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Prelude

The Prelude of the 1st Suite for unaccompanied cello by J.S. Bach is possibly the most immediately recognizable solo work for the instrument. The movement starts with an arpeggiated figure that takes full advantage of the natural resonance of the instrument: an open G, an open D, and a B one full step above the open A string. That resonating G and D really define the essence of the piece: ringing, soothing, pure, natural. And the B on the A string, the third of the broken G Major chord, is in a very clear-sounding place on the cello, giving it a melodic quality and creating an uplifting, positive feel. Add to this the rocking, undulating quality of the 16th note writing, and we have flowing, motion-filled music that combines forward direction with a very settled, peaceful feeling of tonal color.

Next, that opening 2-beat, rocking arpeggio figure is repeated, then altered in measure 2 with the raising of the 2nd and 3rd pitches to create a sense of melodic opening (and, harmonically, giving us a sub-dominant chord), changed again in measure 3 by raising only the 2nd note (creating a V-7 chord, superimposed over a pedal G, giving us these intervals: a major 7th and a tritone), and resolved in measure 4 with a return to our tonic. And we’ve only covered the 1st four measures, an introduction of sorts to the remarkable journey that follows.

Measure 5 breaks the pattern set in the 1st 4 bars – the figures take on a more melodic and directional quality. These improvised-sounding bars alternate with the arpeggiated patterns established at the beginning, taking us on an interesting and creative harmonic ride. The ongoing motion continues for a total of 21-1/2 measures, until, after a dip down to the lowest notes on the instrument – a low C-sharp in measure 20, and then the incredibly rich, deep open low C in the next measure – all motion stops on a D above middle C. Bach puts a fermata on this monumental arrival, to give it a sense of great importance.

What follows is truly amazing, but first a bit of background. In each movement of every suite, Bach presents harmonically rich and complex music. His challenge, since the cello is essentially a melodic instrument (compared to the obvious harmonic functions of a keyboard instrument, on which one can easily play 6, 8, or 10 note chords), is to ingeniously and cleverly integrate multiple voices and clear harmonic structure without the benefit of straightforward, keyboard-type chordal playing. His method is to imply harmonic structure, by hinting at the possible development of additional voices, repeating certain pitches so as to establish their sound in the listener’s ear, and occasionally writing 2-, 3- or 4- note chords, especially at significant cadence points. In the case of this prelude, one can easily conclude that it is a 3-voice work – a quick glace at the score gives a pretty clear sense of this, confirmed by the 3-note chord that ends the movement.

Now, if we take that high D arrival, imagine a D two octaves lower and played as a pedal tone throughout the rest of the movement (until the ultimate chord), we can feel harmonic richness, delightful dissonance, and wildly driving energy, an effect not unlike that which we might encounter in a Bach keyboard prelude. He’s essentially taken the cello and, with the help of some creative listening, turned it into an organ of sorts – a brilliant accomplishment, for sure, and an approach that will return in subsequent preludes.

Throughout this inviting movement – and in subsequent movements (as well as in the other five suites as well!) - we experience a wide variety of moods and emotions as we encounter dissonances and resolutions, melodic shapes, unexpected harmonic progressions, and ingenious implied 3-voice writing. Bach’s use of the various registers of the cello to enhance depth of emotion is perfect in every way, from the lowest depths of the C string to the clear, ringing tones of the A string.

Allemande

The Allemande, a German dance form featuring sweeping phrases of irregular lengths and a beautifully rich harmonic structure, follows the Prelude. Bach starts this movement with a sort of variation on the opening of the Prelude: the first note is a B upbeat to the beginning of the 1st bar, leading directly into a G Major chord containing the exact pitches and the same voicing used in the prelude. Here, though, no arpeggios: the opening chord is just that, a solid 3-note chord (which, practically speaking, is broken into 2 parts by the performer), followed by melodic material dominated by flowing, primarily scale-wise melodic motion. From time to time we reach clear cadence points, resting spots characterized by harmonic resolution and interruption of the ongoing sixteenth note motion. The first of these is in the 4th measure, where, after 2 beats of cascading, descending melodic motion (it’s our opening G Major triad again, with the melodic B on top!), we cadence on a very settling and satisfying tonic G on the 3rd beat. Two bars later, we have a similar setup, but this time, Bach gives us a descending arpeggio in e minor, coming to rest on a deep, rich low E. E minor is not unexpected, since it’s the relative minor key of G Major; what’s particularly beautiful and effective here is his sense of time (a rather quick shift from tonic to relative minor), his ideal use of the richness and depth of the cello’s lower register to make his harmonic point, and his quick shift out of e minor after these events, as if he’s showing us possibilities without committing. This sense of wandering continues, eventually leading to the expected modulation to the dominant key, D Major, at the conclusion of the 1st half of the movement.

The second half continues with similar twists and turns of harmonic and melodic motion, starting in D Major, passing briefly through G Major and taking us solidly to A minor before a beautifully paced and final return to G Major. Particularly moving is the passage from measure 25 to the end; in this section, Bach uses dissonance and resolution to maximal effect, especially the minor 7th drops in measures 27 and 28 and the slightly delayed resolution in measure 29.

