Solo Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major Prelude

 He was born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21st  He was orphaned by the age of nine.  He married twice in his life.  By the end of his life he had had 20 children, only ten of whom survived to adulthood.  He died in 1750 at the age of 65. THE LIFE OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

 He lived with his brother after his parent’s death and began learning to play the organ.  He learned to play many instruments and began writing music at a young age.  His musical career really began to take off when he lived in Weimar.  Some of his most notable and recognizable works are his Suites for unaccompanied cello. THE MUSIC OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

 There are six suites for unaccompanied cello.  The most popular is suite No. 1 in G Major.  These were written in the 1710’s and 1720’s.  This manuscript (right) was written by his second wife. CELLO SUITE NO. 1 IN G MAJOR PRELUDE

// sebastian-bach/album/bach-for- meditation/track/cello-suite-no-1- prelude 0:00 Begins with a soft, light sound that is decently slow paced. It seems warm, welcoming, and almost playful or reminiscent. 0:19 More depth and intensity as well as a pick-up in the tempo. It seems somewhat more sorrowful than previously. As if the notes convey a lower, more serious, urgent matter. The notes become lower and sadder. LISTENING GUIDE

0:31 There are accentuated lower notes behind the higher notes, creating the sad playfulness that we hear in this piece. 0:37 Skipping back up to higher notes that are slightly faster. More light and carefree sounding but with an undertone of eerie notes. 0:54 We come back to low notes and repetition of the previous sad melody, though it seems much more foreboding with the lower notes preceding it, still at a fast tempo. 1:16 There are very low notes and a slowdown in tempo momentarily. Speed back up again with the lower notes. Again, accentuated lower notes with higher notes; creates a feeling of masked sadness and yet playfulness.

1:28 High peak in the notes, diminuendo, momentary silence, suspenseful feeling then a rise up notes; spiraling up and up into higher notes. 1:34 Another peak in the notes with a drop – an arch that is repeated through this piece. 1:41 A drop into lower notes, momentarily foreboding and a rise into high notes. 1:54 There is a repetition of the same notes, at a slower pace creating a feeling of lightness again in the song as in the beginning. 2:01 There is an upbeat play with high notes and low note undertones, creating a somewhat confused and eerie sound.

Bach is one of the most well known composers of the ‘Classical Era’ and it is for good reason. He made amazingly intense and beautiful music that still has a profound effect on people 300 years later in a society that is quite unlike the world he lived. He helped set the groundwork for aspiring artists today and is still inspiring people, young and old, to create something beautiful and lasting beyond themselves. BACH’S LEGACY

2:16 It has very fast notes, with eerie inflections. It is seemingly somewhat tricky and unwelcoming. 2:24 Spiral up again into very high beats and a drop into lower and slower paced sound. Going from very high and then a break at the peak and brought back down to lower notes. 2:29 Reaches its peak in the height of the arch, and drops into lower notes again. 2:42 Playful sounding, as in the beginning and then a solid note held out for a few seconds. Then silence. Ends on a nostalgic note as the piece goes through happy, sad, confusing, and foreboding but ends as it began, with a happy or reminiscent tone.

 Hanford, Jan, and Jan Koster. "J. S. Bach Home Page." J. S. Bach. N.p., Web. 11 Oct  Ferrin, Craig E. (2010) Listen to the Music. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing.  BIBLIOGRAPHY