Minuet in G for Violahear it, slow it down, play along
- Christian Petzold (attr. J. S. Bach)
- Viola
- C major
- 3/4
- 64 bars
- Moderato
On the viola
It is in alto clef and runs from G3 to E5. Everything fits in first position.
It is in C major, a fifth below the violin version, the way viola books often print tunes like this, so it sits on the lower strings.
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.
More easy pieces
Questions
- Is there Minuet in G sheet music for viola?
- Yes. This page shows the melody written for Viola in C major, 64 bars in 3/4, and plays it. The notes are public domain.
- What notes does Minuet in G use on viola?
- In this version the melody runs from G3 to E5. Everything fits in first position. 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.
- Can I play it together with other instruments?
- Not note for note with the other versions here: they are in keys that suit each instrument. Switch the player's “Written for” to hear them.
Photograph your own part with ScoreLens.
This player is the one in the app. Point your phone at the page on your music stand, and ScoreLens reads it and plays it back, slower or in another key. It is best on single-line parts and reads piano too. Handwriting is out of reach for now.