Courante

In the Courante we hear a noticeable departure from the gentle, resonant, pulsating motion we’ve experienced thus far in the suite. Characteristic of courantes, the movement begins with an eighth note upbeat, an energetic, well-articulated G which is then repeated on the 1st measure downbeat, confirming our tonal center. The movement continues in a very high-energy, articulate fashion, in triple meter, very spirited and lively. Again, in a large measure due to the resonant nature of the key on G Major on a cello, the use of open strings (or notes that produce sympathetic ringing on open strings) produces a very open and healthy purity to the sound.

Throughout the movement, Bach contrasts lively, bouncy eighth note motion with slurred groups of 16th notes. This constant juxtaposition of short notes and connected ones creates textural interest, helps solidify and confirm the strong omnipresent rhythmic structure, and, if the performer is truly embracing the spirit of the music, gives the movement the rhythmic dance quality to which Bach clearly refers.

Of note are the two solid dotted quarter cadence points that Bach provides as momentary stopping points, one in each half of the binary structure. In the first half this cadence point is in G Major; in the 2nd, it’s in e minor, the relative minor of G Major. Bach’s sense of form and structure is perfectly balanced; these two moments of “rest” fall in ideal places amidst the excitement and energy that permeate the movement.

Sarabande

This Sarabande is a very gentle, friendly, even simple and innocent one. The movement is short and harmonically direct, characterized by a feature commonly found in sarabandes: an emphasis, or lean, on the 2nd beat of the three beats in a measure, achieved by lengthening the value of the 2nd beat note, enriching the 2nd beat harmonically, and placing a multi-stop (basically, a chord instead of a single pitch) on that 2nd beat.

Speaking of chords, it’s quite common in our cello suite sarabandes to encounter a significant amount of chordal writing, sometimes double stops (2 notes at once), occasionally quadruple stops (our maximum, since we only have 4 strings to work with), but most commonly triple stops, as we hear in the 1st two beats of the first measure. The opening chord, G-D-B presents, all at once, the first 3 notes of both the Prelude and Allemande, effectively linking the movements together and unifying harmonic and melodic elements. The very gentle, inviting nature of this movement contributes to the overall feeling consistent throughout the suite, that of warmth, resonance, and an altogether calm and friendly atmosphere. This is positive and satisfying music, simple but not simplistic, relaxing but not passive.

Menuet

Menuet 1 begins with (you guessed it!) the same three notes, G-D-B, as the Prelude, Allemande, and Sarabande, and in the same octave, providing yet another level of unity through the movements. In this case, the 3 notes are presented as a broken chord, as in the Prelude, but rhythmically twice as slow, in the rhythm eighth-eighth-quarter, followed by an eighth and 2 sixteenths to finish measure one, a rather flowing and directional rhythmic presentation. Menuets are perhaps the most widely recognized of the dance forms Bach uses in the suites, and the menuet was a very familiar dance to folks of the day. The menuet as a compositional form remained popular into the Classical era and beyond; dozens of Haydn and Mozart symphonies and string quartets contain menuet movements, structured not unlike this 1st menuet, in triple meter and with a very clear dance lilt. (Haydn in particular started to experiment with rhythmic variety in his menuet offerings, often to great effect, and Beethoven is widely credited with transforming the classical menuet form into the scherzo.)

Back to Bach, this first menuet is quite gentle, not punchy or particularly bouncy, and heartfelt in character. In direct contrast is Menuet 2, in g minor (or almost – the key signature of g minor should contain a flattened B and a flattened E, but this menuet’s key signature contains only the B-flat, with E’s flattened on a case by case basis; did Bach actually write this 2nd menuet in the Dorian mode?), is sad and somewhat dark. He begins this menuet on a B-flat, leaving no doubt that we’ve taken a break from G Major. The contrast between the minuets couldn’t be more pronounced, and when we hear the return to Menuet 1, our perspective on this now familiar music has changed.

Gigue

A lively dance, in 6/8 meter (gigues are generally in some sort of compound meter, meaning that each beat we feel is divided into 3 parts; in this case, the 6/8 feels like a duple meter, with each beat containing 3 divisions), with the Irish “Jig” at its emotional and dance core, this gigue is predictably energetic, driving, and full of good spirit. Eighth note rhythms predominate, with sixteenths thrown in to great effect. This is a particularly compact movement, but it provides a perfect balance to a piece that is otherwise notable for its beauty, resonance, warmth, and purity.

