The first page from the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach of Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007

The Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach are acclaimed as some of the greatest works ever written for solo cello. They were most likely composed during the period 1717–1723, when Bach served as a Kapellmeister in Cöthen. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (566x774, 23 KB) Cello Suite No. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (566x774, 23 KB) Cello Suite No. ... Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... “Bach” redirects here. ... This article is about the stringed musical instrument. ... A Kapellmeister is nowadays the director or conductor of an orchestra or choir. ... Köthen (  ?) is a small town in central Germany, about 30 km north of Halle. ...

The suites contain a great variety of technical devices, a wide range of emotional content, and some of Bach's most compelling voice interactions and conversations. It is their intimacy, however, that has made the suites amongst Bach's most popular works today, resulting in their different recorded interpretations being fiercely defended by their respective advocates.

The suites have been transcribed for numerous instruments, including the viola, double bass, classical guitar, horn, saxophone, and trombone. The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... A classical guitar, also called a Spanish guitar, is a musical instrument from the family of musical instruments called chordophones. ... Horn may refer to: horn (anatomy), a hollow, pointed projection of the skin of various animals Horn, Austria horn (diacritic), a diacritic mark used to indicate that a normally rounded vowel such as o or u is to be pronounced unrounded horn (instrument) horn, a slang term for any wind... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family. ... The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ...

History

An exact chronology of the suites (regarding both the order in which the suites were composed and whether they were composed before or after the solo violin sonatas) cannot be completely established. However, scholars generally believe that—based on a comparative analysis of the styles of the sets of works—the cello suites arose first, effectively dating the suites pre-1720, the year on the title page of Bach's autograph of the violin sonatas. The Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) is a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

The suites were not widely known before the 1900s, and for a long time it was generally thought that the pieces were intended to be études. However, after discovering Grützmacher's edition in a thrift shop, Pablo Casals began studying and performing the works, although it was 35 years before he agreed to record the pieces. Their popularity soared soon after, and Casals' original recording is still widely available today. An etude (from the French word étude meaning study) is a short musical composition designed to provide practice in a particular technical skill in the performance of a solo instrument. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Grützmacher (1832 – 1903) was the leading light in cello performance in the second half of the nineteenth century. ... Casals redirects here. ...

Attempts to compose piano accompaniments to the suites include a notable effort by Robert Schumann. In 1923, Leopold Godowsky realised suites 2, 3 and 5 in full counterpoint for solo piano. For others with the same name see Robert Schumann (disambiguation). ... Leopold Godowsky (Leopold Godowski) (February 13, 1870–November 21, 1938) was a famed pianist, composer, and teacher. ...

Unlike Bach's violin sonatas, no autograph manuscript survives, thus ruling out the use of an urtext performing edition. However, analysis of secondary sources—including a hand-written copy by Bach's second wife, Anna Magdalena—have produced passably authentic editions, although critically deficient in the placement of slurs and other articulation. As a result, many interpretations of the suites exist, with no singularly accepted version. A violin sonata is a musical composition for solo violin, often (but not always) accompanied by a piano or other keyboard instrument, or by figured bass in the Baroque. ... An urtext edition of a work of classical music is a printed version intended to reproduce the original intention of the composer as exactly as possible, without any added or changed material. ... Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... A slur is a symbol in Western musical notation indicating that the notes it embraces are to be played without separation. ...

Recent speculation by Professor Martin Jarvis of Charles Darwin University School of Music, in Darwin, Australia holds that Anna Magdalena may have been the composer of several musical pieces attributed to her husband.^[1] Jarvis proposes that Magdalena wrote the six Cello Suites, and was involved with the composition of the aria from the Goldberg Variations (BWV 988). Musicologists and performers, however, point to thin evidence of this proposition, remaining skeptical of the claim. Charles Darwin University Charles Darwin University (CDU) is located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. ... Central Darwin, circa 1986 Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, and is a city of 109,419 people (2001 census) on Australias far north-western coastline. ... Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ... The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, original title Aria mit verschiedenen Veränderungen[1] published as Clavierübung, bestehend in einer Aria. ...

The Suites

The suites are in six movements each, and have the following structure and order of movements.

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Galanteries – (Minuets for Suites 1 and 2, Bourrées for 3 and 4, Gavottes for 5 and 6)
6. Gigue

Scholars believe that Bach intended the works to be considered as a systematically conceived cycle, rather than an arbitrary series of pieces: Compared to Bach's other suite collections, the cello suites are the most consistent in order of their movements. In addition, to achieve a symmetrical design and go beyond the traditional layout, Bach inserted intermezzo or galanterie movements in the form of pairs between the Sarabande and the Gigue. A prelude is a short piece of music, usually in no particular internal form, which may serve as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that are usually longer and more complex. ... An allemande (also spelled allemanda, almain, or alman) (from French German) is a type of dance popular in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite, generally the first or second movement. ... The courante, corrente, coranto and corant are just some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era. ... In music, the sarabande (It. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... The bourree was a dance common in Auvergne and Biscay in Spain in the 17th century, danced in quick double time, somewhat resembling the gavotte. ... A gavotte dance in Brittany, France, 1878 The gavotte (also gavot or gavote) originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. ... The gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance in a compound metre such as 3/8, 6/8, 6/4, 9/8 or 12/16. ... In music, the sarabande (It. ... The gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance in a compound metre such as 3/8, 6/8, 6/4, 9/8 or 12/16. ...

