Cello Suites (Bach)

The Six Suites for Solo Cello ( BWV 1007-1012 ) by Johann Sebastian Bach are among the most frequently performed compositions for a solo string instrument. The Spirit unites six suites, ie sequences of single sentences that - often highly stylized - designed to the court dances of the time of origin and the previous generation allude.

On the players represent the six works great: " Bach's compositions for solo violin and cello stand for the highest virtuosity, and this grade also in view of their uniqueness, even more than his keyboard works that provide similar technical requirements," writes Christoph Wolff; He particularly emphasizes that the strings solo works do not stand back in spite of their instrument -related limitations in the compositional mastery of the material behind pianoforte the same time. Cellists tend to be even higher estimate of the six suites; as Pau Casals: "They are the essence of Bach's, and Bach himself is the quintessence of all music. "

• 3.1 dating
• 3.2 Bach's authorship
• 3.3 Bach as a cellist

• 4.1 Suite No. I in G major, BWV 1007 4.1.1 Prelude
• 4.1.2 Tanzsätze

• 4.2.1 Prelude
• 4.2.2 Tanzsätze

• 4.3.1 Prelude
• 4.3.2 Tanzsätze

• 4.4.2 Tanzsätze

• 4.5.1 Prelude
• 4.5.2 Tanzsätze

• 4.6.1 Prelude
• 4.6.2 Tanzsätze

Tradition

As with many works of Bach no autograph manuscript is preserved; already the heir is not known. The oldest source is a copy that Johann Peter Kellner anfertigte 1726. As he himself played no string instrument, he has probably made ​​the copy rather for reasons of study; this would explain his negligence especially in the slurs and generally of articulation.

But Today's music editions are based for the most part on the transcript, the Anna Magdalena Bach has made ​​1727-1731. It may be assumed that many details such as page layout, headings, Behalsung and beaming remain close to the original; unfortunately this is not necessarily true for the articulation. As Template a clean copy of Bach is assumed. This copy was formed initially a two-part convolute from the solo works for violin and those for cello. It was made apparent to Bach's student Georg Ludwig Swan Berger (1696-1774), who studied at the time of the creation in Leipzig in Bach and probably himself wrote the common title page. The two parts were separated early and went their own ways.

In recent decades, two other anonymous manuscripts were discovered from the period after Bach's death, which must have originated in Berlin within Carl Philipp Emanuel. They show in some places considerable deviations; in particular, they add a lot of embellishments.

After the first edition of 1824 and an artist edition of Friedrich Dotzauer in the following year the first source-critical edition was in the 1879 Edition of the Bach-Gesellschaft Leipzig published. It was not until 1988-91 was followed by the New Bach Edition by Hans Eppstein. A revision of this edition is planned for the new source location, but so far is not even the publication year fixed.

Structure

The six suites are formally constructed quite uniform: In a prelude usual in the German High Baroque four sets follow: Allemande - two Bourrées two minuets in suites 1 and 2, in - Courante - Sarabande - Gigue, with between Sarabande and Gigue different Galanterien be installed Suites 3 and 4, two Gavotten in 5 and 6 in the music of the high Baroque consist virtually all the dances of two sections that are repeated for themselves, often the second part is longer than the first, and most have their lengths in a simple ratio. Follow two of the same dances to one another, represents the second most contrast in movement and tone, referring to the instructions on the da capo repeat of the first dance.

Collection or cycle?

The common tradition of the six plants in a manuscript collection suggests that Bach regarded them as belonging together. In addition to the described set of consequences can also be the key result, which should be an important classification criterion for extensive cycles later, already indicates a certain Through planning - no key repeats itself, and the work includes two groups of two major keys that surround a minor key. This is comparable with the sonatas for violin and obbligato harpsichord, where in each case to two minor keys follows a major key into two groups. However, a further planning of the keys, such as after their name or sign is not visible, and was probably introduced by Bach until later, such as in the Inventions and Sinfonias and the Well-Tempered Clavier.

For all the uniformity of the dance sequences, the individual records are clearly, especially the Preludes, provide as colorful, diverse picture. None of these initial sets but is equipped with a tempo marking ( for the dances anyway, this was not necessary); they contribute significantly virtuoso trains.

Formation

The composition apparently is a sister plant is solo to Be solos for violin. On the autograph score is on the cover of the Notice Libro Primo ( " first book" ) - has often been speculated the cello suites formed according to the second book of a two-part collection.

