Air on the G String (Bach)

Air on the G String, also known as "Air for G String", is August Wilhelmj's 1871 arrangement of the second movement ("Air") of Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068. The arrangement differs from the original in that the part of the first violins is transposed down so that the entire piece can be played on just the violin's lowest string (the G string). In performance, that part is generally played by a single violin, instead of the first violins as a group. On the score Wilhelmj wrote auf der G-Saite (on the G string) above the staff for the solo violin, which gave the arrangement its nickname.
Later, a spurious story circulated that the melody was always intended to be played on the G string alone. As a result of the popularity of the piece, on the G string remained in the name of various arrangements whether or not a string instrument playing on its G string was involved.
It is to be noted an original, rhythmic cover by French Raymond Lefèvre Symphony Orchestra in 1971, in an album of classic tunes "Soul Symphonies".
The aria is arranged for the Roland Music Atelier organ in this modern style with no less than 12 different strings, 3 different harpsichords, pipe organ voices, human voices and choirs, 3 different trumpets, power brass, bass & contrabass, church bell, percussion & drums.
The Roland Music Atelier organ, compared to other high-end organs such as Yamaha (Electone, Tyros), Hammond, Lowrey, Wersi or Böhm is one of the best musical instruments ever produced thanks to the versatility and the richness of its voices, from the sound of classical pipe or theater organ of the silent-movie era to up-tempo jazz and rock organs, with harmonic drawbars.
Chris