It should also be noticed that only four movements in the entire set of suites are completely non-chordal: that means they consist only of a single melodic line. These are the second Minuet of the 1st Suite, the second Minuet of the 2nd suite, the second Bourrée of the 3rd suite and the Sarabande of the 5th Suite. (The 2nd Gavotte of the 5th Suite has but one prim-chord (the same actual note played on two strings at the same time), but only in the original scordatura version of the suite — in the standard tuning version it is completely free from chords.) A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... The bourree was a dance common in Auvergne and Biscay in Spain in the 17th century, danced in quick double time, somewhat resembling the gavotte. ... In music, the sarabande (It. ... A gavotte dance in Brittany, France, 1878 The gavotte (also gavot or gavote) originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. ... A scordatura (literally Italian for mistuning) is an alternate tuning used for the open strings of a string instrument. ...

Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007

The Prelude, mainly consisting of arpeggiated chords, is probably the best known movement from the entire set of suites and is regularly heard on television and in films. The second Minuet is one of only three movements in the six suites that doesn't contain any chords. Most students begin with this suite as it is assumed to be easier to play than the others, both in terms of the technique required and considerations of interpretation. Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue) is the numbering system used to identify musical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. ... Various arpeggios as seen on a staff Notation of a chord in arpeggio In music, an arpeggio is a broken chord where the notes are played or sung in succession rather than simultaneously. ... Typical fingering for a second inversion C major chord on a guitar. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... Typical fingering for a second inversion C major chord on a guitar. ...

Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Prelude. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Allemande. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Courante. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Sarabande. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Minuets. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_1_in_G_Gigue. ...

Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008

The Prelude consists of two parts, the first of which has a strong recurring theme that is immediately introduced in the beginning. The second part is a scale-based cadenza movement that leads to the final, powerful chords. The subsequent Allemande contains short cadenzas that stray away from this otherwise very strict dance form. The first Minuet contains demanding chord shiftings and string crossings. An allemande (also spelled allemanda, almain, or alman) (from French German) is a type of dance popular in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite, generally the first or second movement. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ...

Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009

The Prelude of this suite consist of an A-B-A-C form, with A being a scale-based movement that eventually dissolves into an energetic arpeggio part; and B, where the cellist is introduced to thumb position, which is needed to reach the demanding chords. It then returns to the scale theme, and ends with a powerful and surprising chord movement.

The Allemande is the only movement in the suites that has an up-beat consisting of three sixteenth-notes instead of just one, which is the standard form. An allemande (also spelled allemanda, almain, or alman) (from French German) is a type of dance popular in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite, generally the first or second movement. ...

The second Bourrée, though in C minor, has a 2-flat (or G minor) key-signature. This notation, common in pre-Classical music, is sometimes known as a partial key-signature. The bourree was a dance common in Auvergne and Biscay in Spain in the 17th century, danced in quick double time, somewhat resembling the gavotte. ...

Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_C_Prelude. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_C_Allemande. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_C_Courante. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_C_Sarabande. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_G_Bourees. ... Image File history File links JOHN_MICHEL_CELLO-J_S_BACH_CELLO_SUITE_3_in_C_Gigue. ...

Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 1010

Suite No. 4 is one of the most technically demanding of the suites since E-flat is an uncomfortable key to intonate on the cello and requires many extended left hand positions. The Prelude primarily consists of a difficult flowing eight-note movement that leaves room for a cadenza before returning to its original theme. The very peaceful Sarabande is quite obscure about the stressed second beat, which is the basic characteristic of the 3/4 dance, since, in this particular Sarabande, almost every first beat contains a chord, whereas the second beat most often doesn't. In music, the sarabande (It. ...

Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011

Suite No. 5 was originally written in scordatura with the A-string tuned down to G, but nowadays a version for standard tuning is included in almost every edition of the suites along with the original version. Some chords must be simplified when playing with standard tuning, but some melodic lines become easier as well. A scordatura (literally Italian for mistuning) is an alternate tuning used for the open strings of a string instrument. ...

The Prelude is written in an A-B form, and is a French overture. It begins with a slow, emotional movement that explores the deep range of the cello. After that comes a fast and very demanding single-line fugue that leads to the powerful end. The French overture is a musical form widely used in the Baroque period. ... In music, a fugue (IPA: ) is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred to as voices, irrespective of whether the work is vocal or instrumental. ...

This suite is most famous for its intimate Sarabande, which is the second of the two movements throughout the suites that doesn't contain any chords. The fifth suite is also exceptional as its Courante and Gigue are in the French style, rather than the Italian form of the other five suites. In music, the sarabande (It. ... The courante, corrente, coranto and corant are just some of the names given to a family of triple metre dances from the late Renaissance and the Baroque era. ... The gigue or giga is a lively baroque dance in a compound metre such as 3/8, 6/8, 6/4, 9/8 or 12/16. ...