Since the solo works for cello and large, are working less polyphonic than the violin, her former formation has been adopted; but it can also simply the insight of the composer be concluded, the low register of the instrument is a polyphonic set way less appropriate. Thus we will assume, instead, the solos for the two instruments were drafted over several years in parallel.

Unlike the solo works for violin are potential direct role models from the North or Central Germany undetectable; possibly knew Bach but examples of the culture of solo gamba music.

Dating

Since the composition Autograph missing, a dating is possible only by stylistic criteria. This is not easy with today's knowledge.

As mentioned, all six compositions follow the strict Suite form that Bach later in his suites for orchestra, but even in the E major Partita for Violin solo left. This strongly suggests, at least to set the composition of the cello suites before the Violin Partita incurred up to March 1719. This shows a much freer block sequence, apparently under the influence of Pièces de clavecin by François Couperin, which must have come to know at this time stream.

Formally, the cello suites are more like the English Suites, the origin in the Weimar period from 1713/14 is now regarded as safe. In addition to the rather strict sequence of dance movements and their prefixed expanded and differentiated as possible Preludes falls on especially that the second of the inserted into the Frobergerschema dance movements are in the first three suites always in the same major or minor key, never in the parallel key ( the Bach later mostly used in such cases). In the second group, the suites 4-6, they are in the home key of each suite.

The most developed sets of the English Suite 2 to 6, the Preludes, but a da capo form show in the concert style; the cello suites are more likely triggered by a motive to develop as a real issue, which resemble the previously incurred sure Prelude of the first suite.

Nevertheless, it is doubtful whether the suites were designed from the outset as a six -piece collection. Some stylistic peculiarities and certain compositional abnormalities of the fifth suite suggest that this was earlier than the other - perhaps initially as an individual work, possibly for lute or viol. Then Bach may have made ​​the decision to create each a collection of solo works for violin and cello solo; the first three cello suites present here a strikingly homogeneous picture and may have arisen because of the stylistic proximity with the English Suites. The fourth Cello Suite is musically much more ambitious and technically demanding; now may have a certain amount of time had passed. Bach seems to have then placed greater demands on playing the cello and to have come into possession of a five-stringed instrument; including the early fifth suite he seems to have completed the collection with the most recently incurred sixth suite.

Such fünfsaitiges instrument occurs otherwise only in some Leipzig cantatas on from the fall of 1724; his score term is " violoncello piccolo ". Perhaps the composition of the sixth suite and completion of the Six Suites has only stattfgefunden in Leipzig at the same time. In this context, then of the score could have been created.

Bach's authorship

Because of the lack of a composition handwriting and alleged stylistic differences between the works of Bach cello suites and secured doubts about his authorship have been raised; as a composer Anna Magdalena Bach is then proposed. Such speculation, however, may come to be regarded as disproved.

Bach as a cellist

Often people assume that Bach cello suites for a musician at Köthen court wrote, much more frequently, it is believed that he had thought of anyone Certain: After he wrote the six solo works for violin, it was just been consistent, now in a similar form to consider the cellist.

These are all in all very modern ideas of a composer; for a musician of the Baroque period it was natural compositions to write first of all for himself and these also carry forward itself. Bach came from an old family of musicians, he was employed as concertmaster in Weimar, and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel wrote in 1774 in a letter to Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Bach, the orchestra usually initiated by the first violin and viola played most like. In a whole series of Leipzig cantatas comes as a score designation before the " violoncello piccolo "; but this instrument always occurs only in isolated sentences; his voice is inserted at least until April 1725 either in the notes of the first violin or on a separate sheet and in this. So it may actually be little doubt that the concert master it did not loose to play these sets - and that will have been none other than Bach himself.

Now, violin and cello are known to have a very different fingering system so that now, as then players from both groups of instruments are very rare. But a closer examination of the instruments that were designated during Bach's lifetime as a " cello " that these differed greatly from each other in size and style of play; have probably played a large role played instruments on the arm. Johann Gottfried Walther, Bach's predecessor in Weimar, mentioned in his lexicon, only the arm position; the same applies to Johann Mattheson in the newly - opened Orchestre (Hamburg 1713). Even more for the 1719 -born Leopold Mozart leg stance is obviously a modern development. It would not be surprising if the Weimar court mainly held by the arm and played with violin fingering instruments would have been labeled " Cellos ", which would be as responsive as Viola spalla more today. Also, the Third and Sixth Brandenburg Concerto could be designed for this type of instrument. Incidentally, waiter copy of the six suites, which goes back safely, regardless of the Anna Magdalena on the autograph, the instrument as " basso de viola ".

