As a project for the next few weeks I am going to prepare and then record the 3rd Cello Suite by Bach.
I learnt all of the Bach Suites whilst studying at the RCM in the early 90′’s but haven’t really touched them since then. I currently have a lull in the amount of playing that I am doing so now seems a good time to revisit these pieces.
Previously I have used the Lafosse edition of these suites which transposes them up a fourth. Also in my previous study of these pieces rather than being treated as piece of music in their own right they were set for me as technical/legato studies.
This time I intend to treat the 3rd Suite as more than a study and more as a piece of music. To do this I have an amount of research to complete:
- When did Bach write these? What else was he producing at the time? What influences was he under? What were his intentions for these pieces?
- Some background on the Dance mouvements that make up the 3rd Suite (Bouree, Sarabande etc). In addition to looking at these from a musical perspective also a look at the actual dances themselves and the physical human mouvements involved.
- Construction of a performing edition of the Suite. Will I perform up a 4th as Lofosse suggests or in the original key? In any case ornamentation, dynamics & phrasing will need consideration. If I go with the Lafosse edition I will need to carefully edit anyway as Lafosse misses much from the original.
- Listen to a selection of recordings of these Suites – not just on the cello – it will be intersting to hear the treatments on Viola (
), Guitar and even Electric Bass! - The recoding? I shall need to try a number of mic setups and also different instruments to see which is most satisfactory (I”m not assuming that the automatic choice will be my R4F).
In addition to this research there’’s also the small matter of some practice to do . . . ~:)
Comments/suggestions etc most welcome.