-Written by Christopher Costanza

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Prelude

D minor: a key of seriousness, sadness, tragedy, loss, and strength. From the first 3 notes of this intensely emotional prelude we feel immersed in a dramatically dark d minor world. These notes, D-F-A (rhythmically, eighth-eighth-quarter, with an emphasis on the third note, which is beat 2), constitute a d minor triad, asserting the tonal center and immediately setting the tone for things to come. The 2nd beat “A” is tied into the 3rd beat, effectively elongating the 2nd beat by a sixteenth note, and the measure concludes with a descending three-sixteenth note grouping, leading directly into the 2nd measure. Then, in measure 2, beat one consists of four 16th notes, C#-E-G-A (a V7 chord in the 1st inversion) leading to a B-flat on beat 2, which, as in measure 1, is a quarter note tied into the 3rd beat, again emphasizing the 2nd beat of the measure. And then in measure 3, that 2nd beat, now only a dotted 8th but still the longest note of the bar, is an E, a tritone higher than the previous measure’s 2nd beat and creating a sort of arch shape through those measures, finishing, in the 4th bar, 2nd beat, on a D, which then flows downward toward the 5th measure and the beginning of the Prelude proper. In effect, those 1st four measures are an introduction, foreshadowing the overall mood of the movement. In measure five the movement continues on its journey with a clearer sense of flow and direction. We’re still experiencing the 2nd beat emphasis effect, but less often: very soon we’re hearing passages consisting solely of flowing 16th notes. Harmonically, measure 5 is a B-flat Major 7th chord, a very rich, open sounding sequence of notes that leads to a circle of fifths progression over the next several measures. We feel a fullness and richness of harmony through very directional music, and after an 8 measure phrase we cadence in F Major, landing on the low C-string F followed by an A and a C (spelling a closed position F Major triad), set in the exact rhythm of the 1st measure of the movement – our biggest cadence point yet, and in our home key’s relative major. As we listen, we need to focus not only on the harmonic progression and rhythmic flow of the music, but also on Bach’s incredibly ingenious use of multiple melodic and accompanimental voices. It’s particularly interesting to listen very closely to the bass line and its direction, often scale-wise in motion. As we monitor our bass line in this incredibly rich music, we find it leading, gradually but consistently, to the all-important pitch “A,” the dominant of d minor. Sure enough, as in Suite #1, Bach implies a dominant pedal tone (the pitch A) beginning in measure 30, providing grandness, richness, and intensity. We only occasionally hear the actual pedal note, but Bach constantly hints at it; we sense it profoundly as the music swirls and flows in continuous sixteenth note motion, and the harmonic progressions remain deep and continually filled with dissonances and resolutions. This remarkably emotional section culminates in a series of high points: measures 40 through 42, where he suddenly brings back the rhythm of the 1st measure; measure 44, where we reach a high G, the highest pitch of the movement; and finally, measure 48, where he writes a quarter note with a fermata on a 2nd inversion V7 chord (spelled G-E-C#, with the A conspicuously absent, but heard in our heads nonetheless, since A is our dominant pedal pitch so firmly ingrained in our perception of the music) - a wildly dramatic stopping point after a remarkably emotional buildup. Then, 2 quarter rests (to give performer and listener a chance to breathe), followed by a sublime, subdued, and very poignant closing section, ending with five simply stated dotted half note chords - a profound and simple ending to an exciting and intense movement.

Allemande

The d minor Allemande begins with an opening upbeat 16th note followed by a solidly stated 4-note d minor chord. We feel our key very strongly through this gesture: the definitive, deep, rich quality of this four-voiced downbeat gives the movement a clearly assertive start. Following this strong opening, the movement proceeds in a direct fashion with flowing sixteenths alternating with eighths, 3- and 4-note chords strategically placed at important cadence points. Even though this entire allemande contains only two 4-note chords (five other chords consist of 3 notes), the establishment of the 4-voice idea at the start makes us sense that all four voices are with us throughout the movement. One unexpected bit of free-form, improvisatory writing in this Allemande occurs on beats 3 and 4 in measure 9; here he takes a D#-A tritone and ties it directly into a beautiful and virtuosic scale-wise run of 32nd notes – a very exciting and unexpected display. An interesting technique Bach employs in this movement is the use of a four-note descending scale motive as a cadence point, as in measure 4 (beat 3; this one leads to the 2-note chord on beat 4), measure 6 (beat 3; we hear the mordent on the G eighth note to feel the sense of A-G-F#-E), measure 14 (beat 3), measure 20 (beat 1), and measure 22, (beat 1). This technique appears at other strategic places in Bach’s music, but it’s very clearly stated in this movement. The Courante of the d minor suite is a wild ride of fast sixteenth notes – here the performer’s virtuosity is on full display. From the 3-note chord on beat 1 of measure 2 we sense a 3-voice structure; musical arrival points throughout the movement are marked by 2- or 3-note chordal writing (measures 6, 18, 21 – just a sixteenth note double stop here! –and 22). The motion, both rhythmic and harmonic, feels fast throughout, and so we’re left with an exciting and often breathless musical statement. Of note are the rollicking passages of bariolage bowing (a back and forth alternating of strings for coloristic effect) in measures 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31. Listeners and performers alike must catch their breath after this movement before continuing with the poignant Sarabande!

Sarabande

This Sarabande is the emotional centerpiece of the entire suite, bringing us back to the deep, dark, rich, and personal feeling of the Prelude. The tone of the movement is somber, and the emotional content is as meaningful as we experience anywhere in the suites. Typical of so many sarabandes, at the start we feel a rhythmic emphasis on beat 2 of the 3/4 meter, a rhythmic feature that returns in measure 5 (at the start of the 2nd phrase). The first half of this movement consists of three 4-measure phrases; the 1st two of these phrases are rhythmically nearly identical. Phrase one establishes the tone and character of our d minor key center and brings us to a V chord, flowing back to d minor at the start of measure 5. The 2nd phrase begins much like measure one (the only difference is that the 2nd phrase begins with a rich 3-note chord - a first inversion d minor, with a deep low F in the bass), and in the course of its 4 measures takes us to F Major, the relative major of d minor. The 3rd phrase stays in F Major and ends with a perfect cadence in that key (measure 12 consists solely of a simple quarter note high F, followed by a half note low F). The 2nd half of the movement returns to the 2nd beat emphasis idea we experienced at the start of the movement; we’re now in F Major, but already on the 2nd half of beat one we get a sense of modulation, with hints at g minor. In fact, we do experience g minor in a very full, clear way when we arrive at the downbeat of measure 16. Measures 17- 20, through mostly 8th note melodic writing (no chords, but a clear sense of multi-voiced conversation prevails), take us to an A-7 chord, the dominant 7th of d minor. Then, a beautiful and dramatic surprise: we experience a deceptive cadence on measure 21 (the A-7 chord in measure 20 brings us not to d minor but to B-flat Major). Then we’re on our way home, through a very rich, chordal phrase that lands on a single D in measure 24. This lone and simple but deeply emotional D drops to a low D and then continues with an ascending scale figure to the final phrase, a coda of sorts, starting in F Major and very emphatically based on an ascending F-F#-G-A-D bass line. What an outwardly deep and emotional centerpiece for a very personal and tonally rich suite.

