Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed his six suites for solo violoncello while in Cöthen. The six suites all have the same basic form: prelude, allemande, courante, sarabande, two shorter dance movements (either boureés, menuets, or gavottes), and gigue. The second suite in D minor, performed today, follows this formula with menuets as the penultimate dances. After the prelude, which travels through various key areas closely related to tonic, the movements of the suite are binary; each first half begins in D minor, and each second half begins either in F major or with an A major chord. The second menuet is an exception to this rule, as it is in D major. It is common for the second of the penultimate dances to be in a parallel key, or key with the same tonic but in a different mode.
This suite will be performed on a modern replica of a Baroque cello. It has no endpin, uses gut strings, is tuned a semitone below standard modern tuning (A415 instead of A440/2), and uses a different kind of bow. Aside from these factors, playing the Baroque cello is a similar experience to playing the modern cello. The notes are in the same place and the bow works the same way. Minor technical adjustments are made to compensate for the manufactured differences, but the instrument is remarkably similar to its modern relative. I chose to use of this cello to have a more historically informed performance of the suite since it is an instrument similar to those used during Bach’s lifetime.
I also chose to use this cello because I find it incredibly rewarding to play, and I wanted another chance to show it off on campus! This cello arrived at UD on April 23, 2011--the day before my birthday (that also makes my recital date the cello's 6-month UD anniversary!). When I played it for the first time, I immediately fell in love with the instrument. I'm serious--you can ask Dr. Murray if you don't believe me! Since then, I have loved playing this beautiful instrument. I've been playing it for about six months, but it's still in the baby instrument phase. That means it doesn't like to stay in tune for very long. At this performance, I might need to stop in between movements to retune, so please pardon the pause if that happens.
Finally, I apologize in advance to those with absolute pitch who might be frustrated to hear this suite sounding in what sounds like C-sharp minor as a result of the instrument's low pitch.
Since this and others of Bach's cello suites are based upon Baroque dances, I'll leave you with some examples of actual dancing, courtesy of YouTube.
Allemande:
I also chose to use this cello because I find it incredibly rewarding to play, and I wanted another chance to show it off on campus! This cello arrived at UD on April 23, 2011--the day before my birthday (that also makes my recital date the cello's 6-month UD anniversary!). When I played it for the first time, I immediately fell in love with the instrument. I'm serious--you can ask Dr. Murray if you don't believe me! Since then, I have loved playing this beautiful instrument. I've been playing it for about six months, but it's still in the baby instrument phase. That means it doesn't like to stay in tune for very long. At this performance, I might need to stop in between movements to retune, so please pardon the pause if that happens.
Finally, I apologize in advance to those with absolute pitch who might be frustrated to hear this suite sounding in what sounds like C-sharp minor as a result of the instrument's low pitch.
Since this and others of Bach's cello suites are based upon Baroque dances, I'll leave you with some examples of actual dancing, courtesy of YouTube.
Allemande:
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