Gamba Sonatas Wq 88, 136, 137

Like his father, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach wrote three sonatas for viola da gamba. They were written during his time at the Berlin court of Frederick the Great and gave the excellent viola da gamba player in the court orchestra a chance to show his virtuosic skills.

While the two Sonatas Wq 136 and 137 have a basso continuo, Bach followed his father’s example as far as the Sonata in g minor Wq 88 was concerned: the right and left hands of the harpsichord compete with the solo instrument in three equal parts. These sonatas can also be played very effectively on the cello; the fingerings in the marked copies provide helpful suggestions.