English Suites (Bach)

The English Suites are a collection of six suites, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach ( BWV 806-811 ). They are written for harpsichord and quite brilliantly, especially in the introductory sentence. The origin of the title is unclear; it originates probably not by Bach.

Today's research dated the suite collection around 1715, so in Bach's time at Weimar. Echoes of the nature and subject matter of about 1701, written perhaps in London (but printed in Amsterdam) Suites Charles Dieuparts and finally Georg Friedrich Handel had led to a name declaration and accordingly later dating, which are considered to be refuted today in the past. Source may have been the copy of Johann Christian Bach, on which the words fait pour les Anglois ( " made ​​for the English " ) find.

The six suites are preserved only in copies. All begin with a virtuoso Prelude Prelude mentioned and let the four movements follow, which are typical for a keyboard instrument for a Suite: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue. Before the final set another dance record is inserted each still enclosing a trio in the key Variant ( in Suite IV in the relative minor ). The root notes of the suites arise - perhaps coincidentally - the beginning of the plainsong melody Jesu, meine Freude.

Later came other comparable suite collections, also for Harpsichord: The so-called French Suites ( which are, despite the similar name in any substantive relationship with the English Suites ) and the Six Partitas.

The individual works

Suite I in A major, BWV 806

Sets

  • Prelude 12/8
  • Allemande c
  • Courante I 3/2
  • Courante II 3/2 avec 2 Doubles
  • Sarabande 3/4
  • Bourree I - II ( A Minor ) - I
  • Jig 6/8

Suite II in A minor, BWV 807

Sets

  • Prelude 3/4
  • Allemande c
  • Courante 3/2
  • Sarabande 3/4
  • Bourree I - II ( A major ) - I
  • Jig 6/8

Suite III in G minor BWV 808

Sets

  • Prelude 3/8
  • Allemande c
  • Courante 3/2
  • Sarabande 3/4
  • Gavotte I - II ( " ou la Musette " G major ) - I
  • Gigue 12/8

Suite IV F major BWV 809

Sets

  • Prélude c ( " vitement " )
  • Allemande c
  • Courante 3/2
  • Sarabande 3/4
  • Minuet I - II ( D minor ) - I
  • Gigue 12/8

Suite V in E minor BWV 810

Sets

  • Prelude 6/8
  • Allemande c
  • Courante 3/2
  • Sarabande 3/4
  • I Passepied en Rondeau - Passepied II ( E major ) - Da capo Passepied I
  • Jig 3/8

Suite VI in D minor BWV 811

Sets

  • Prélude 9/8 - (later: Allegro)
  • Allemande c
  • Courante 3/2
  • Sarabande 3/2 - Double
  • Gavotte I - II ( D major ) - I
  • Gigue 12/16
Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis Relative key Christoph Wolff Wolfgang Schmieder
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