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Bach Cello Suites
- Thread starter quindecima
- Start date
Play that D with your second finger.
The Bach Cello Suites are a big deal. Interpretation, timing, intonation if you are on fretless, dynamics, they require everything. Really advanced stuff.
Here is my favorite bassist Rinat Ibrigamov demonstrating what I mean about the Suites. Have fun exploring them.
The Bach Cello Suites are a big deal. Interpretation, timing, intonation if you are on fretless, dynamics, they require everything. Really advanced stuff.
Here is my favorite bassist Rinat Ibrigamov demonstrating what I mean about the Suites. Have fun exploring them.
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There's someone at Hal Leonards who's too lazy to double-check the tabs. Try all open, or all 5th fret and see what works best for you
Bach wrote it that way on purpose. Alternating between fingered notes and open strings gives an interesting musical texture. The Cello Suites are larded with this technique, starting with a famous example in the opening G Major Prelude. The technical term is bariolage: Invalid Link Removed
The number 2 is a fingering suggestion to use your 2nd (middle) finger to fret the D at the 5th fret. This puts your hand in position to use your 1st finger for the F# and your 4th finger for the A and high D.
The Hal Leonard arrangement has some pretty big differences from the original version as written by Bach. If you fall in love with this music, I recommend eventually learning the original cello version as well.
The number 2 is a fingering suggestion to use your 2nd (middle) finger to fret the D at the 5th fret. This puts your hand in position to use your 1st finger for the F# and your 4th finger for the A and high D.
The Hal Leonard arrangement has some pretty big differences from the original version as written by Bach. If you fall in love with this music, I recommend eventually learning the original cello version as well.
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I would listen to some cello recordings of the pieces (I'll recommend those by Bylsma, Rostropovich, and Fournier, off the top of my head, for three mature but different takes on the pieces), among other study. I'd also pick up a copy of the sheet music as originally written for cello so that you can compare with the Hal Leonard version that you have.
Edgar Meyer has recorded some of the Suites on doublebass. I know that John Patitucci did at least some on electric bass, but I'm not familiar with his versions (aside from a Suite 1 Prelude on youtube).
Edgar Meyer has recorded some of the Suites on doublebass. I know that John Patitucci did at least some on electric bass, but I'm not familiar with his versions (aside from a Suite 1 Prelude on youtube).
I like Yo-Yo's recording (actually, he did a couple -- I have the first) of the Suites, too, though I haven't listened to it in awhile. It was the first that I heard.
These are deep pieces -- they can be approached on a number of levels, but there is a lifetime (multiple lifetimes) of exploration in there, if you are up for it. There is a Rostropovich DVD documentary where he talks about the Suites and performs them -- very worthwhile insights/perspectives in that one.
It's a fingering suggestion and I, for one' agree with it.
When plucking or tapping the same not in the same place, there will be a staccato effect due to the slight muting involved by either lifting yiur tapping finger or "pulling" the string with your plucking finger.
Using the method suggested here, you can literally have exactly zero space betweeen the two notes, drastically smoothing out the performance.
My favorite recording of these is the Janos Starker from 1997. Starker took liberties with tempo that gave that recording a different flavor.
I'm sure everyone knows that Patitucci did the G Major prelude on the "Heart of the Bass" album. It's fine.
I'm sure everyone knows that Patitucci did the G Major prelude on the "Heart of the Bass" album. It's fine.
I'm actually starting into these a little early in my Bass career, I played 99% classical when I played Piano but at my age now I have trouble with finger extension and 45 years of construction have not been good to my hands BUT that is not a deterrent for me I will plug on and I will learn two or three of them.
This. Also, these cello suites were written for...cello! To be played arco, with a bow. So plucking/pizzicato are not considerations in this specific section. Cello suites with TAB, never thought of that!!!
The Bach Cello Suites have been discussed extensively over at the double bass side. Lot of very experienced folks have commented.
Here is one thread:
What is it about Bach Cello Suites?
David Potts, the OP of the above post, is a symphony pro.
Here is one thread:
What is it about Bach Cello Suites?
David Potts, the OP of the above post, is a symphony pro.
...of a piece written for cello. It is written (even this Hal Leonard edition) to be alternating strings on that part. Which answers the OP's question as to why the TAB is different than the notation. It isn't different. It accurately shows what is written and how to play it. And it's written that way by Bach because of the unique sound from alternating strings while bowed. Pizz also gets a similarly unique sound from bouncing the same note back and forth across two different strings. But this pizz sound effect is not why this selection of this piece is notated that way in this Bass book. It's because that's how Bach wrote it for arco cello.
The reason for the odd figering has to do with the tone of the open string vs the fingered string. It is common in classical music to pick (more) difficult fingerlings to achieve the desired tone.
JS Bach was a baroque composer who composed music for baroque instruments, to state the obvious. The way these instruments were played was very different from their modern counterparts. The upbow was weak and quiet, the downbow was attacked and loud. It is likely that Hal Leonard wrote the first measure that way to mute the upbow.
Here's the "easy" one: the prelude in G. It's been keeping me busy for several years now, and I've still got a long way to go. I like the beat-up Precision.
Can't believe I forgot Casals! One of my heroes and arguably the man responsible for rescuing these wonderful pieces from obscurity, if not oblivion.
Worth noting: the pieces were originally written for cello (and that is how I most strongly identify with them), but Bach himself transcribed them for lute.
