Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Can anyone help me identify Bach's music in this soundtrack?

Hello all. Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm trying to determine if any of the tracks on the soundtrack to "Sid Meier's Pirates!" are derived from Bach pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2aKvzhxoGg
The track listing is beneath the video.

I recognise track 13 as being Goldberg variation no. 7, but I'm wondering about tracks 8, 10/11 (same music, different tempo), 12 and 15. If anyone could help me identify any of these pieces (if any are by Bach) I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance for any help!

10/11 is the G major prelude from Book II of the Well Tempered Clavier (usually played at the tempo in 11).

12 is the second-to-last piece in the 2nd Partita in C minor.

8 and 15 are definitely Bach... someone else help out?

This is definitely the right place to ask.


-J

#8 is quite familiar and I'm 'pretty sure' it's Bach but I have no idea what.

I looked it up in the "Dictionary of Musical Themes" and was surprised it's not in there.

15 is the sarabande from the 5th French Suite. 8 is SO familiar, but I can't place it and it's driving me insane...

I found it at last! 8 is the Bourree I from the French Ouverture BWV 831

#8 kind sounds like Violin Partita #1 (BWV 1002) Bourree, but it isn't...

Edited to add: ha, we cross posted. At least I wasn't wrong in thinking it was Bourree-like and b-minor.

Good get, and thanks! It was driving me a little nuts too.

The French Ouverture (thanks for that spelling) is one of those pieces that I'd say I 'love' even though I (evidently) don't know it enough to love it. I think I've only heard it performed once, a long time ago, by a friend doing a masters recital. The piece is pretty neglected for something so great, and maybe understandably, because it's sort of out there all alone, not part of any set -- although I guess it's often included in Partita volumes. (It's in mine.)

Mark, I feel similarly about the French Ouverture. I don't know it well either, but I've always considered it up there with the best of Bach's keyboard works (admittedly a large pool!). The funny thing is that while it is "by itself" in a sense, I don't think it's any more so than he Italian concerto, which gets plenty of exposure. IIRC both are included in the Clavier-Ubung along with the partitas, so it would seem that Bach valued them on a somewhat similar level as well (if I'm making this up, please correct me!). Is the Italian concerto heard so often because it's more accessible (in the sense of being shorter and comparatively easier)?

Wow, you guys are great! I'm very impressed. Thanks again everyone!