Menuet

The menuet movement of this suite begins very confidently with a solid d minor triad, firmly establishing a strong, bold, and intense character based on 3-voice construction. Three-note chords occur throughout the 1st menuet, making the multi-voice writing very clear and the harmonic progressions immediately recognizable. The bass line in this menuet is particularly interesting: it’s primarily characterized by descending scale-wise motion, with occasional and meaningful exceptions. In essence, that bass line defines the shape and direction of entire menuet. The second of the 2 menuets is in direct contrast to the 1st: in D Major, very melodic, gentle, and containing only one chord (an A-E double-stop at the close of the 1st section). The 2nd menuet provides a perfect and well-timed balance to the intensity of the 1st; it’s beautifully simple, appealing, and inviting, so that the return to Menuet 1 that follows is delightfully shocking.

Gigue

The final movement of the suite is a lively, driving, and uplifting one (despite the seriousness associated with d minor). It’s in 3/8 meter and characterized by a sort of rocking motion, consisting of a repeated eighth-quarter rhythm (as in the 1st two measures) or groups of 16th and 8ths (as in measures 5 and 6). The movement is very much a virtuosic display of sequential writing, often single-voiced, but very effectively harmonized at key points (such as the sequences at measures 17-24 and 25-29). After the exhilarating buildup to the G-sharp-F chord in measure 29, the first half cadences in A minor/Major (the 2nd to last measure feels as though we’ve reached A minor, but the C-sharp at the end of the measure is a Picardy 3rd, which “majorizes” our otherwise minor key ending). The 2nd half of the movement begins very much like the 1st (now in F Major, the relative major of our home key), and continues with the same rhythmic excitement we’ve experienced in the 1st half. This movement truly is a wild ride of energy and drive, filled with a sort of confident sensibility that rounds off the intensive emotional experience of the suite as a whole.

-Written by Christopher Costanza

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Prelude

Bach begins his brilliant C Major suite with a simple descending scale, a strong statement of positive energy. From those very 1st opening notes we feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. One of the most distinctive and appealing features of the cello as an instrument is its rich deep bass qualities, epitomized by the purity and substance of the open low C string. The 3rd suite as a whole takes full advantage of this glorious resonance, beginning with the opening motive of the Prelude, a simple 2 octave descending scale with a closing broken triad culminating on an open C arrival. From here Bach takes us on a flowing, driving, directional, and sometimes breathless journey of continuous 16th note figures, passing through multiple key areas, utilizing pedal tones, and bringing us to a remarkable climax of chords, rests, and harmonic triumph.

That opening scale remains a strong and prevalent motivic feature throughout the movement. Bach takes basic scale-wise motion and uses it creatively and convincingly, giving us a sort of sixteenth note scale-figure sense of grounding. He manipulates those scale figures, fragmenting them and rearranging them, maintaining our interest at all times. We hear arpeggiated groupings interspersed amongst scale passages, clarifying harmony and providing rich resonance.

About halfway through the movement, a passage of sixteenth note arpeggiated figures - characterized by a deep and pure open G string pedal tone, rich harmonic motion, and satisfying dissonances and resolutions - establishes great musical excitement and defines a sort of structural heart of the movement; this section feels like a mid-point diversion on a long hike in the mountains. This material then gets back on track with a passage of alternating scale and arpeggio figures, through which exceptional intensity and harmonic energy gradually build through sequential writing. Then we experience a fabulous display of harmonically rich quadruple-stop quarter note chords alternating with 2-beat rests; here Bach uses unexpected silence – those dramatic rests between the chords – to create a brilliantly conceived climax. We finally arrive at a confident closing with double trills and a recap of that opening scale motive.

Allemande

This allemande represents a departure from the allemande style set in the 1st two suites – it opens with 3 upbeat notes (not the usual single sixteenth note pickup), and it is characterized by a snappy 16th/32nd note rhythm that creates a bouncy, lively character (unlike the flowing, somewhat more patient progression of the aforementioned allemandes). Of particular note is this movement’s opening motivic material, which essentially follows the descending C major scale shape that defines the start of the prelude, albeit in a different rhythmic pattern. As we will see, the idea of the descending C major scale is a unifying element in the piece as a whole.

