The second installment of the Clavier-Übung Part I collection, Partita No. 2 in C minor, is a bit shorter than its siblings, with 6 movements instead of 7.

Its opening movement is labeled Sinfonia, and it’s structured in three sections – first a French overture, labeled “Grave adagio”, with full chords and dotted rhythms, which leads to a gentle “andante” with a highly decorated melody over a walking bass in eighths, and then to an energetic “allegro” with two voices in imitation in triple meter, reminiscent of a two-part invention. The movement’s title seems to have been changed to Sinfonia (from the original “Prelude”) at the time of the partita’s publication. In addition to sparking the interest of prospective buyers, the change serves to underscore the piece’s multi-section structure.

The expected Allemande, Courante and Sarabande follow in order, and then the announced “Galanterien”, unique to this Partita – a Rondeaux in 3/8, with its characteristic recurring theme, and a muscular, 3-voice Capriccio with frequent runs of melodic tenths on the bass line, which closes the suite instead of the usual Gigue.

Italian harpsichordist Francesco Corti plays a copy of a two-manual Flemish instrument by Joannes Ruckers, 1624, built by Matthias Griewisch.