The fact that all six Bach suites initially wrote for his own use, specifically for an investment instrument on the arm, so that can not yet be proven to be unique, but speaks from instrumentenkundlicher and biographical point of view very much for that. Given the fact that Bach not only with the violin, but also in the cello solo works " with the instrumental music typical languages ​​was familiar to the last detail and each technique has perfectly mastered the " obvious, this assumption is obvious. But even if Bach actually wrote for a colleague - in Weimar, this could, for example, the virtuoso violinist and cellist Gregor Eylenstein Christoph (1682-1749) have been - probably should be an instrument played by the arm from today's scientific point of view.

Music

Suite No. I in G major, BWV 1007

• Prélude c G major
• Allemande c G major
• Courante 3/4 G major
• Sarabande 3/4 G major
• I minuet in G major - II G Minor - I
• Jig 6/8 G Major

Prélude

The initial set is perhaps one of the most famous pieces of the cycle. It is a harmonious study in a regular rhythm and starts like a " Klangflächenpräludiums " in movement patterns about the little Prelude in C minor BWV 999 Prelude or the famous C major BWV 846 from The Well Tempered Clavier. In contrast to this, the basic pattern is, however, leave again and again in favor of modifications and contrasting inserts; if it happens again, it seems - though never quoted verbatim - ritornellartig.

Harmonious remains the record - despite its rich use of seventh chords - always close to the original key and the chords of the open strings; a real modulation, ie a whatever dramatized reaching the target key, actually is not held. In its last quarter, the rate increasingly focused on technical finesse game - a long bariolageartiger section with a chromatic scale well over an octave is the unique peak. The barely broken semiquavers ensures a strong unity, which also holds together heterogeneous material.

Dance movements

Allemande: allemandes have not danced in Bach's time for a long time and make him always represent a highly stylized, two-part form recognizable they are really only at the short prelude (usually one sixteenth ) and then tends to be consistent, rarely interrupted semiquaver movement in the more sedate pace. The Allemande of the G major suite is a good example - of all races and of all ornamentation develop always small melodic figures that are often taken up one or two bars later, but then did not happen again and so as not to allowed to clot a thematic, ie formative, element. Despite all the irregularities Bach suggests the subliminal dance character through a rigorous form of twice sixteen bars.

Courante: this dance was also not danced to Bach's time, but emphasizes Bach dance character by a clearly elaborated periodicity: One clear motif embossed four-stroke group follows a contrasting second, their rapid movements are consistently regarded ornamental; apart from two inserted clocking the record is structured clearly demarcated from eight stroke groups and so has the - understandable when listening - proportion of 10:24 clocking. One characteristic of courantes, a hemiola in the penultimate bar, stream, however, indicates only very subtle.

Sarabande: The Sarabende shows a clearly highlighted periodicity of four-stroke groups; characteristic of the dance emphasis on the second beat reaches Bach often very clearly by full chords. From afar recalls the theme of the middle movement of the Second Brandenburg Concerto.

Minuets: For minuets the clear structure of eight stroke groups can be regarded as characteristic; both sets of the first suite consist of eight plus sixteen bars. The first is based on clear of four-stroke groups, the second looks small membered by emphasizing two-stroke groups; This effect controls Bach early in the second half against by a long sequence of descending fifths. Both minuets to reach the respective parallel key in the middle of the second half.

Gigue: The fast final movement follows the Italian " Giga " type of simple eighth note triplets. Harmonic changes take place twice per cycle, suggesting a moderately fast pace. The three four-stroke groups in the first portion are clearly visible; in the last third of the second part stream then begins to push these into each other and temporarily use the minor variants of tonic and subdominant to verunklaren so shortly before the end of the work proportions and basic key again in an exciting way.