An autograph manuscript of Bach's lute version of this suite exists as BWV 995. A medieval era lute. ... Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue) is the numbering system used to identify musical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012

It is widely believed that the sixth suite was composed specifically for a five-stringed violoncello piccolo, a smaller cello, roughly the size of a 7/8 normal cello that has a fifth upper string tuned to E, a perfect fifth above the otherwise top string. However, some say there is not substantial evidence to support this claim: whilst three of the sources inform the player that it is written for an instrument "a cinq cordes", only Anna Magdalena Bach's manuscript indicates the tunings of the strings and the other sources do not mention any intended instrument at all. Anna Magdalena Bach-Wilcken (22 September 1701– 22 February 1760) was the second wife of Johann Sebastian Bach. ...

Other possible instruments for the suite include a version of the violoncello piccolo played on the arm like a viola, as well as a five-stringed normal sized cello, called a viola pomposa. As the range required in this piece is very large, the suite was probably intended for a larger instrument, although it is conceivable that Bach—who was fond of the viola—may have performed the work himself on an arm-held violoncello piccolo. However, it is equally likely that beyond hinting the number of strings, Bach did not intend any specific instrument at all as the construction of instruments in the early 18th century was highly variable. The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. ... The viola pomposa was a bowed string instrument with five strings, used between 1725 and 1770. ...

Cellists wishing to play the piece on a modern four-string cello encounter difficulties as they are forced to use very high positions to reach many of the notes, though modern cellists regularly perform the suite on the 4-string instrument. Performers specialising in early music and using authentic instruments generally use the 5-string cello for this suite, including Pieter Wispelwey, Anner Bylsma and Jaap ter Linden. Early music is commonly defined as European classical music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque. ... The historically informed performance, period performance, or authentic performance movement is an approach by musicians and scholars to research and perform works of classical music in ways similar to how they may have been performed when they were originally written. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Anner Bylsma, (born 1934), is a Dutch cellist, who plays on both modern and authentic baroque style instruments. ... Jaap ter Linden is a Dutch cellist, viol player and conductor. ...

This suite is written in much more free form than the others, containing more cadenza-like movements and virtuosic passages. It is also the only one of the suites that is partly notated in the various C clefs, which is not needed for the others since they never go above the note G4 (G above middle C. A clef (French for key) is a symbol used in musical notation that assigns notes to lines and spaces on the musical staff. ... In Western music, the expression middle C refers to the note C or Do located exactly between the two staves of the grand staff, quoted as C4 in note-octave notation (also known as scientific pitch notation). ...

Mstislav Rostropovich called this suite "a symphony for solo cello" and characterised its D major tonality as evoking joy and triumph. Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich KBE (Russian: Мстисла́в Леопо́льдович Ростропо́вич, Mstislav Leopoldovič Rostropovič, IPA: ), (March 27, 1927 – April 27, 2007), known to close friends as “Slava”, was a Russian cellist and conductor. ... Also see: D minor, or D-flat major. ...

Inspired by Bach

Main article: Inspired by Bach

Yo-Yo Ma, a contemporary cellist closely associated with the suites, developed the Inspired by Bach mini-series in conjunction with a number of Canadian filmmakers. These are 6 short films, each approaching a suite from a different perspective. For example, Atom Egoyan's Suite #4: Sarabande tells the story of a failed relationship that culminates in the couple attending a Yo-Yo Ma performance of the piece at Roy Thomson Hall. Another, by Patricia Rozema, documents the process by which Mr. Ma's Music Garden in Toronto came into being.^[2] Inspired by Bach, a Sony Classical and Rhombus Media production as part of Sony Classical celebrates Bach series, presents contemporary cellist Yo-Yo Ma performing the six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach in collaboration with artists from different disciplines, in a set of six films, respectively. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Ma Yo-Yo Ma (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (b. ... Atom Egoyan at the Third Golden Apricot Film Festival. ... Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Canada. ... Patricia Rozema (born 1958) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. ...

References

1. ^ Dutter, Barbie and Nikkhah, Roya. "Bach works were written by his second wife, claims academic", The Telegraph, April 23, 2006. 
2. ^ Inspired by Bach at the Internet Movie Database

External links

• BWV 1009 Suite No. 3 in C at the BinAural Collaborative Hypertext (Shockwave Player required): Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bouree, Gigue

• Anna Magdalena's manuscript
• MIDI Sequences
• Bach works were written by his second wife, claims academic
• Cello Suites was available at the International Music Score Library Project.
• MP3 Creative Commons Recording
• Transcriptions of The Suites For Trombone
• Musical scores and MIDI files at the Mutopia Project

The International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) is a project for the creation of a virtual library of public domain music scores, based on the wiki principle. ... The Mutopia project is a volunteer-run effort to create a library of public domain sheet music, in a way similar to Project Gutenbergs library of public domain books. ...