Listen for the ascending scale in thirds about halfway through the 1st half of the movement. The passage begins with a C Major third bouncing down to an open C. The 3rd note (which is also a major 3rd) is D-F#, leading us out of C major and heading toward the dominant, G Major. But… despite that appearance of an F-sharp, we still feel the pull of C Major through those 1st six notes, largely due to the low C’s, which act as a sort of bouncy pedal tone between each of the 3rds. Only on the 8th note of the passage does Bach change the low pedal to a G, clarifying the arrival of G Major. This passage in particular is quite innovative and exciting - the use of 3rds, a straight sixteenth note rhythmic pattern, and that offbeat open string C, then G, pedal tone all add up to an eye-opening moment.

Courante

As with the first 2 movements, here we have a melodically descending start, this time a C Major arpeggio (instead of a scale) covering 2 full octaves. This courante is characterized by continuous eighth note motion throughout, every so often interrupted by connective sixteenth note figures. A particularly interesting feature, and one that allows for a moment of slightly “scrubby” playing, are the two energetic and driving string crossing sections near ends of both halves – very spirited and uplifting! Overall, the movement has an almost “moto perpetuo” feel – a nearly constant sense of drive and a very bold directional flow.

Sarabande

This sarabande opens with rich, inviting, and very pure chords, perfectly showcasing the natural warmth and resonance of the cello. As we hear in so many sarabandes (including five of the six in these suites), the rhythmic structure is such that we frequently experience a clear emphasis on beat 2 of the measure (the meter is ¾, as expected). We feel this rhythmic pattern from the first measure: beat one is a 4-voiced C Major chord, its value a quarter note, and beat two is a dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythm, pitches D-C, where the C moves to an A on the 16th note and ultimately resolves on beat 3 to an implied G Major (dominant) chord. The dotted rhythm, taken together with the rich dissonance on beat 2, creates a clear sense of weight and focus on that beat. This sense of 2nd beat emphasis occurs in at least 14 of the 24 measures that make up the movement (I say at least, since second beat emphasis is not always defined by clear rhythmic stress; at times, implied harmonies create stress on certain beats of certain measures).

Notable throughout the movement, but particularly in the 2nd half, is the clearly defined and directional bass line. The movement clearly is in four voices (as I mentioned, the first note is a four-voiced chord), and the bass line provides unity, harmonic grounding, and a sense of phrase length and shape.

Bourrées

The first Bourrée of the 3rd suite is immediately recognizable, has frequently been arranged to include accompaniment, and appears in all sorts of instrumental sheet music solo albums, not only those for the cello (think Suzuki Method). Contributing to its overwhelming popularity, this bourrée is a delightful piece, highly energetic, tuneful, and instantly appealing. At the start we hear a zippy 2-eighth-note upbeat figure, leading scale-wise to a quarter note G on the downbeat of the 1st full bar and setting the tone for a rhythmic pattern that unifies the movement: the continual quarter note-double eighth note alternation, interspersed with flowing measures of continuous eighth notes. The articulation is pointed and clearly etched; the musical lines are direct and forward in feeling. The bouncy, lively, and positive feel of the movement work together to give it an unmistakable dance vibe.

In contrast, the 2nd Bourrée, in c minor, is somewhat hushed, sad and troubled in character. Rhythmically, this bourrée is very similar to the 1st (eighth and quarter note juxtaposition, for example), but articulations are smoothed out, and the sections feel like beautifully continuous long phrases. This 2nd bourrée is a direct minor key complement to the 1st, balancing the movement perfectly.

Gigue

The C Major Suite gigue is particularly lively and energetic, full of positive spirit and excitement. Its meter is 3/8 (a compound meter with one pulse per bar), and is rhythmically characterized by alternating eighth and sixteenth note figures (often an eighth followed by four sixteenths). It is filled with conversational elements – melodic and rhythmic figures that bounce between the upper and lower cello registers. Of particular note and creating great excitement is the passage, occurring once in each half of the movement, of sixteenth notes in which a melodic line on one string alternates with repeated soundings of the adjacent open string. This passages builds in intensity, leading to an eight bar phrase (in minor) of double stops, 16th and 8th note figurations played together with open string pedal tones. One feels the high energy, English/Irish/Scottish common jig-like dance feel when listening to this particularly evocative sequence of phrases. This movement, with its super-charged energy and clear jig feel is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of both listeners and performers! -Written by Christopher Costanza

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Prelude

From the 1st two notes of this magnificent prelude we know that we’re in for grand, rich, deep, and large-scale music. These 2 notes, both E-flats, are 2 octaves apart, and they set the tone for this organ-like movement, initially characterized by a continuous eighth note flow of arpeggiated chords. Contributing to the heroic feel of the movement, and the suite as a whole, is Bach’s choice of key: E-flat Major. A few decades after Bach composed this work, E-flat Major became a favorite key for Ludwig van Beethoven, in his confident, heroic-sounding masterworks such as the “Eroica” Symphony, the “Emperor” piano concerto, and the Op. 127 string quartet.

The entire 1st half of this prelude consists of a glorious and compelling chord progression, presented as flowing eighth note arpeggios and highlighting a clear sense of bass line movement as a kind of unifying element. At just about the halfway point, all motion stops as the music reaches a crossroads, where seemingly suddenly we encounter a low C-sharp with a fermata. Then we hear a very unexpected but exciting sixteenth note rhapsodic flourish to link us to our next section of eighth note arpeggios. The remainder of the movement alternates between flowing eighth note writing, a definitive chordal cadence briefly taking us to g minor, sequential sixteenth note passages, and a return to our opening arpeggio material, followed by a short closing improvisatory-sounding sixteenth note passage taking us to a final 4-note E-flat Major chord. A truly dramatic and exciting movement, and it sets an inviting and friendly tone for the movements that follow.

