Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Favorite movements from Bach suites (… or favorite suites)?

When it comes to Bach (and Baroque generally), I'm a latecomer to gaining real appreciation and understanding even as a listener (and further behind still as a player ).

Of the keyboard suites, I'm best acquainted by far with the Partitas. I find they're certainly all they're cracked up to be, but I suppose it's inevitable to feel that specific movements really stand out.

For me, the Capriccio from the second Partita in c minor and the Sarabande from the third Partita in a minor are especially compelling. The Capriccio has such verve, such momentum; I've read that it's considered the single most difficult movement in all the suites. The Sarabande is apparently considered "uncharacteristic," though I'm uncertain why it's deemed so.

What are your favorite individual movements? Favorite suites as a whole?

Steven

French Suites 3 and 4, English Suites 2, 3 and 5, Partita 5.

I too am mostly familiar with the Partitas. They all have great moments, and the sixth I think is the deepest. But the one I love the most is the gentle rollicking first. It contains so many moments of unexpected harmonic generosity. Listen to the dip into minor in m14-15 of the Allemande, or the last two lines of the Corrente's A section, culminating in that stately low A in m26, one of my favorite notes in all of Bach. Or, for that matter, all of the Preludium.

As for the third Partita's Sarabande, I've always thought it different from the others. The other sarabandes are slow dances, with (as part of their definition: so I learned in school) a heavy emphasis on the second beat. I just don't hear any of that here. Of course, there's nothing to stop us from playing this one slowly, but something in its step just seems more lively than the languid plodding of the other Partitas' sarabandes.

I'd especially be interested in people's favorite movements, or moments, from the French suites. I've never been able to break into them.


-Jason

There are so many beautiful movements to choose from... how can I possibly pick my absolute favourites? I love all of them!

However, if I were to narrow my favourites down into a relatively short list, it would look something like this:

1) English Suite No. 4 in F Major - Allemande
2) Partita no. 2 in c minor - Sinfonia
3) French Suite No. 3 in b minor - Allemande
4) French Suite No. 2 in c minor - Allemande
5) French Suite No. 2 in c minor - Sarabande

My favorite of the Partitas is the last (#6, E minor), which for some reason gets relatively little attention. My favorite movement from it is probably the 1st, which is sort of a fantasy/recitative with a beautiful fugue in the middle.

I'm fond of the Gigue from the 5th French Suite.

However, I've driven myself bonkers trying different articulations. (What often works "right-side-up" doesn't work anymore when everthing gets turned "upside-down" in the B section of the binary form.)

Me too! :-)

Jonathan

I was going to mention this as a favourite, but you beat me to it. One of Bach's most magnificent works, the length and sustained seriousness of the 1st movement may contribute to its relative neglect. (Just a thought.)

For the 5th Partita in G, don't miss Weissenberg's blistering performance. Such fingers that guy has! I've listened to the English Suites (3 is a particular standout), but I've never delved much into the French Suites with the predictable exception of the G major.

I think that's probably more of a concensus on that gigue but i'd have to say the Allemande from that 3rd french Suite is my favorite. I like much of the 3rd Partita too.

I think that's probably more of a concensus on that gigue but i'd have to say the Allemande from that 3rd french Suite is my favorite. I like much of the 3rd Partita too.

C major Bach cello suite =)

French overture - Gigue and Echo.

English Suite in G minor - prelude, allemande and courante.

French Suite in C minor - allemande, sarabande, and gigue.

Partita in C minor - Overture, allemande, sarabande.

Partita in E minor - all movements.

Angelina, I would love to be able to try this on piano; i can hack my way through most of the mvmts on guitar and love this suite as well! Can you recommend any transcription of this for keyboard. i just did find one (alexander siloti i believe) but it looks like he's just taken the suite and then decided which notes will be played by the LH and then back to the RH and so on. Although maybe that's the way anyone would approach arranging it for keyboard in that you can't very well make up an additional bass line that wasn't there in the first place...??... but if you could recommend a transcription of shed some light on my (ignorance to arranging this for piano) question that would be great.

I don't know any transcription, I simply love the cello suites on cello. Nothing beats them.

Thanks Angelina! At least though you inspired me to hunt around a little for a piano transcription. Like i think i mentioned i did find one which was printable titled Alexander Siloti Four studies after the cello suites of J S bach. It only has the suite and the bouree 1 and 2 from the 3rd suite, too bad that's all. Then also the prelude and sarabande from the 1st suite. I suppose i could just get the music for the cello or transposed for treble clef and see what happens.

Partitas:
My favourite is no.6. I first played this in my teens but have kept discovering new treasures in it ever since. Apart from the toccata and fugue, I particularly love the Corrente.

French Suites:
no.3 (B minor) - Allemande
no.5 (G major) - Sarabande, Loure
no.6 (E major) - All of it! My favourite

Forgot the English suites:
no.2 (A minor) - all the movts

I find all the suites & partitas so rewarding to play. Even the tangly ones just feel so good under the fingers. And I think I would admit to loving every single sarabande in every single suite

With the cello suites (some of which I attempt to play on the viola) a particularly favourite movement is the sarabande from the C minor suite (no.5). As for piano transcriptions, I just like playing LH alone, sort of as studies.

With the violin partitas I suppose it has to be the D minor (what a great gigue!)

LH alone! Of course because of the clef and here i'm saying to get the treble clef transcription! I'm so dumb! But what a good idea for LH practice sight-reading!

I'm with you on that!

I'm always glad to see that other people appreciate and love the piece. We don't hear it enough.