CXCVIII. BACH, J.S.: Orchestral Suite #1 in C Major, BWV 1066

CXCVIII. BACH, J.S. (1685-1750)

Orchestral Suite #1 in C Major, BWV 1066
1. Ouverture
2. Courante
3. Gavotte I/II
4. Forlane
5. Menuet I/II
6. Bourrée I/II
7. Passepied I/II
Netherlands Bach Society
(21:45)

The four orchestral suites are -- like the Brandenburg concerti -- instrumental music of magnificent composition.

In the case of the suites, they employ the traditional French dances which were popularized from the time of Louis XIV, when Jean-Baptiste Lully was the court composer (ca. 1660).

This suite is composed for two oboes, bassoon, violins, viola, basso continuo.

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1. The first part of the Ouverture uses dotted rhythms (circled in color) which would have been played as the King entered the room:

There follows immediately a fugal section at a faster tempo -- note the four staggered entrances of the subject:

See how Bach gives the soloists their own "Trio":

At 5:04 we return the dotted-rhythm "King's Entrance":

2. The Courante (6:13) (literally, "running") is always in triple meter (3/2 here) and in the late Renaissance featured fast running and jumping steps.

By Bach's time, the dance had obtained the characteristics of a "passion or mood of sweet expectation ... something heartfelt, something longing and also gratifying ... the most serious rhythm of all the dances" [Mattheson and Walther]

3. Gavotte (8:26)

A duple meter dance, which usually begins with a half-bar (perhaps to give the dancers a cue) ... it used to involve kissing, but this apparently was replaced by presenting flowers.

Perhaps this tradition evolved on account of the duels the kissing precipitated (LOL) ...

I.

II -- a different feel:

4. Forlane (11:42) -- or Furlana (Italian) ... it possibly dates back to the 16th century as a Slavonic dance. This might be the only example of this dance in Bach's oeuvre.

5. Minuet (13:12) -- possibly from Old French: pas menus ("small steps") ... it was a dance for two, controlled, ceremonious, delicate and graceful:

Although not labeled as such, the second minuet resembles the 19th century "trio" where a shorter, usually pared-down section, signals a return to the beginning.

II

6. Bourrée I/II (16:13)

Like the Gavotte, this dance begins with a partial bar -- in this case a quarter-note value:

I

II

7. Passepied I/II (18:41)

Again that introductory beat (in this case, a quarter beat of the triple meter [3/4 here]) ... a cousin to the minuet, its steps are lighter and more complicated.

I

II

The Netherlands Bach Society is a fantastic resource for JSB. Their performances are -- without exception -- utterly wonderful!