J. S. Bach | Partita for violin n. 2 in D minor BWV 1004 - Ciaccona (1720)
 
J. S. Bach’s Ciaccona of the partita for violin n. 2 in D minor is probably the most famous piece for solo violin ever written. As long as all the other 4 movements added together, the Ciaccona draws from the violin technical and theoretical knowledge that Bach had learned in his youth, making it a masterpiece of polyphony for a monodic instrument. The 8 bars main theme is developed over 32 variations of increasing melodic, harmonic and rhythmic tension, that challenge the player with a variety of technical difficulties including fast scales, intricate double stops, and rapid arpeggios. The emotional effect of the piece is so powerful that Brahms and Busoni both chose the Ciaccona for piano transcriptions full of transcendental drama.