The tonalities of the six Partitas (B♭ major, C minor, A minor, D major, G major, E minor) may seem to be random, but in fact they form a sequence of intervals going up and then down by increasing amounts: a second up (B♭ to C), a third down (C to A), a fourth up (A to D), a fifth down (D to G), and finally a sixth up ...

How many sonatas and partitas did Bach write?

J. S. Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are a set of six which the composer began around 1703 and completed in 1720, but they were only published together more than 50 years after Bach's death. The sonatas each consist of four movements, in the typical slow-fast-slow-fast structure.

Did Bach write an orchestra?

While at Cöthen, Bach devoted much of his time to instrumental music, composing concertos for orchestras, dance suites and sonatas for multiple instruments. He also wrote pieces for solo instruments, including some of his finest violin works.