Bach: Badinerie Arranged For String Duo With Cello
Originally for solo flute and string orchestra, the flute part can be played in this arrangement by either the violin, the viola, or the cello. At each repeat, the solo part can change between the two instruments for a perfectly democratic distribution of both the difficulties and the protagonist. Alternatively, the entire piece can be played with the same instrument playing the top line (original flute part). If one player finds the solo part too difficult then he/she should just always play the continuo (simpler) line.
The easier version is simply transposed down one tone (into A minor) but apart from that it is identical to the “harder” version, and is, in fact not that much easier.
To notate the piece as it actually sounds, several radical modifications have been made to Bach‘s rhythmical notation (time signature and bars). These notation changes only affect the player’s ease of reading and phrasing and do not change how the music sounds. Bach starts the piece with an upbeat but in this arrangement, the liberty has been taken of displacing the beat so that Bach’s upbeat is now the downbeat. Also, whereas Bach notates the entire piece with a constant 2/4 time signature, in this arrangement, one bar has three beats. My apologies to Bach.