Originally a Vivaldi concerto transcribed by Bach, this work highlights the Baroque practice of arranging orchestral works for solo keyboard. It is distinguished by its driving motoric rhythm and idiomatic keyboard ornamentation.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: independent voices that must each sing on their own line; ornaments that need to sound effortless, not squeezed in; and continuous sixteenth-note figuration that must ripple, not chatter.
Beyond that, expect precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
At roughly 10 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
Executing the rapid sixteenth-note patterns with consistent, clear articulation is the most demanding aspect.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Concerto in B minor (BWV 979) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Concerto in B minor (BWV 979) lasts about 10 minutes.
Concerto in B minor (BWV 979) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Partita No. 1 in B-flat major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Italian Concerto in F major by Johann Sebastian Bach, French Suite No. 5 in G major by Johann Sebastian Bach — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.