Explore Bach's violin music!
The Colorful BACH scores show the internal structure of J.S. Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006). Thanks to the groundbreaking method of Hungarian violinist and Bach researcher Márta Ábrahám, you can now learn these masterpieces more easily, quickly, and effectively than ever before!
ABOUT US
Dr. Márta Ábrahám
- László Lajtha Prize-winning violinist
- Professor at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest
- Bach researcher
Since 2017, Ábrahám Márta’s name has become inseparably linked with Bach’s Chaconne and fugues. Together with her co-author, Barnabás Dukay, they succeeded in deciphering the secrets and symbolic meanings of these works through years of research. These groundbreaking discoveries have ushered in a new era in the study and interpretation of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin.
Márta Ábrahám, a world-renowned violinist and music educator, developed the Colorful BACH method specifically for today’s young generation of musicians. She has published numerous analyses of Bach’s violin works, handbooks, and sheet music series in both Hungarian and English, offering new perspectives on teaching Bach’s music. Ábrahám Márta performs worldwide, conducts masterclasses, and gives lectures, inspiring future generations to explore Bach’s music. Today, Colorful BACH has become an international brand recognized and applied in 35 countries.
The Unknown Bach – Unlocking Secret Messages
Did you know that one of the most iconic pieces in the violin repertoire, the Chaconne, commemorates the sudden loss of Bach’s first wife? The work features a unique calendar code hidden within its musical structure, symbolizing the tragic events of the year 1720 and Bach’s personal message.
And did you know that the three violin fugues are related to the life of Jesus and form a thematic unity?
With Colorful BACH scores, you can uncover Bach’s brilliance and the hidden meanings of his works. Dive into the deepest secrets of Bach’s music and experience his compositions like never before!
About our publications
Visual Polyphony – See Clearly, Hear Deeply!
Visual polyphony
Every violinist (violist, guitarist, etc.) is familiar with the challenge of reading the music of Bach’s solo sonata and partitas. In traditional “black-and-white” scores, the voices are often difficult to identify, which means important musical processes and polyphonic connections remain hidden. And although the original manuscript is beautiful and inspiring, it does not assist in understanding the internal relationships of the Chaconne and the fugues.
No more getting lost in the ‘Bach Labyrinth’!
The Colorful BACH method offers an effective solution, eliminating the difficulties of reading scores. By using colors, it highlights the layers, horizontal and vertical relationships, it simplifies voice leading and brings clarity to your practice.
Discover the Power of "Smart" Scores!
- Authenticity at its Core: Our scores are grounded in the most authentic original source — the autographed manuscript preserved in the Berlin State Library.
- In-Depth Analysis: Gain insights with detailed formal, structural, and motivic analysis.
- Unlock Bach’s Genius: Unveil Bach’s compositional techniques and the masterful concepts behind his music.
- Experience the Richness: Dive into the unparalleled depth of Bach’s musical language.
Enhance Your Learning!
- Visual Clarity: Maps out the polyphonic structure and inner workings of the Chaconne and fugues like a musical roadmap.
- Key Highlights: Themes, countersubjects, strettos, inversions are highlighted for easy understanding.
- Perfect Voice Leading: Guides you through the proper voice leading.
Accelerate Your Progress!
- Simplify Memorization: The Colorful BACH scores significantly facilitate the memorization of the Chaconne and fugues, structuring the learning process.
- Performance Mastery: Offer precise guidance on performance questions, establishing a solid foundation for authentic interpretation.
- Refine Your Skills: Enhance your intonation, tone production, and musical phrasing.
- Elevate Your Artistry: Take your artistic experience to the next level with scores designed to inspire and guide
Get closer to Bach's music!
Traditional (black/white) notation
- there is no information that would help orientation between the parts written in one line
- all the notes are black, there is nothing to differentiate the individual parts, therefore they are difficult to identify
- the order of the internal structure of the fugues is invisible
- the themes embedded in the polyphonic fabric, countersubjects, strettos, inversions are difficult to find
- horizontal and vertical musical processes and their interactions cannot be perceived
- the musical units of the fugues are blurred
- all sounds are black, so individual parts are difficult to identify
(colored) Colorful BACH notation
- like a map, it helps you find your way around the score, and it makes musical processes easier to follow
-
distinguishes the individual parts with the use of colors
- it reveals the polyphonic structure of the fugues
- it makes themes, countersubjects, strettos and inversions clearly and immediately recognizable
- it is possible to follow the horizontal-vertical musical processes and their interactions
- it explores the musical units of fugues
- the colorful notation makes voice leading almost automatic