Suite No. II in D minor, BWV 1008

• Prelude 3/4 in D minor
• Allemande c d minor
• Courante 3/4 in D minor
• Sarabande 3/4 G major
• Minuet in D Minor I - II D Major - I
• Jig 3/8 in D minor

Prélude

The sentence carries significant features of a highly stylized Sarabande, with emphasis on the first and a tense pause on the second beat. The rhythmic motif characteristic of the first measure is ubiquitous across long distances, but his tones are more and more filled by sixteenths, so it subliminally structured more uniform movement. Increasingly, the subject is left and can thus dictate the form marks the achievement of a new harmonious platform repeatedly at intervals. So it marks after twelve bars reaching the relative major, after two -thirds of the sentence the dominant.

The final set of the three-part chords Bach would have probably resolved at their own game on the pattern of previous cycles in semiquavers, or designed also by reference to the initial motif; maybe he wrote it not only for reasons of space.

Dance movements

Allemande: The dance is clearly marked as the motivic brittle counterpart of the first suite; with twice twelve bars he has a similar basic structure, but only three-quarters of its length. This seemingly rigid base mold is filled by motives very different length - the German composer of the High Baroque associated with a " Allemande " obviously no particular sequence of steps more. The second part corresponds to the rhythm of the first and removed only gradually over a long period of it.

Courante: The two halves are motifs strongly correlated and characterized by a rare uninterrupted semiquavers, which makes it difficult at the beginning of the parts to delineate the motives against each other; but regular change of harmony on the first beat of every bar facilitate orientation ( if the player they clarified accordingly). Quickly establishing itself then a periodicity of two - and four-bar units - most notably perhaps in the last four bars of each part that draw their power from deferred two voices, in which the lower voice the harmony changes and the upper voice motifs are still in rapid ostinato movement.

Sarabande: It is noticeable that Bach emphasizing the second beat is always adjusted only in the first two bars, dance so to speak, more stylized than the counterpart of the first suite. Three thus produced four-stroke groups form the first, four the second part, the end of which is indicative of significant chromaticism in the lower voice.

Minuets: The two minuets again have the same length and same structure with a second part of double length, the center of each clips the parallel key, but not fastened by a distinct cadence. The second minuet is in its second part, the increasingly marked tendency to resolve all motifs in a continuous soft quaver movement, so that only the return of the first minuet established the dance character again. The phrase is seen as a kind of stylized continuo part to an imaginary melody.

Gigue: A characteristic eröffnendes four-stroke motif that is equal then modified in a strong ornament and then immediately touches the Tonikaparallele which then constantly plays an important harmonic role: Consistently begins the second part of this and not the dominant, with the really first part had been completed - the only such set in the cello suites. The eight-bar phrases are placed at the beginning significantly out obscured and only the second by bays, resulting in the proportion 8:11.

Suite No. III in C major, BWV 1009

• Prelude 3/4 C major
• Allemande c C major
• Courante 3/4 C major
• Sarabande 3/4 C major
• Bourrée I C Major - II C minor - I
• Jig 3/8 in C major

Prélude

The movement begins with a scale motif that is used to structuring also a few times, but seems hardly dictate the form. Characteristic of the sentence is more the diverse, constantly modified and exchanged arpeggio patterns with which to express the far -reaching harmonious development. After several lines of pure C- Durs the relative key of A minor is the dominant achieved and gradually strengthened. Now Bach controls the range of the subdominant and its parallel; longer passages over the pedal point of the open G verunklaren doing this and leave the actual modulation target over long distances in the dark. Gradually, however, is the dominant G major by, despite persistent occurrence subdominantischer function. After all chords Bach engages again audible on scale material back, which he had developed in the first lines and routes, significantly, the end of a sentence. Initial and final measure, which - apart from the final chord - correspond to each other, see also their motivic counterpart in Bach with Violoncello piccolo occupied aria " My faithful heart " from the Cantata BWV 68 ( 1725), or in their secular template BWV 208 the year 1713.

For all the harmonic complexity of the harmonic changes of each bar will take place exclusively on the first beat, which suggests a high tempo. The latter suggests also to be found only in Kellner's copy game instruction " presto ".

Dance movements

Allemande: The sentence is quite clear motifs influenced by playing with pasted in the sixteenth motion Zweiunddreißigstelwerte; the set has a non- frequent in Bach prelude from three sixteenths. Bach invented here always new subjects that will feed into work all in the second part - in parts to the corresponding portions of the two parts are in detail rhythmically similar, if not identical, which again leads to a severe form of two parts of equal length. This sophisticated motivic work is offset by a striking economical harmonies that just introduced in the first part of the dominant and consolidates and after a brief touch of the minor parallels and Subdominantbereichs again leads in the second part to the tonic.

