Bach Toccata in D Minor
Bach's Toccata in D minor, BWV 565, is one of his most recognized themes in all of classical music. It is the famous organ theme in the Phantom of the Opera movie, and Stokowski's arrangement for full orchestra was used in Disney's Fantasia movie. And yet there is very little we really know about this composition. It could have been composed anywhere between 1704 and 1750 (general concensus is sometime in the 1730s). There is some speculation that it might have been written for violin instead of organ, that it might have been written in A minor instead of D minor, and that it might have even been written by someone other than Bach. But none of this detracts from the excitement of the music.
This composition can be played by 3 different combinations of instruments.
A few notes on the parts and instruments:
- The standard ("std") parts are the original parts and are designed to be played together.
- The alternate "a" parts, if present, are raised one octave (8va) and can be substituted for a standard part to accommodate the higher instruments listed. They should work as long as they are above the other parts.
- The alternate "b" parts, if present, are lowered one octave (8vb) and can be substituted for a standard part to accommodate the lower instruments listed. They should work as long as they are below the other parts.
- For example, using parts 1, 2, and 3 together is definitely ok. Using parts 1a, 2, and 3b together is probably ok. Using parts 1b, 2, and 3a together might not work well.
- Part ranges are listed in concert key, where C4 is middle C.
When you purchase this composition, you will be taken to PayPal to submit your payment. As soon as you pay, you will be able to download all the PDF files immediately. You will have access to every part for each available instrument, in the proper key and clef. You will also get a complete score (in most cases, we include four separate scores with all parts transposed to C, Bb, Eb, and F).
You don't have to purchase each part separately; one single payment covers all the parts you need for the instruments in your ensemble.
We have 2 versions of this composition. Click on the version name to jump to the different versions. Note that each version is purchased separately.
Version v01
Buy Version v01 ($4.99)This is a virtuoso arrangement for solo cello, and makes an excellent flashy encore. It is also transcribed for viola.
Live recording available
Composition: Bach Toccata in D Minor
Version: v01
Instrumentation: Solo
Duration: 3 minutes
Difficulty: Challenging
Price: $4.99
| Bach Toccata in D Minor, Version v01 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part | Range | Available Instruments |
| Score | Full Score in C, Bb, Eb, and F | |
| Part 1 (std) | C#2 - A#4 | Cello |
| Part 1a (8va) | C#3 - A#5 | Viola |
Version v02
Buy Version v02 ($4.99)This is the same as version v01, but has been transposed to fit the violin range.
Composition: Bach Toccata in D Minor
Version: v02
Instrumentation: Solo
The original key has been changed to better fit the instruments.
Duration: 3 minutes
Difficulty: Challenging
Price: $4.99
| Bach Toccata in D Minor, Version v02 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part | Range | Available Instruments |
| Score | Full Score in C, Bb, Eb, and F | |
| Part 1 (std) | G#3 - F6 | Violin |