Suite n°1 for Cello Solo in G major BWV1007

About this work

The Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007, is more than the regular waves of its Prelude. Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Minuets, and Gigue then alter the accents, the weight of the bow, and the way an implied bass is allowed to resonate. The unity of the suite comes from harmony suggested by a single line.

In the Prelude, group notes according to their harmonic direction instead of playing an undifferentiated stream. String crossings should extend the gesture and not create unintended accents. For each dance, define its characteristic beats through bow length and articulation; merely increasing volume makes the movement heavier, not more dance-like.

Practise double stops while hearing the note that should continue to ring after the attack. In the Sarabande, silences belong to the phrase. The Minuets need a contrast of character without a break in style, before the Gigue recovers a more direct energy. Joining the movements then reveals a sequence of breaths rather than a catalogue of difficulties.

What the document containsthe complete Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007;an archive containing 2 PDFs, for cello and for viola;an accompanying MIDI set.The versions let players choose the notation corresponding to the instrument they are studying.