Minuet in G for Alto Saxhear it, slow it down, play along
- Christian Petzold (attr. J. S. Bach)
- E♭ alto sax
- E major
- 3/4
- 64 bars
- Moderato
On the alto sax
It runs from B3 to G♯5 (written), down to the low B.
It is written in E major, a major sixth above how it sounds, so it sounds in G major, the same key as the concert-pitch versions. You can play it together with a violin or flute reading their own page.
How it goes
A dance in 3/4 in two halves, each played twice. The first half stays in the home key; the second moves away and comes back. Quarter notes and running eighths, one strong beat in every bar.
A way to practise it
Loop the first eight bars until the eighth-note runs are even, then the first eight of the second half, where the new notes are. Feel one beat to the bar once it is steady: it is a dance.
- Slow ♩ = 72
- Practice ♩ = 96
- Goal ♩ = 120
About the piece
The Minuet in G major, BWV Anh. 114, is in the notebook J. S. Bach gave his wife Anna Magdalena in 1725. It was printed as Bach's for a long time; scholars now credit it to the Dresden organist Christian Petzold.
This is the melody of the keyboard piece, the right-hand part, with both halves repeated and written out.
Minuet in G for other instruments
Each version is written in a key that suits the instrument, with its own page and player.
Reading a transposed part
E♭ alto sax reads a different note from the one that sounds. How alto sax transposition works, with a chart you can listen to.
More easy pieces
Questions
- Is there Minuet in G sheet music for alto sax?
- Yes. This page shows the melody written for E♭ alto sax in E major, 64 bars in 3/4, and plays it. The notes are public domain.
- What notes does Minuet in G use on alto sax?
- In this version the melody runs from B3 to G♯5 (written), down to the low B. Press play and watch the cursor: it follows the notes as they sound.
- How fast should I play Minuet in G?
- It is marked Moderato. Start around ♩ = 72, practise at 96 and aim for about 120. The player's tempo buttons go between those in steps of 4.
- Is this in concert pitch or written pitch for alto sax?
- Written pitch. E♭ alto sax sounds a major sixth lower than written, so the E major on this page sounds in G major. The player plays it at the pitch you would hear.
- Can I play it together with other instruments?
- Yes: the versions for Violin, Cello, Flute, B♭ clarinet sound in the same key, G major, so you can play them at the same time, each reading their own page.