Courante: The touch screen is very inconspicuous - apparently only eighth chains that stop rare, then immediately with a quick kick start moving again. Bach developed melodic phrases of four and often eight bars, which in both - lead moldings by intimating a second and third vote increasingly for polyphony - again almost equal length.

Sarabande: The set reintroduces pronounced emphasis on the first and second beat. The second, double-length, part quickly turns to the dominant stage II and reaches a geheimnsisvolle figure that derives its charm from the harmonic minor scale, but above all from a tense syncope that spares the expected second beat. The final bars lead back to the tonic, use this way but multiple secondary dominants, so that by the way is also a motif bach in the lower voice.

Bourréen: The rhythm of short, clearly dominated the first part of the first dance Bourree is repeated in the second section first and modulates it to Tonikaparallele. On the third pass, everything dissolves into eighths chains so far removed from the original that Bach can inconspicuously insert additional material before a significant recourse to the second four- bar-group of the beginning returns the set to the home key.

The second Bourrée dissolves the distinct rhythm of the first from the beginning soft in one eighth of a movement that provides stream with many slurs and does not indicate the total output for no reason with piano. The aim is here but obviously not obscuring the periodicity, but only a contrast in character - unlike in many other Bourréen composed by Bach (as in E major Partita for solo violin ), these rates are in the cello suites III and IV remarkably well structured.

Gigue: A very effective completion rate with an unexpected abundance of melodic material - Deferred and genuine two voices, accents and shifted - in the second halves of both mold parts - pronounced bagpipe effects. The movement begins with a nondescript version of " Giga " type, as set forth in the first and especially the fourth suite the purest and clearest. More and more determined then sixteenths but the score; least the first section still leads a small anapästartiges motif that will play an important role only in the subsequent second part. However, unlike in all other dance movements of the collection uses this second part is not on the block start back, but first leads again quite a new material. Then he attacks the various other elements of the sequence and brings the suite to convincingly end.

Suite No. IV in E flat major, BWV 1010

• Allemande c E flat major
• Courante 3/4 in E flat major
• Sarabande 3/4 in E flat major
• Bourrée I -flat major - II E flat major - I
• Gigue 12/8 in E flat major

This set forms a harmonious wide outreaching chord study, and clearly reminiscent of similar sentences for Lute and removed to the Prelude of the first suite. Right from the beginning from form two bars a harmonious unity, suggesting a high tempo. Subtle changes in the pattern support this Zweitaktigkeit and eventually lead the way even ascending arpeggios, so that the achievement of the relative minor can be illustrated by recourse to the initial pattern. Unpredictable cancels the motion on the seventh stage of this second stage dominant; only a long sixteenth chain it starts moving again.

From here fast runs or Tonumspielungen interrupt the basic pattern again and again and win as much importance that the sentence does not end with the repetition of the opening measures, but also with only one-sixteenth round of the tonic chord. Because of the tone of the sentence is to play given its polyphonic chords for today's cello technique is anything but simple; therefore been suggested that Bach similarly as in the fifth, the a-string down voted in this suite - after g or AS.

Dance movements

Allemande: Apart from the resulting probably later sixth Cello Suite this is the only Allemande from Cello Suites and English Suites, in which the second part is longer than the first. The first part establishes two six-bar groups that respond to two-measure scale courses of a motivic four-stroke group; a four-stroke group completes this molding. The second part begins with a six-bar unit and subsequently superimposed four-and six -stroke; a reprise of the beginning or even the re- attainment of the tonic is not clearly identified.

Courante: The sentence is basically built on a quaver movement, with long upbeats from sixteenth chains. The Bach is always a triplet against, so that the rhythm is unusually rich; thus varies the rate between the type of the French Courante and the Italian " Corrente ". There may be here already influences the galant before, which could be used in the future to more accurate dating.

Sarabande: Bach omitted almost entirely on chords or even significant dissonance on the second beat, so that the dance has a very strong stylized. The melody is characterized by frequent punctures and syncopated About bindings on the first beat, which are marked only by the long stretches obligate continuous bass.

