PRELUDE of SUITE III Georg Mertens VIDEO: See Prelude Suite 3 C major STRUCTURE

Bar 1 - 6 : Introduction, using exclusively scales and triads in C major, ending on C, first note of bar 7.

Bar 7 - 14 : two bar sequences in G major, the last unit leading into the following A minor part.

Bar 15 - 28 : based mainly on A minor. The first 6 bars (bar 15 to including the first note in bar 21) are flowing scales or chords in groups of 4, each group on the beat.. In the following 6 bars (21 - 26) the unit of beat and group is dissolved and creates, which creates a different texture. Slurs are bridging 1/16 over beat and barline. Another group of 6 bars follows (27 - 32), this time arpeggios with detached bowings, again a new texture. In the middle of this group the harmony shifts from A minor to returning to C major, including its main chords with a sidestep to G minor.

Bar 33 - 36 are an interesting transition, the first of these 2 bars reminding of the scales at the beginning of the Prelude, the second 2 bars reminding of the passage from bar 21 - 26 with overlapping bows to the next beat.

From bar 37 on the structures get larger: 10 bars of units of 2 bars follow (bar 37 - 44), rising gradually note by note and landing on the Dominant G7 with again a new bowin - originally with a Baroque bow 3 slurred starting on the beat - today commonly played with the whole group of 4/16 slurred, also starting on the beat.

This bowing continues for 16 bars, ending on the first note of bar 61. In the following section Bach uses alternating bowings / groupings used before, finishing on the tonic root note C in bar 71. Like in some of the Preludes, he returns to the chacater of the beginning, rising scales followed by descending arpeggios.

The last 10 bars (bar 77 - 87) form a dramatic ending led by the bass, which descends from F step by step to the C, where it rests as a pedal point to the end of the Prelude. The dramatic effect relies on the rests (there is no rest in this movement before the 10th last bar), which makes one think, that the piece has maybe been written for a larger hall, where the silence of the rests is filled with the diminishing echo. Interestingly enough - and to foster this idea - the last chord is only 1/4 with written out rests: finishing quite swiftly and wait for the sound to vanish until the piece has really ended.

http://www.georgcello.com/bachcellosuites.htm#suite

HARMONY

Key: C major

In the print below key and function are handwritten in. The key of the triad / chord or scale is written first. The function appears in brackets after the chord description (for abbrevations see above).

At several places Bach introduces a chord with a Dominant function not relating or only little to the bar before, yet leading to a solution in the following bar. I indicate this relationship between the Dominant character and the following bar with the solution with an arrow.

As mentioned under "structure" above, the Prelude starts with just scales in C major. In this Prelude Bach ventures quite early into the Dominant key of G major - not the Dominant 7th harmony remaing in C major, as he does later during the peadl point G section. A section in A minor follow, in which harmonies change very frequently, much more often than at the beginnings of a bar.

The flow or rather systematic progress thnough is not happening in the choice of key or harmony, but this music is composed another way around: A more or less " hidden scale" or rather a scale or step like melody - not flowing from note to note - but set apart in distances from 1/16, but a beat apart, up to 2 bars apart determines where the music is going to. The harmonies rather integrate into this system of scales that the scale follows the harmony, similar as in a chorale the harmony has to follow melody and bass and the melody does not follow some order of harmonies. These "hidden scales also implemet a certain dynamic especially at a time, where dynamics were not written in. The player had only a guide line regarding dynamics from within the composition itself. Which dynamics were implied is explained below in the section: dynamic mapping - Hidden and open scales.

