture, consists of a succession of the dances of the time, whose French names —allemande, courante, bourrée, sarabande and others, ending with a gigue— reflect the influence of the French court during XVI and XVII centuries, period during which such structure was all the rage. The second movement of Suite No. 3 is an “air” that has become even more popular than the suite itself. Its musical beauty is sustained by a central melody that effectively interweaves with other melodic lines lead by a violin and a viola.

JS Bach. Air from Suite No. 3. The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra



Following Bach’s death, these suites fell into complete oblivion. They were heard again, like so many of Johann Sebastian’s other work, only since February 1838, when Felix Mendelssohn conducted the complete Suite No. 3 in Leipzig.

There are many versions for different instruments for this “air”. One of these, arranged for violin and orchestra by a German composer during the 19^th century, was most influential in establishing the popularity of the piece. Transposing the “air” from the original D major key to G major, he made it possible to play the main melody on one string only, the G string of the instrument. Thus, the moniker, "Air on the G string" was born.

Back in the 60s, the jazz pianist Jacques Loussier completely “modernized" it, creating a radical change in the atmosphere of the piece. Accompanied only by a bass and percussion, this jazz version would have struck with astonishment poor Johann Sebastian.

Thanks to Mendelssohn, we can say Bach is still with us. Thanks to Jacques, we can say Bach is one of us.