Bourréen: The greatest contrast to the preceding sentence, the first Bourrée records the underlying dance character very clearly; so the periodicals are made clear - and nowhere called into question - two stroke groups, which combine in the first part and much of the second to four-stroke groups. The second part consists of three sections of approximately equal length; in the middle ( in the relative minor ) and the final tonic - section Bach obscures the subject entries. Characteristic for the set - and in a Bourrée rare - is the fast start of four sixteenths, the stream immediately uses for motivic game.

This clearly virtuosic first Bourrée follows the maximum contrast: A laconic short, almost entirely constructed from neighborhoods Bourrée 2 in two voices more clearly.

Gigue: The Italian giga- type is particularly pronounced here; the lack of any rapid movement and emphasizes slow harmonic changes suggest a particularly high tempo. Again connect two-bar phrases over long distances to four-and eight-bar groups, but the periodicity is always subtly disturbed by two-bar slots so already, the first part of ten bars. The second part consists of two sections and modulated in the middle of the dominant over their parallel to Tonikaparallele; the final part starts as a tongetreue Reprise, but extends this to sixteen bars.

Suite No. V in C minor, BWV 1011

• Prelude c- 3/8 in C minor
• Allemande c C minor
• Courante 3/4 in C minor
• Sarabande 3/4 in C minor
• Gavotte I in C minor - II C minor - I
• Jig 3/8 in C minor

This suite is also handed in G Minor in a version for Lute ( BWV 995 ). Both versions contain both smaller set of technical improvements as well as typographical errors compared to the other version; leading to the conclusion that they go back independently to a common original version.

For cello 's work is listed in Scordatura; that is, the a-string is tuned down a whole tone to G, which contributes significantly to a more muted overall sound. Such Cello mood was common in Bologna, but is not to prove that Bach would have referred to this tradition, or they would have only known; this is unlikely, because another work by Bach in such a mood is not known.

Closer is the adoption of a first version for lute or viol, whose polyphony Bach better able to transfer from the original fourths on the cello. At the court of Weimar had worked from 1693 to 1695 August Kühnel; a copy of his printed 14 Sonate ô Partite for one or two viols with continuo could there with Bach's arrival well in the library have been present - some passages from it are similar to the corresponding expressions in Bach's fifth cello suite. This parallels the assumption of a first version for viola da gamba appear at least conceivable.

Sonically less satisfactory double stops in the lower register could indicate a later transposition of the plant down, and some sustained notes in the Prelude and Gigue, during which another active voice is clearly present, also suggest that the work was not originally written for cello.

On an early date before the other cello suites indicate harmonic peculiarities, irregular Periodenbau and the use of older dance forms.

Prélude

The first set is a two-part French overture consists of an introduction with the typical dotted rhythms and a subsequent fugal. The first part remains with nine bars on the tonic or her pedal point, before he finally opens to the dominant. These remains are a full five bars, and only then comes motion in the harmony that reaches the dominant after six cycles and this also strengthens in six clock cycles. Unlike all other such instrumental movements of Bach, the introductory paragraph is not repeated, but leads directly into the fugal.

This continues the theme almost exclusively on tonic and dominant minor (!) only the last mission takes place on the Tonikaparallele. This also suggests an early date. The theorem shows again the clear demarcation of moldings which clearly occur as interludes; the re-entry of the subject is then usually obscured by playful hiding the issues head under figuration.

About four-fifths of the joint grasp clearly two three-eight bars to together, only in the last part occur more and more hemiolas that these two-stroke groups verunklaren and destroy. At the end - unlike otherwise always in Bach's instrumental works - the dotted part no longer aufgenomnmen again.

Dance movements

Allemande: The sentence is clearly reminiscent of the dotted rhythms of the French overture; this could be a reason why Bach has finished the overture without recourse thereto. Again we have two equally long moldings before us. Harmonic changes usually take place only on full bars, often marked by four-part chords. The harmony is always close to the home key.

Courante: The only inside the cello suites corresponds to the set of the French type Courante, not the Italian Corrente. A cyclically ascending scale of the vote in the first few bars, which reverts to the tonic, dramatizes the achievement of the dominant in the sixth bar, which Bach has initially established a Fünftaktigkeit. It follows a long chain of hemiolas, so geradtaktigen motifs that completely overshadow the basic dimension of 3/2 and the listener take the orientation. The second part of the sentence seems even further away from the Grundtaktart before the penultimate step with his cadenza in 3/2-Takt again leads back to the tonic chord.