Harmonies, Functions and Pedal Points - Pedal points are circled in blue. The underlying Tonic of sections is indicated in red on the right hand side. The key of the harmonies is written first (like 'C' for C major) followed by the function (like 'T' for Tonic) Arrows indicate that the Dominant character is resolved in the following bar. For abbrevations see above. [Print: Doerffel 1879] Dynamic Mapping: Hidden and open scales Up to now all knowledge of pedal point and harmonies did not affect our interpretation. It rather gave a name to a sound, to which reacted already naturally and have formed our character of sound, or playing forte and piano, independent if we found the right name or not. As strange as it sounds, the knowledge of harmony effects interpretation as much as the kind of paper we write the information on! It starts to help us only, when we wish to write music ourselves - and want to understand what can be done - or when we transcribe to another instrument on which we add or leave out notes, which of course has to be done with an understanding of the harmony (although our ear and a good taste might replace to a good deal the formal analysis).

This is different with hidden and open scales. A scale has a clear directio., Except in rare cases, a scale ascending points to a crescendo, a scale descending to a diminuendo.

Discovering hidden scales gives the shaping of dynamics a larger scale: We must play the notes belonging to a hidden scale in a way that the listener can follow the existence of the scale, point these notes out - strong or subtle. This gives suddenly the piece a formal structure, through which a good player acts as a tour guide to the listener. The performer explains the composition withoutb using words - explains the structure by simply playing the underlying structure. Of course it adds clarity and beauty to a performance.

In particular this means: Already during the first 6 bars, after the descending scale in bar 1 has been stated, the rising dynamic of the first notes of the bar indicate a crescendo to bar 6 - we arrive at least in poco forte. From bar 7 to 13/14 the "hidden scale" leads us from the tonic "C" note by note down to a "G" in 2 bar segments, which in itself include twice a descending transition during the last 4/16. We have no other option than to arrive in bar 13 in piano. In the following bars I indicated all first notes of a bar, which I hear inside me as a guide, when I play, as if following Bach's instruction.

A larger development begins in bar 33: firstly in bars, then in a distance of beats, the "hidden scale" descends down more than one octave and finally drops to the lowest note of the cello, the open C. As it is often the case, from here on (bar 37) a two bar sequence rises and we could attach our marks virtually to nearly any note within the sequence - we can here the rise in many related notes. I circled the first note of the 2 bar units, but of course I could have circled the highest or lowest note as well: we can hear the hidden scale in many related notes. From bar 50 to 56 we find two bar units, which have a nice melody in itself. Each unit is like a large step decorated with a mosaic and diplays within each of the 2 bars step a melody (always the changing note), which when played out adds a brilliance to the passage. Each step descends up to the F and rises over the F# to the G, adding some weight to the end of the passage in bar 66.

The ending (from bar 71 on) starts in a C scale like in bar 2, like a recapitulation. More gradual and stricter than in the beginning the "hidden scale" leads us in a crecendo up, again like at the start to the E. But fro her the dynamic tumbles down to a piano: From bar 77 to 78 the outer parts open up like a crescendo sign, and so do again from bar 79 to 81: if we connect with a pen the outer notes, the graphic lines describe a crescendo. Once arrived here, the outer notes stay - as if finally having arrived - indicating a constant strong sound towards the end.

As mentioned in the chapter on structure, the dramatic effect relies on the rests (there is no rest in this movement before the 10th last bar), which makes one think, that the piece has

maybe been written for a larger hall, where the silence of the rests is filled with the diminishing echo. Interestingly enough - and to foster this idea - the last chord is only 1/4 with written out rests: finishing quite swiftly and wait for the sound to vanish until the piece has really ended.

Dynamic Mapping: Hidden and open Scales in (indicated in red). [print: Doerffel 1879] If played well, the listener can easily follow the indicated "hidden scales". I included on this page a general guide on "dynamic mapping". This "map" gives us the dynamic instruction, which in later times has been written out by the composer, like forte and piano. But in Baroque times this was not common - and to some part the understanding of the structure - usually polyphonic - effects the interpreation in a way, that can't be described by an overall dynamic as the different simulaneous parts have different dynamics and like here, single notes are important to "point out" in a careful way, which can't be simple labelled with a dynamic.

The interested reader or player can read more on this by clicking here on: Dynamic Mapping & