Six French Suites

Johann Sebastian Bach

Judith Lambden piano “I can enjoy and appreciate Lambden’s balanced CD1 J S Bach interpretations in a mood of relaxed, unperturbed CD2 1st in D minor concentration … thoughtfully appealing, reliably judged.” 4th Suite in E flat major BWV 812 Howard Smith, Music and Vision BWV 815 1 4’26” 1 Allemande 3’19” 2 2’32” 2 Courante 2’01” 3 3’13” 3 Sarabande 3’21” 4 Menuet I 1’18” 4 Gavotte 1’33” 5 Menuet II 1’31” 5 Menuet 1’03” 6 3’53” 6 Air 1’59” Although Suites 1–4 are 7 Gigue 2’33” typically dated to 1722, it is possible that this suite was 5th Suite in G major written somewhat earlier BWV 816 8 Allemande 3’11” 2nd Suite in C minor 9 Courante 1’40” BWV 813 q0 Sarabande 3’41” 7 Allemande 3’21” qa Gavotte 1’19” 8 Courante 2’02” qs Bourée 1’35” 9 Sarabande 3’29” qd Loure 2’40” q0 Air 1’36” qf Gigue 3’39” qa Menuet 1’31” qs Gigue 2’50” 6th Suite in E major BWV 817 3rd Suite in B minor qg Allemande 3’11” BWV 814 qh Courante 1’39” qd Allemande 3’25” qj Sarabande 3’29” qf Courante 2’34” Six French Suites qk Gavotte 1’20” qg Sarabande 3’28” ql Polonaise 1’18” qh Anglaise 1’43” Judith Lambden piano w0 Bourée 1’30” qj Menuet 1’23” wa Menuet 1’33” qk Trio 1’46” ws Gigue 2’21” ql Gigue 2’07” P 2013 Move Records move.com.au

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH junior. They had thirteen more children, grace so often associated with the French, (1685–1750) five of whom survived childhood. or because of the consistency of its fabric. Because of Bach’s devotion to his Certainly these Suites, or rather the Six French Suites children and his concern for their musical dances contained therein, are most elegant. BWV 812-817 education, around 1722, Bach assembled a The melodic and rhythmic contrasts Clavierbuchlein (little keyboard book) for reveal a prodigious invention. Indeed Bach wrote the French Suites around the his young son, Wilhelm Friedman. Bach there is something in these masterworks years 1722 to 1725. also collected together a “note-book” for that brings Versailles to mind; distinction From the age of ten when both his Anna Magdelena as she wanted to learn without affectation, lightness without parents died, Bach was brought up and to play. This note-book contains some of frivolity. The French Suites are written in mentored by his elder brother Johann the French suites, part of the 48, as well as impeccable taste and are in many ways Christoph. Bach became a choir-boy, Inventions and Chorales. Bach’s best examples of the Suite. then organist while also playing violin in Unfortunately no definitive manuscript Bach’s French Suites are set out in the orchestras. His earlier works were for organ of the French suites survives. They were following manner: or choir in Lutheran Church services. copied out, with differing placing of the There are no Preludes, as there are in the In 1707 Bach married his cousin, Maria ornaments. Although the suites were and Partitas, therefore they Barbara Bach, then moved with his wife referred to as “French” by Frederick are also shorter in length than these. to Cöthen to become Kappellmeister. William Marpurg in 1762, this was only as Each Suite begins with an Allemande Here he was to enjoy the friendship a means of contrasting them with the so- and is followed by a Courante. These lively and appreciation of his music by Prince called English Suites (whose title is likewise dances can be in the French or Italian Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. It was a later appellation). style and, in the French suites, four are during this period (1717-1723) that The name French suites was also made in the florid Italian style. Next comes the Bach composed instrumental works: The popular by Bach’s biographer, J.N. Forkel, Sarabande; lyrical, sensuous and much six Brandenburg Concerti for orchestra, the who wrote “One usually calls them French ornamented. This is in slow triple time with first volume of the 48 Preludes and because they are written in the French the accent on the second beat. and the Six French Suites. With three sons manner”. This claim is inaccurate, however, Between the Sarabande and the end and a daughter (three other children died as they follow (like the English Suites and piece (Gigue) there are some lively, in infancy) Bach needed to take a more Partitas) a mostly Italian convention, with charming dances e.g. Minuets and Trios, or prestigious position to more ably support some German predecessors and French 2nd Minuets after which the 1st minuet is his family. Following Maria’s sudden death influences. repeated. in 1720, Bach moved to Leipzig to become John Gillespie in “Five Centuries of Gavottes and 2nd Gavottes. the 2nd Kantor at St. Thomas’s Church in 1723. Keyboard music” says that the title French piece in the tonic minor or major is often There he re-married a year later to Anna Suites may also have been applied either called a Trio. There are single appearances Magdelena; a singer, sixteen years his because the music has that incomparable of a Loure, and a Passepied (French dances), also an Anglaise (English dance). Since her return to Australia, concerts All the Suites end with a very fast, have included a performance of the rollicking Gigue in compound time. Schumann Piano Concerto with the Moreover, all pieces are in binary form, Camberwell Camerata and several each half being repeated. In the repeat solo piano recitals including two at the is scope for the player to use more Castlemaine Festival. As harpsichordist ornamentation, or a contrasting quieter with the group ‘II Sole Barocco’ there have dynamic. been many tours and recitals including Judith Lambden some at Monash University. Judith taught at the Victorian College of the Arts and at other tertiary institutions, and became an AMEB examiner in 1985 Judith Lambden as well as being an assessor for VCAA. She has adjudicated at more than sixty Judith was born in Creswick, Victoria eisteddfodau throughout Australia. in Australia, She graduated from the Judith has recorded the Great B flat Melbourne University Conservatorium Sonata of Schubert, Bach’s English and with a B.Mus(Hons) degree. While still times, including Kendall Taylor, Lamar French Suites, the six Partitas, and is in Melbourne for a further seven years, Crowson, Nadia Boulanger and Paul currently recording more J.S. Bach her teachers were Gordon McKeown for Badura-Skoda. Later she was awarded keyboard works, and other repertoire. piano and John Ingram for theory and a grant by the Dutch Government for composition. She won many prizes and one year of study with made national broadcast performances for in Amsterdam. Aided by an ability to ABC radio. play a substantial number of Bach’s Having been awarded the Clarke keyboard works and other repertoire from Scholarship for three years of study at the memory, Judith has given many recitals Royal College of Music, Judith travelled in England, where she lived for 23 years, to London. In her final year there, she and throughout Europe. She broadcast won the Hopkinson Gold Medal and the for the BBC and Radio Hilversum. Recital Norris Prize. She then studied venues included the Universities of Oxford, in Siena, Italy, with Ruggiero Gerlin, who Durham, Colchester, Leicester, Surrey had been a pupil and associate of Wanda and London. Judith played and recorded, Landowska for twenty years. as harpsichordist, with the Dolmetsch Judith also studied under some of the Ensemble. great pianists and pedagogues of our Recorded on various dates between 2007–2010 at Front cover background photo (Versailles): Move Records studio, Melbourne, Australia Martin Wright

Production and mastering: C 2013 Judith Lambden Martin Wright, Move Records original sound recording

Recording engineer: P 2013 Move Records Blake Stickland move.com.au Cover images: Six Bachs. Third image: reconstruction of Bach’s head by anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson of Dundee University.

Photo of Judith Lambden: Karl Mandl