Sarabande: This sentence is particularly interesting because the key for the character of this dance dance rhythm with the (often discordant ) emphasis on the second beat is indicated here by a purely unanimous eighth chain. Expression and dissonance treatment have been compared with the aria sighs, tears, grief, distress from Cantata 21. - In the cello tradition of the 20th century, largely influenced by Casals, the phrase is displayed as extremely slow lament, without any reference to the nature of the underlying dance.

Gavotten: Surprisingly clear the dance character is emphasized by full -grip chords. The second part is twice the length of the first, in the middle of it modulates to the relative major and finally back to the tonic. Striking within this clear Tanzperiodik is an attempt to portray a sophisticated polyphony here. The second Gavotte resolves the nearly wild dance character of the first triplet in soft; it is in the same key and are at the beginning also in three parts - after the repeated first section introduces the second of equal length to the dominant, the third then back to the tonic, where it then but continues quite unexpectedly, so long this second Gavotte a disproportionately second part develops - perhaps Bach has so expanded that sentence in the adoption in the cycle here.

Gigue: After the many heavily influenced by double handles sets this suite the simplicity of the jig falls on that - as in the fourth suite - remains pure unanimously. Thus, the rate tends to be easier in places harmonic ambiguity; already in the first two bars, the question remains open as to whether they really mark the tonic or about its parallel.

The set consists of clear eight-stroke groups, without any interference or obscuring the periodicity - the first part has three thematically defined eight-stroke groups, the second six. In contrast to all other jigs of the cycle is based on the set of dotted rhythms and makes them out too much, so follows the model of the French gigue.

Suite No. VI in D major, BWV 1012

• Prelude 12/8 D Major
• Allemande c D major
• Courante 3/4 D Major
• Sarabande 3/2 in D major
• Gavotte I in D major - II D Major - I
• Jig 6/8 D Major

This suite is composed of a fünfsaitiges instrument with additional high e-string. The range is compared to the other suites increases - much more than the bottom, which provides the additional string by itself. The double handle technology provides significantly higher demands, and also the greater length of all sentences suggests a later creation. Even otherwise, the average technical demands are significantly higher than the other five suites; therefore " may not have represented the sixth Suite Bach's first attempt at a composition for an unusual instrument."

Anyone who doubts the emergence of a played arm instrument in the other suites, it is nevertheless given the high technical and musical difficulties also a cellist with today's technology in the sixth suite oppose, accept that this suite was not originally present for that played on the leg instrument was written.

When the sixth suite actually first appeared around 1724 in Leipzig, Bach's readiness is amazing resume at this time compositionally already outdated for him of the other suites. The three partitas for violin solo show in this respect a much inhomogeneres image, and also the revised several times sixth Sonata for Violin and Clavier, BWV 1019 does not fit exactly inconspicuous in the series one. This could suggest an already highly developed interest in Bach's shaped by a cycle.

Prélude

The Prelude plays significantly to a concerto movement - she established first a pronounced ritornello structure that will occur gradually on all four possible stages and clearly communicating the set of six - will be structured sections - increasingly longer. This " ritornello " is always quite surprising, and although it has a high level of recognition through his first clocks with bariolageartige technology, but does not form a final cadence, but goes seamlessly continues spinning over into each subsequent episodes.

During this Ritornellkopf is harmonically static, the pace of change of harmony changes repeatedly in the rest of sentence and is sustained at constant Triolenachteln even a means of shaping. The first eleven bars gradually modulate to the dominant, where they are repeated exactly, and thus lead to the second stage, the minor character now requires changes and is exploited to longer passages modulation. Once with the reappearance of the ritornello the subdominant G major was marked in the middle of a sentence, Bach begins gradually to always use higher register, and finally several times briefly to dam the hitherto never abandoned incessant triplet until it dissolves in cascading runs and arpeggios.

These are again replaced unprepared by a short Ritornellzitat on dominant and tonic; then forwards Bach clearly audible a return modulation in the original key. The set concludes with some chords, and a short coda.

