And So It Begins

 

Suite No. 1 in G Major

 

 

 What makes these works of J.S. Bach so difficult for the the cellist (bassist, violist, trombonist, marimbist, and any other instrument that transcribes the suites)?:

 

1.    We do not have an original manuscript.  I envy all the violinists out there who have Bach's direct instructions for the partitas.  If only we had the same for the suites!

 

2.  Some of the suites were written for different tuning and even different instruments (suites 5 and 6) 

 

3.  It was written for an instrument that used gut strings and a baroque bow, not steel/silver/tungsten strings and a  modern bow.

 

4.  Bach was a genius.  There is a dichotomy of simplicity and complexity in his music that if ignored or overworked can ruin a performance.

 

I am sure I could come up with more reasons if I sat here long enough at 3:00 AM in deep thought, but I certainly can and will expound on all the reasons listed above throughout the blog. 

 

I am just now beginning to realize how incredibly daunting this project is. The prelude to the first suite is the simplest of the movements, yet still requires educated decision making and lots of study and practice.  As you can see in the picture above,  I have all 4 manuscripts spread across the floor and am comparing each and every one of them.  I compare bowings, notes, articulations, etc.  There are discrepancies. There are also similarities.   

 

I wish I could say that all this work gives me a sense of certainty. On paper it is one things, but on the cello, it is another.  I  find that many of the bowings are awkward and unnatural.  My romantic ears yearn for a legato, smooth sound that can only be produced by adding slurs, but my academic mind yearns to respect the style of the baroque and preserve the separate articulations indicated in the scores. 

 

I have decided to try the following recipe when making decisions regarding phrasing, bowing, articulations, and fingerings:

 

1/4 - Manuscripts

1/4- Form and Harmony

1/4 - Bach's style and the traditions of the Baroque

1/4 - Personal Preferences

 

I will of course tweak this recipe along the way (change the proportions, add and remove, etc.) , but I think it is a good starting point. I've almost completed the prelude.  Tomorrow I hope to share my interpretation.