DE(ar)RANGED Ornamenting the Six Cello Suites BWV 1007–1012 by Johann Sebastian Bach: the evidence in arrangements by Bach and his contemporaries

Abstract

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Cello Suites are arguably the most well-known works ever written for solo cello. Ever since Pablo Casals famously discovered a copy of the Cello Suites in a bookshop in Barcelona at the end of the 19th century, the popularity of these works has been ubiquitous amongst cellists worldwide. Every great cellist since Casals played Bach’s Cello Suites, and performances are still frequently given today in concert halls around the world. However, the debate as to how to interpret the Cello Suites is still ongoing, with a wide range of different approaches evident in the many editions and recordings of the Suites. I have adopted a historically-informed approach towards Bach’s Cello Suites, in that my interpretation is based upon five arrangements of Bach’s works, all of which were made in the 18th century. Two of these arrangements were by Bach; the other three were made by lutenists contemporaneous with him. These arrangements provide insight into how Bach’s music may have been interpreted during his lifetime as they differ greatly from the versions they were based upon, especially with regard to the added notes, slurring, and ornamentation. I compared and quantified these differences, and then extrapolated the results to inspire my own interpretation of the Cello Suites, which is manifest in the accompanying CD recording.