Allemande

After the grandness and large-scale character of the prelude, this Allemande presents a more gentle, flowing side of E-flat Major. After the opening perfect 4th rise (a B-flat eighth note upbeat leading to the E-flat downbeat in measure one), the musical flow is scale-wise, sweeping and directional. This feel remains throughout the movement, occasionally interspersed with measures of alternating sixteenth and eighth note rhythms. Metrically speaking, the movement is in cut-time 4/4 (referred to as alla breve), so that we generally feel 2 big pulses per bar. This does not imply a particularly fast tempo – there’s a tempo “sweet spot” where the rhythmic motion feels just right, musically – but it does clue us in to the fact that the implied harmonic structure is based on half-bar chord changes (with some obvious exceptions). All in all this inviting allemande is a perfect answer to the prelude and an ideal connector to the Courante which follows.

Courante

The E-flat Suite’s courante is filled with rhythmic and textural interest. In triple meter (3/4), it begins with a middle-to-low-register bouncy eighth note figure, landing on a quarter note (E-flat) in the 2nd measure. Then, fleeting sixteenth notes bring us to another bouncy eighth note bar, followed by a quarter and 4 eighths that flow into a measure of slurred and sweeping triplets. So within the first five measures of the movement we hear eighths, quarters, sixteenths, and triplets, all complementing each other and working together to create a perfectly balanced rhythmic flow. This assemblage of rhythmic features, in various combinations, continues throughout the movement, giving this courante its direction, energy, and positive vibe.

Of particular note is a passage of eighth notes, eleven measures long, beginning in the 5th measure of the second part of the movement. This is an intense sequential section, its harmony defined by a circle of 5ths: c minor to f minor, B-flat Major to E-flat Major, A-flat Major to a d minor seventh, and finally a four bar section centered on a diminished 7th chord with an implied G pedal underneath, resolving, as we might expect, in c minor, the relative minor of E-flat Major and the key center of the start of the passage. This is a very dramatic 11-bar section, indeed – consisting solely of eighth notes, harmonically interesting and inviting, and ending with a highly energized cadence. Following all this excitement is a passage alternating bars of 16ths and eighths, bringing us to a big E-flat Major arrival. Then 5 measures of this rhythm: 2 eighths - 4 sixteenths - 2 eighths, leading us to the sweeping close of the movement. This particularly innovative Courante is filled with positive energy and an uplifting spirit.

Sarabande

The fourth suite’s beautiful, rich, resonant sarabande begins with a bit of harmonic ambiguity: the first notes, a double-stop E-flat – B-flat, is an open 5th that hints at the key of E-flat Major but does not confirm it. Then, in quarter note motion, the upper voice moves from B-flat to C and then D-flat, creating the interval of a minor 7th and acting as a dominant 7th chord (minus the 3rd) for the key of A-flat Major, our 2nd measure key area (the clear resolution comes on beat 2). Then measure 3 begins with the B-flat – F open fifth, leading us (finally!) to our E-flat tonal center in measure 4, 3rd beat. Rhythmically, bars 2 and 4 feature the 2nd beat emphasis we often experience in sarabandes – beat 2 is a quarter note tied to a 16th note, giving it a clear feeling of strength.

Of interest in this movement is the prevalence of the dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythm, reminiscent of the French Overture. Also quite moving and emotionally significant is the richly harmonized writing throughout this sarabande – we hear 2 and 3 note chords quite frequently, and the harmonies are very striking as Bach flows through various key areas, especially the final eight measures of the movement. These closing bars are gorgeously expressive and personal, a meaningful emotional centerpiece of the suite.

Bourrées

Bourrées are such lively, positive, exciting movements, and these 2 are no exception. Performers and listeners alike will be tempted to get up and dance during this movement – feel free to do so – with its sweeping and uplifting sixteenth and eighth note energy. Specifically, we hear scale-wise groups of 4 sixteenth notes in the first bourrée, leading to alternating quarter and eight note pairings. Those eighth notes in particular are light and lively and give the movement so much of its dance energy.

Listen for the extended length of the second part of the first bourrée – the first “half” is 12 measures long, and the second is 36 measures long, a full 3 times the length of the first part! This imbalance is unusual (in general, we see pretty equally measured sections in each suite’s five dance movements), and gives us a rather lengthy but particularly uplifting movement; that extended length results in a great number of exhilarating rhythmic groupings, emphasizing the movement’s highly positive energy.

The 2nd bourrée (flowing directly from the 1st bourrée and leading back to a return of the 1st at its conclusion) sits in direct contrast to the 1st: its primary rhythmic direction is a quarter note structure in two voices, controlled and stately in feel. This small but witty bourrée is the perfect complement to the zippy drive of the first.

Gigue

This gigue consists almost entirely of eighth notes in 12/8 (compound quadruple) meter; as such, those eighth notes feel like triplets throughout the movement, giving the piece an incredibly uplifting character. Much of the movement is in the middle to low register of the cello, making articulation a big challenge (generally speaking, upper register cello writing projects and articulates more easily and clearly). So we have a movement of great energy and life, but one that’s challenging to perform because of the tonal range of the writing and the very nature of cello articulation. Nonetheless, it’s indisputably a thrilling and exciting movement; as with the bourrées, this is the kind of movement that invites audience and performer to jump from seats and hop all over the dance floor!! Perhaps it’s time to encourage such behavior…

-Written by Christopher Costanza

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Of Note: Suite No. 5 in C minor is Bach’s cello version of the lute suite in G minor.

