Johann Sebastian Bach
Menuet g moll BWV Anh. 115
Overview
This minuet forms a pair with the Minuet in G major (BWV Anh. 114) and, like its companion, was composed by Christian Petzold as part of his Suite in G major. Its inclusion in the "Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach" led to centuries of misattribution to J.S. Bach.
While the G major minuet is bright and cheerful, this G minor counterpart carries a melancholic, shadowy character. Despite sharing the same 3/4 time signature and similar rhythmic motifs, the two pieces express entirely different moods. The opening eight bars of the second half offer an intriguing contrast, modulating to the relative major key of B-flat major and bringing a momentary brightness before returning to the darker minor mode.
When performing this piece, pay attention to the Baroque-style ornaments, which differ in character from those of the Romantic period—they typically begin on the beat rather than before it. If the ornaments prove challenging, they can be omitted initially and added gradually as you become more comfortable. Playing both minuets in sequence—G major followed by G minor—creates a beautiful contrast between major and minor modes, making for an impressive miniature repertoire.
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