Bach Cello Suites

[SteveCS]

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.

I don't think so. Look carefully at the slurs in my post above - first two notes in each beat, stopped then open, are slurred, i.e. single bow. The rhythmic values of the notes are identified by a change of tone rather than a new bow stroke. A third tonal option is to play the open and stopped notes in unison, in which case the notes will have both an up and a down stem...

 

[SteveCS]

...
Actually I think I'll caveat my last post...

People, and I include myself, often go on about how things should be played Some, and here I exclude myself, also complain about how classical players have it easy because they just regurgitate from scores. Maybe in an ensemble setting under close direction there is a bit of that, but the thing to remember, especially with these pieces, is that they are solo pieces that really are open to individual interpretation.
Most editions of the suites are littered with direction that is the editor's interpretation - stuff that was never in the original manuscript. Getting a good result depends less on the information in the score and more on the musicianship, artistic vision (for interpretation) and technical skill (for execution) of the player. Even more so when transcribing for other instruments. The important thing with the suites, IMHO, is to not lose sight of the form and keep the whole thing coherent.
YMMV...

 

[Ethan Block]

...
Actually I think I'll caveat my last post...

People, and I include myself, often go on about how things should be played Some, and here I exclude myself, also complain about how classical players have it easy because they just regurgitate from scores. Maybe in an ensemble setting under close direction there is a bit of that, but the thing to remember, especially with these pieces, is that they are solo pieces that really are open to individual interpretation.
Most editions of the suites are littered with direction that is the editor's interpretation - stuff that was never in the original manuscript. Getting a good result depends less on the information in the score and more on the musicianship, artistic vision (for interpretation) and technical skill (for execution) of the player. Even more so when transcribing for other instruments. The important thing with the suites, IMHO, is to not lose sight of the form and keep the whole thing coherent.
YMMV...

The original manuscripts are almost devoid of musical direction, upbow, downbow, and slurs those were added by editors. I am not the hal Leonard editor who arranged this score and I do not know what they are thinking. I am opining on what I view as the most rational explanation for the editor's choice.

I play cello and bass in classical, jazz, rock, metal contexts and I can with great certainty say that classical musicians do not have it easy and that playing music is not "regurgitating" someone else's work. There is no other genre of music quite as deep or broad as classical music. And this is for reason classical music extends from the 1600s until today. It uses musical instruments from viol da gambas to synthesizers, bass drums to piccolos.

 

[SteveCS]

The original manuscripts are almost devoid of musical direction, upbow, downbow, and slurs those were added by editors. I am not the hal Leonard editor who arranged this score and I do not know what they are thinking. I am opining on what I view as the most rational explanation for the editor's choice.

I play cello and bass in classical, jazz, rock, metal contexts and I can with great certainty say that classical musicians do not have it easy and that playing music is not "regurgitating" someone else's work. There is no other genre of music quite as deep or broad as classical music. And this is for reason classical music extends from the 1600s until today. It uses musical instruments from viol da gambas to synthesizers, bass drums to piccolos.

Totally agree. You will notice that I divorced myself from the bolded part in my post. I think we are saying the same thing...

 

[MarkA]

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.

Just came back and listened to this. Nice, and one of the more musical attempts I've heard on electric bass (not that I've heard that many). I dig the use of thumb position, too! (I used to think I was the only one who did that, then I read of -- and eventually saw -- Steve Bailey doing it, then this guy. I imagine a fair number of folks have tried it, particularly if they come from a doublebass or cello background.)

I was wondering how he was going to handle those high notes at the end (piece goes up to a high "G"). Thought he might take them down an octave, but he played them with artificial harmonics. Cool. A challenging piece on a 4ths-tuned bass, but good for the soul.

I like the beat-up P-bass, too! I think something about the midrange character of a P is somehow appropriate and, also, somehow reminiscent of arco (bowed) playing on gut strings.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

My favorite recording of these is the Janos Starker from 1997. Starker took liberties with tempo that gave that recording a different flavor.

Thank you, purchased!

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.

I'm 56 and after various extreme sports, real estate agents would describe my body—including my left wrist, hand, and fingers—as a "handyman special." But what are we gonna do with the rest of our lives? Sit in a bathtub and watch the rest of the world play bass? Good for you. GOOD FOR YOU.