Air on the G string.... Really?!
So, we have all heard the movement called "Air" from Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, right? I would like to know why everyone refers to this piece as the "Air on the G string". I have heard this even from musicians who play this piece in an orchestra sometimes refer to it as "Air on the G string". Do they not realize that they are not playing on the G string?
I know what the "Air on the G string" is, in fact I have the music, being a violinist myself. But this is just an arrangement of the original piece, which is intended to be played by an ensemble on multiple strings, not just the G string.
I hope I'm not coming across as a snob, but it's just driving me nuts that people don't seem to put any thought into this.
Replies (18)
I know about that arrangement, I have it. It's for violin and piano and the violin part is to be played entirely on the G string. What I meant was that people call even the original orchestral piece Air on the G string.
So people recognize the melody as "Air on the G String" rather than the original title...
Is it that big of a deal?
No, it's not a big deal, but I was hoping that some people would find this post educational and learn the real name of that piece.
What is a big deal to me is when string players call it that, because of the reasons I mentioned above.
This piece is one of my favourite one´s to play. It just seems so funny to me that it´s mistakenly called Air on G string and then people think it should be on G string only when in fact it´s played on the other strings as well and it´s an arrangement. I at least played it last on D and A string ;)
I get what you're saying... I think most string players realize that Air on the G string isn't actually played on the G string - but that's the common, most recognized name for the melody, regardless of key and arrangement.
In high school, my friend played Pachebel's Canon on his clarinet. it was arranged to the key of Bb . Still called it "canon in D".
(Edit: yes, clarinet w/ piano acc)
Yes, and that would be even more ironic- How could you possibly play a Canon on a solo Clarinet? Unless they had a piano accompaniment, of course...
I always figured people just called it that because of the opportunity to make a rude joke :P
I for one am sickened and outraged over this.
Greetings,
Johnathon, what`s even more distressing is that in Britain it is generally thought of as `the cigar advert piece.` This was okay until Clinton messed things up, although that had something to do with G strings as well if I recall correctly..
Prunes,
Buri
Maybe it's a misprint? Maybe he meant "Air In a G-String"????
The title was purposely mis-translated by Quakers in 1840. The original title was "Air IN a G-string," as an indication of what to wear while performing. Not many people are aware that Zimmerman's Kafe-Haus was actually a strip joint at night, and it was here that pole-dancing originated. At first,the rough-hewn beams caused problems for the dancers, and so they were allowed to don G-strings to make things, um, more comfortable.
Scott- LOL-ROFLMBO!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think I will ever get enough of the g string jokes...how often do you all find yourselves changing your g-strings?
Royce, your suggestion of air IN a G string immediately suggested to me fabulous female bodies, scantily clad, and flatulent. Now there's a market niche.
Didn't Laura St. John already try that back in the day?
Greetings,
Sharelle, prunes and g strings don`t mix. Sounds rather liek a slow puncture. Not that I`d know I hasten to add....
Cheers,
Buri
Sharelle- You give a better mental picture than if it were all 278 pounds of me in a G String playing the air on a G String. Then there is the effect of the prunes with air in a G-String.... The pitch of the G-String would be more like "E" two octaves below middle "C"! :)
Say It Sam!!!!! The Horror........the horror!
Insert animated cartoon!
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May 19, 2009 at 06:04 PM ·
I can't vouch for the accuarcy of this, but it's seems plausible. From Wikipedia:
History
The original piece is part of Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, written for his patron Prince Leopold of Anhalt 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 and transposing the melody down an octave, Wilhelmj was able to play the piece on only one string of his violin, the G string.