Dance movements

While Allemande and Courante cover their periodic structure rather, Sarabande, Gavotten and Gigue consist almost over much of four-and eight-stroke groups without any approach to interfere with this periodicity. In nährerer consideration are clear contrasts between the first two dance movements and the three following show These three sets of the C-string seem conspicuous to use little; possibly could suggest a formation initially for a four-stringed instrument. A harmonious detail falls on Allemande and Courante in: You can reach the end of their moldings target each key very early and then consolidate them on lying harmony, which does not occur elsewhere in the cello suites in this form. These and other features could be used for more precise dating again in the future and allow a revision of an early version appear as conceivable.

Allemande: After the concert set of the Prélude here follows the associated slow movement: virtuoso, seemingly endless cantilenas a solo instrument, only supported easily by a few chords and bass notes, between which places still emerges an implied middle voice.

Courante: Bach designed the whole set with a single characteristic figure and a few variants. The figure is a long prelude of a broken chord. Gradually Bach extends it in two parts of the sentence by increasingly long sixteenth chains, which also act upbeat and let the tension continue to rise.

Sarabande: The set forms, with its extensive three - and four -part chords probably the culmination of true polyphony in all six cello suites. Basically, based on a variant of the Foliarhythmus, he leads at the outset the division of the first beat of a (two -quarter instead of a half note ). Gradually, the other times be divided so that long chains of double stops occur initially as chords, then more and more as extensive, expressive derivative chains.

The Gavotten establish their characteristic rhythm very clear; the first provides a significant reprise in the second half of the middle section; the second takes the principle further, by giving them - one thinks of the Gavotte in Rondeau 3rd Violin Partita and the Rondeau in B minor BWV 1067 - is a real Rondo, with three choruses and a four - and eight-bar a couplet, both of which are subsequently repeated once.

Gigue: The sentence calls a significant pastoral character produced by Horn fifths at the beginning and the use of pedal points that allude motifs from the input sentence. So he has no virtuoso, but a more sedate character, Brandenburg comparable with the final sentence of the sixth concerto.

Reception history

A first publication took place in Paris in 1824 anonymously; the preface calls the cellist and university professor Pierre Norblin (1781-1854) as the discoverer of the manuscript. However, the title refers to the works rather than Suites, but uncritically as " Sonatas and Etudes " - this may have contributed to the fact that the works were for decades considered only as objects of study and as unsuitable for public presentation. Robert Schumann wrote in March 1853 a piano accompaniment for the six suites; he described it as " the finest and most important compositions that gives it for Cellos ". This piano accompaniment, however, is still not available in printed form, with the exception of the Suite No.3 in C major.

The work was published in 1879 in the Bach Complete Edition (Volume 17.1); It was published by Alfred Dörffel. A furnished for players output was then worried by Julius Klengel and published in 1900. However, until around the turn of the 20th century, the suites have been publicly performed clearly better than ever.

The cellist Pau Casals reported to have found the first edition in a used book store and have presented the first individual suites fully in concert. In any case, his influence was enormous, particularly by its total consumption from 1927 until 1939. Though these we now call " extremely time-bound, almost antiquated " works, it has for decades the image of the works determined in Germany decisively. Recordings on original instruments by August Wenzinger (1960) and Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1965 ) were hardly accessible in Germany; the same was true for Ulrich Koch recording of the sixth suite ( in the 1970s ) to a chord played on the instrument arm. Not until 1981 was in Germany with the recording Anner Bylsmas a historically informed interpretation available.

Even composers were inspired by the works. 1915 Max Reger wrote also three suites for solo cello (op. 131c ); In the same year his solo composed Zoltán Kodály 's Sonata in B minor, Op. 8, which should be first performed in 1918 and published in 1921. Reger's solo works have also inspired Paul Hindemith in his compositions for solo strings, these from about 1918, ( including a 1923 Sonata for cello solo Op 25 No 3). To date, solo works for melody instruments in new music by no means a rarity, and especially for the cello solo compositions are common.

For the cello literature Bach's cello suites are today regarded as an essential component; they belong in virtually every audition or competition with the legal copies and dominate the study and solo performances ( recitals ) to a large extent, comparable to Be solos for violin. At least, individual records are also known to a wider audience; the prelude to the first or the Sarabande of the fifth suite are now used again and again as a film music. In conventional university and concert culture, many unhistorical interpretation habits could emerge and hold until today, so that point musicologist how " [ in Bach's cello suites ] questions, hypotheses and conjecture can help just here to question outdated interpretive schemes and retracted game conventions. "