1 PARTITA No. 1 PARTITA No. 3 PARTITA No. 5 in B-flat major in A minor in G major BWV 825 BWV 827 BWV 829 1 1. Praeludium 2:08 13 1. Fantasia 2:45 27 1. Praeambulum 2:30 2 2. Allemande 3:49 14 2. Allemande 3:11 28 3. Allemande 6:08 3 3. Corrente 2:59 15 3. Corrente 3:14 29 4. Corrente 1:55 4 4. Sarabande 5:28 16 4. Sarabande 3:53 30 5. Sarabande 5:23 5 5. Menuet 1 & 2 2:59 17 5. Burlesca 2:15 31 6. Tempo di Minuetto 2:02 JORY VINIKOUR 6 7. Giga 2:31 18 6. Scherzo 1:12 32 7. Passepied 1:53 19 7. Gigue 3:22 33 8. Gigue 4:09 PARTITA No. 2 PARTITAS for in C minor PARTITA No. 4 PARTITA No. 6 BWV 826 in D major in E minor HARPSICHORD BWV 828 BWV 830 7 1. Sinfonia 4:27 BWV 825-830 8 2. Allemande 5:29 20 1. Ouvertüre 6:05 34 1. Toccata 8:02 9 3. Courante 2:37 21 2. Allemande 11:08 35 2. Allemande 3:15 10 4. Sarabande 3:12 22 3. Courante 3:56 36 3. Corrente 5:28 11 5. Rondeaux 1:44 23 4. Aria 2:16 37 4. Air 1:32 J. S. BACH 12 6. Capriccio 3:50 24 5. Sarabande 5:29 38 5. Sarabande 6:57 25 6. Menuet 1:28 39 6. Tempo di Gavotta 2:08 26 7. Gigue 4:24 40 7. Gigue 6:19 2 3 Clavir-Übung / bestehend neither Bach’s first works, nor publication, the 2nd volume of The lyrical, cantabile Praeludium in / Præludien, Allemanden, even are they the first set of six the Clavier Übung (1735), the which opens the 1st partita, in Courranten, Sarabanden, suites that he is known to have two works forming this volume, B flat Major announces the Giguen, / Menuetten, und composed, with the so-called the Concerto nach Italienischem pastoral tone of the suite. The anderen Galanterien; / Denen English Suites composed ca. Gusto (BWV 971) and the allemande, with its flowing, Liebhabern zur Gemüths 1715, and the French Suites Overture nach Französischer Art arpeggiated 16th note figures, Ergoetzung verfertiget / von only slightly later. If the French (BWV 831), provide the missing is followed by a rollicking, / Johann Sebastian Bach suites are not especially French, keys – F and H respectively. gigue-like corrente in 9/8 time. / Hochfürstl: Sächsisch and the English Suites even The six partitas represent the The pensive sarabande owes Weisenfelsischen würckli- less English, each of these sets apotheosis not only of Bach’s more than a little to the style chen Capellmeistern / und can be said to feature a certain unique keyboard language, of François Couperin, whose / Directore Chori Musici homogenuity, with the French and the expressive possibilities keyboard works Bach greatly Lipsiensis. / OPUS 1 / In Suites each containing a fairly of the harpsichord, but in the admired. Stately, with rhythmic Verlegung des Autoris / 1731. straightforward succession of inherent range of colors and accents falling frequently on the nd dance movements – allemande, contrasts within the confines of 2 beat of the measure, this is courante, sarabande, gigue – as a suite. the most typical sarabande of (Keyboard Practice, consisting established in the generations the six partitas. The first of the of preludes, allemandes, before Bach. Extra movements To a greater extent than in the menuets is a jolly moto perpetuo, courantes, sarabandes, gigues, – gavottes, airs, bourrées, other sets of suites, each of the alternating with the briefest of minuets, and other galanteries, menuets – even a polonaise and six partitas seems to estab- trios. The delightful, italianate composed for music lovers, a louré – are found between the lish its own distinct character, giga – the sole occurrence to refresh their spirits, by sarabande and the gigue. The which is developed throughout amidst the partitas using this Johann Sebastian Bach, Actual English Suites follow the same the suite. As with the English spelling - with the right hand Capellmeister to His Highness suite of standard movements, Suites, each of the partitas constantly leaping over the left the Prince of Anhalt-Cöthen but each begins with an opens with a prélude. However, (if one follows Bach’s notation, and Directore Chori Musici extended fugal prélude. these movements are widely and not the more commonly Lipsiensis. Opus I. Published by varied in form as well as in seen tradition of left-hand- the Author, 1731.) Bach also intended to create a mood. Although each of the six tonal unity in the six partitas. over-right), creating a dialogue partitas contains the standard between treble and bass, Using the German method of suite movements (apart from the With the above heading, Johann naming keys, C, D, E, F, G, H while the left merely fills in the c minor partita, which foregoes harmonic notes. This movement Sebastian Bach brought his (B major), and B (B flat), we the customary