Review

Johann Sebastian Bach
Unaccompanied Suites for Cello BWV 1007-1012:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2015
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - unaccompanied

Bach’s Cello Suites BWV 1007-1012 are without a doubt some of the most recognized solo pieces for cello. They have been transcribed for/performed on virtually every instrument and have been used in both recitals and auditions. These suites are structured in a six-movement form, all of which are modeled after a type of baroque dance. The movements follow the same order throughout all the suites: Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuetto/Boureé and finally a Gigue. Many difficulties are presented to a performer when studying these suites including, but not limited to, finding the polyphonic intent of the works which are compressed to one musical line, having a solid understanding of baroque dances, the lack of annotated copies that survived throughout history, the general technical difficulty of the suites and deciding where the emphasis of beat exists within each dance movement. Mr. Sauer gives great suggestions in terms of phrasing, breathing and grace notes for double/triple stops in all the suites. He provides an additional challenge by taking all the suites and transcribing them to different keys. The transposition into different keys can prove to be a challenge as well as a benefit. If one knows the suites already, then performing them in different keys can be more technically difficult secondary to muscle memory. One of many benefits appears in the 6th suite, which in its original key, is in a high tessitura for cello let alone bass trombone. Some musicologists speculate a 5-stringed cello would have been used in Bach’s time. This transposition helps a bass trombonist greatly and makes the 6th suite playable for low brass instruments. Overall, I enjoyed playing through this transcription despite its difficulty. The technical difficulty combined with the range of the transcription forces a bass trombonist/tubist to play lighter and strive for the baroque style needed for a great performance. Before attempting these suites, I strongly recommend reading the forward provided by Mr. Sauer. He explains his intent and provides additional tips that can help a musician approach these suites.

-Matthew J. Visconti
Boston, MA