Preludio for Violin and Piano

This opening movement of Bach's Partita for Solo Violin in E Major, written in 1720, inspired Bach to create the Sinfonia movement for his 1731 Cantata. Bach used the organ to play the solo violin part, accompanied by orchestra, a sublime transformation of his earlier composition. Saint-Saens, an outstanding pianist, composer, organist, and conductor, transcribed the Sinfonia movement for violin and piano, The violin plays the unaltered solo part from the Partita while the piano part is Saint-Saens' ingenious transcription of the Sinfonia.