Bach and Italy

Like many composers, Bach was greatly influenced by Italy. His encounter with Vivaldi’s music in 1713 at the Weimar Ducal court music library will mark him forever. He was literally mesmerised by this music that can go from a very intimate atmosphere to the most animated virtuosity and started transcribing concertos for solo harpischord. This Italian exuberance will influence such other works by Bach as the Chromatic Fantasy or the Toccatas. The superb Concerto Italiano, written 20 years later, represents the dazzling and stirring synthesis between Bach’s genius and his encounter with Italian music.