gigue in favor of first self-published opus to the notice that only the keys of F is one of the very rare gigues of a Capriccio), these movements Bach (and unique among the general public. It hardly needs and H are missing. However, show the most striking variety. be said that these six partitas are in Bach’s subsequent keyboard final movements of the partitas) 4 which is not fugal in nature. skill not only as a composer, but the piece, shifting the harmonic fugue on a rather jagged triplet The partita in c minor opens with also as a keyboard virtuoso, is accents in an unaccustomed subject, its second half presents a vivid and dramatic Sinfonia, in at the fore. manner. Bach generally ascribes the subject in its inverted form. three sections. The first part, The third of these partitas, in a the Italian spelling, corrente, to The fourth partita opens with with its orchestral chords, and minor, begins with a Fantasia. pieces of this nature, reserving an Ouvertüre, resolutely in the dotted rhythms, sets a suitably This piece seems quite austere, the French courante for those French style, divided into two tragic tone. This brief overture is especially when contrasted with of a more stately nature, such distinct sections. The brilliant nd th followed by an andante, with the the orchestral flamboyance of as in the 2 and 4 partitas. The overture proper features the right hand playing an eloquent the opening movements of the atypical sarabande is a most typical dotted rhythms and surprising creation. Lacking cantilena against the left hand’s 2nd and 4th partitas, or the tragic tirades (rapid scale passages) the accented 2nd beats which 8th note accompaniment. A grandeur of the 6th partita’s of the Lullian overture, followed short cadenza introduces the opening Toccata. This Fantasia identify most sarabandes, three by an extended fugal section, in th final section, an allegro fugue. is written in two-part counter- 8 note upbeats introduce this a cheerful 9/8. The allemande The expressive and pensive point, such as to be found in the courtly dance, with its graceful must count as one of the most allemande develops a graceful inventions, or in the duetti which triplets. The burlesca is the beautiful to be found in Bach’s motivic figure of falling fourths, appear in the third volume of only example of such a piece music. The melody unfolds with much imitation between the Clavier Übung. Even in this in Bach’s opus. This piece had slowly, in an atmosphere of the the two hands. The courante two-part texture, Bach proves been given the title of menuet in most profound serenity, with is in the French tradition, in himself the uncontested master its appearance in Anna Magda- stunning passages in style luthé. 3/2 meter. In the contempla- of counterpoint, treating the lena’s 1725 Notebook. However, The ascending fanfare figures in tive, two-voiced sarabande, the subject to all sorts of inver- this movement, with its virtuoso the courante give it a brilliant typical rhythmic characteristics sions and modulations. The figuration, is far too extroverted and optimistic character. The to satisfy itself with such a of the sarabande (especially allemande features running 32nd rustic aria provides a jovial a marked second beat) are note figuration. Its resemblance polite title! It is appropriately pause between the courante followed by a Scherzo (note that masked by running 16th notes to the allemande of the 6th and the sarabande. The excep- in the right hand. The following partita may not be coincidental, both names derive from Italian tional sarabande, alternating movement, Rondeaux, is a brisk as both were copied into the words for “joke”). The rhythmic between arpeggiated brisé dance-like piece in triple meter. so-called Notebook for Anna play obscures any predictable writing and melodic figura- The final return of the theme is Magdalena Bach, his second sense of measure, and disso- tion, seems to float in a state much embellished. In this partita, wife. The brilliant corrente lives nant acciaccaturas add spice of grace. The rollicking menuet, Bach exchanges the customary up to the meaning of the word – to the accompanying chords. with its vigorous triplet figures, The concluding gigue, finally, gigue for a Capriccio. The extro- “running,” with its torrents of 16th seems to announce the brilliant verted subject, with its wide notes. Bach expertly plays with fits rather more neatly with our gigue, in 9/8 time. The subject leaps, is treated fugally. Bach’s the rhythmic underpinnings of expectations of Bach’s gigues. A of the gigue’s first half begins 5 with an arpeggiated figure.