Prelude

In this suite we’re told to retune the cello (called scordatura), specifically, to bring the pitch of our A string (the highest string on the instrument) down one whole step, to a G, giving us these open strings: G-D-G-C. This tuning causes the cello to vibrate and resonate quite differently from the way it does with the normal A-D-G-C setup; one can pretty easily detect the dark pureness this arrangement provides. In general, the scordatura tuning presents significant challenges to the performer – all notes played on the A string must be fingered one step higher than normal. In the score Bach handles this by notating each and every pitch played on the A string– now the “upper” G string - one step higher than the actual pitch, so that, when fingered on the retuned string, we hear the proper pitches. But this can be mighty confusing and disorienting to the performers’ trained ears!

This Prelude is actually a prelude and fugue; the opening prelude is grand and slow, beginning with a deep and rich octave C (which features the low open C string of the cello) and takes us, French overture style (a prolific use of dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythms), on a harmonically rich and tonally resonant journey to a half cadence, leading directly into the fugue. We experience a strong sense of improvisatory writing here – sweeping scale figures lead to rich chords, and dotted rhythms take us through an always interesting array of harmonies.

The fugue – the only one in the cello suites (as opposed to three fugues in Bach’s unaccompanied works for violin, one in each sonata) - is remarkable in that, even though it’s written in multiple voices, it contains very few chords; harmony and multiple voicing is, for the most part, implied, but noticeable just the same due to Bach’s remarkable gift for creating expectation and a certain sense of inevitability in voicing. In other words, he sets up the progression of the music so that our brains capture the sense of the harmony and multiple voicing, even though throughout most of this fugue Bach has written only one musical line at any given time.

Allemande

This is a very stately movement, serious in mood and characterized by the prolific use of the dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythm, consistent with the French overture style of the Prelude. The movement is clearly conceived in four voices, as evidenced by the frequent appearance of 4-note chords. As we so often hear in these suites, the bass line progression is particularly prominent and meaningful, and acts as a unifying element throughout the movement. Of greatest importance, I feel, is the deep, dark, resonant, and primarily somber tone of this allemande, a sort of walk down a path of the unknown.

Courante

This is the only courante of the 6 in 3/2 meter; the other 5 are in 3/4. This movement is compact, intense, and very direct; there’s something sort of “no nonsense” about the attitude one perceives throughout its course. Phrase endings are clean and almost abrupt; one gets the feeling of efficiency, compact energy, and intensity, much like a high-strung and determined individual. At the same time, we sense a strong dance rhythm throughout, and the movement is intricately structured in its multi-voiced layout.

Sarabande

Many consider this sarabande, a very unusual, sparse, and pure movement, the very heart and soul of the six suites. It is truly mysterious on a number of levels; it’s the only sarabande – in fact, one of only 4 movements in the entire cycle of six suites – with absolutely no appearance of chords. We can imagine a multi-voice structure, but all harmony is created through implication, never with an obvious spelling of a chord progression. The only typically sarabande features of the movement are the meter – triple – and tempo – slow to moderately slow. But despite the triple meter, we don’t hear the expected emphasis on the 2nd beat of three; most measures of this sarabande have a sense of arrival on the 3rd beat (the general rhythmic flow in the movement is 4 eighth notes followed by a quarter note). Overall, we have a very stark, minimal, severe, intensely beautiful, and in some ways quite simple movement that in the end is devastating, sometimes even painful to experience. And yet it’s perfect in its emotional effect and balance within the suite.

Gavottes

The two gavottes are lively, direct, and richly harmonized – the first has a three-voice structure and feels conversational in its use of those voices; the second is characterized by a very flowing, driving triplet rhythm and is incredibly directional and sweeping throughout. We feel the usual gavotte rhythmic structure: 4/4 meter felt in 2, with the start of the movement on the 2nd half of the measure. Despite the somber feel of c minor, this movement is upbeat and highly charged, without losing the internal sense of c minor seriousness.

Gigue

While in compound meter (3/8 in this case) and full of snappy dotted rhythms, this gigue is not about drive and lively, energetic dancing. As with other movements in this suite, the significance of the key of C minor cannot be underestimated, and the effect of the mood and tone of that key affects this gigue by pushing it in the direction of resignation and acceptance of fate, not joyous celebration. A gigue for sure, but one presented in the context of a serious, complex life of struggle and hardship.

-Written by Christopher Costanza

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Of Note: Suite No. 6 in D major is written for a five-string instrument, perhaps a cello piccolo, tuned E-A-D-G-C.

Prelude

This D Major prelude is the longest and grandest of the 6 (in fact, everything in this suite is larger in scale compared to the other five suites), rich, full, extended in range and length, just plain big! The meter is 12/8 (compound quadruple) and the motion is one of continuous eighth notes, although one feels four beats of triplets per bar. The fact that this suite was conceived for a cello-type instrument with 5 strings allows for a considerably wider pitch range than in any of the other suites – in order to play the suite on a four-string cello, at times we need to climb quite high on our A string, traveling into “thumb position land” quite frequently.

