The Viola da Gamba Sonatas are three sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord (BWV 1027–1029) by Johann Sebastian Bach. They are among his best-known chamber music works. The sonatas have no stylistic connection to the contemporary French viola da gamba tradition (such as that of Antoine Forqueray, Sainte-Colombe, or Marin Marais), which was characterized by virtuosic ornamentation and highly developed chordal playing. It is therefore considered likely that these works were not originally written for viola da gamba; rather, Bach probably arranged them for this instrument.
Today, the compositions are also played by cellists, violists, and double bassists, among others, but on these instruments they are either very high or very low.
The three sonatas are almost entirely written as trios, since the harpsichord plays two parts. Figured bass is only found at the beginning of the third movement of the second sonata and at the beginning of the first movement of the third sonata. The viola da gamba and both hands of the harpsichord generally participate equally in the three-part, often contrapuntal, writing.