1.Minuet in G, BWV841 (spurious; by Böhm)

Georg Böhm (1661-1733) was organist at the Johanniskirche in Lüneburg, the city where he most likely taught the young Bach in the period 1700-1702. Böhm was also a composer of keyboard music that exhibited a decided French influence. Here, Bach acknowledges this less-than-eminent Baroque musician in this attractive, if slight G major minuet. He wrote the piece during his years in Köthen (1717-1723), where he served as Kapellmeister under Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen. The work is part of the Clavier-Büchlein, a large collection of instructive keyboard pieces Bach wrote for his oldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann (1710-1784), who would become a quite talented keyboard player and composer. This minuet opens with a dainty, graceful theme whose charm and elegance show through brightly in Bach's rather simple writing. Its character is childlike and innocent, sounding the perfect candidate for a music-box version. Throughout the work, the main line is carried by the right hand in the upper register and receives modest and delicate harmonies from the left hand. This charming work typically has a duration of a minute-and-a-half.

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