The movement opens with a notational and melodic feature of interest: Bach constructs the opening melodic material, essentially a spread out D Major arpeggio in eighth notes, by juxtaposing like pitches on adjacent strings, in essence using tone color variation to create parts of the melodic lines. Specifically, the first three notes of the movement, all D’s in the same octave, create a melodic and coloristic statement simply by going back and forth between the G and D strings – a fingered D on the G String, contrasted with the open D. We end up with a sort of pedal tone element, created by the resonance of the open D String; yet that open D string fulfills a melodic role as well. We hear this approach at various places in the movement, one at a time using all 5 open strings (it would be 5 if one were to have the open E string; without it, cellists must finger that E, often using the thumb).

This prelude is very driving and flowing throughout; the sense of motion established at the start continues throughout the movement. Take note of the dramatic climb up the cello to a high G (three octaves above the open G string!), about halfway through the movement: throughout this ascent, Bach presents, repeats, and emphasizes a pedal “A” pitch (this is what we call a dominant pedal tone, representing the dominant of D Major). After reaching this extremely high note, the music descends sequentially, leading to two passages of fleeting sixteenth notes, impressive in their speed and direction. The only instance of chordal writing in the movement is very close to the end, before the final arpeggiated drive to the conclusion. The movement ends in grand fashion, setting a strong, resonant, and confident tone for the piece as a whole.

Allemande

This 20-measure allemande, in 4/4 time and characterized by frequent passages of 32nd notes occasionally punctuated by 2 and 3 voice chords, is the single longest movement in any of the suites, lasting about 7-1/2 to 8 minutes. It is friendly, inviting, warm, and quite rhapsodic; a sense of improvisation prevails throughout, giving the movement a personal, heartfelt sense. And it’s a particularly slow-paced movement; Bach’s notational choices and intervallic leaps essentially require a very patient, restful approach to tempo.

This movement is one of the true emotional centerpieces of the suites – the music is remarkably beautiful, honest, and practically romantic in character. This is vocal writing through and through, as though the cellist is “singing” an aria while providing harmony as well. Bach uses a rich harmonic language and innovative voicing, in conjunction with an extremely wide range of pitches (from a low open “C” to a high “D” an octave and a fourth above the open “A”), to explore a high level of emotional expression.

Courante

In many respects, this courante feels like an expanded version of the 1st suite courante; the alternation of eighth and sixteenth note figures is similar to that in the 1st suite, and in certain ways the resonant qualities of D Major resemble those of G major, in consideration of the way in which the cello’s open strings vibrate and transmit sound. This D Major courante feels melodically and harmonically stretched out (72 measures long, compared to the 1st suite courante’s 42), more fully developed and tonally expanded (in a large part due to that aforementioned opening of the cello range with the added E string structure), but throughout it retains characteristic courante features: triple meter; a lively, energetic dance feel; and zippy eighth-sixteenth note rhythms. Clearly conceived in multiple voices, we hear only one voice at a time, with implied harmonies and conversational voices presented throughout.

Sarabande

In 3/2 rather than the more common 3/4 meter, this sarabande is fully chordal and harmonically rich. Three and four voice chords predominate; played on a 4-string cello (as most of us do, as opposed to using a 5-string instrument with E-A-D-G-C tuning), this movement in particular presents significant challenges, since so many of the chords, quite straightforward on a 5-string instrument, require creative fingerings and interesting voice divisions with only the four strings available. The most significant challenge is to clearly show the direction and connection of the various voices while presenting the beautiful harmonies in all their richness and glory. From the listener’s perspective, the most inviting and effective feature of the movement is this flow of gorgeously harmonized melodic material, a feature more extensively used here than in any other movement of the suites and more characteristic of some of the writing in Bach’s unaccompanied violin works. It’s almost as if, in this movement and in the suite as whole, Bach felt liberated by adding that extra string and chose to write more involved, grander music than he had in the other five suites. And at the same time we can’t help but to draw comparisons with his religious music – there’s something almost otherworldly in the beauty of this sarabande. Was he inspired and influenced by his life in the church and his prolific output of religious music?

Gavottes

This movement is probably the most well known single movement of the suites, with the possible exception of the 1st Bourrée of the 3rd suite or the Prelude of the 1st. It is lively, beautifully harmonized, and characterized by very memorable melodic content. Consistent with other gavottes, the movement is in duple meter (4/4, but felt in 2), and starts with a big 2nd-half-of-the-measure upbeat.

Both gavottes are in D Major; the 1st is very chordal, characterized by the rhythmic juxtaposition of quarter and eighth notes, working together to paint a sweeping melodic line. The 2nd gavotte is musically much simpler; the second half of this gavotte prominently features an open D-string pedal tone. This is true dancing music, through and through – the liveliness and uplifting energy of these gavottes clearly invite the listener to physically move to the music.

Gigue

At last, the 36th and final movement of the six suites! This is a lively gigue in 6/8; it encourages a very bold and direct approach, through its wide melodic range (from a low C-sharp to a high D more than 3 octaves higher), driving 8th and 16th note rhythms, and use of double stops. It’s a virtuosic display on the highest order: chords, arpeggios, flying leaps, and sequential eighth and sixteenth note rhythms abound, adding up to an impressive mix. All in all, this is a brilliant and exciting way to cap off the D Major suite and the set of 6 as a whole.

-Written by Christopher Costanza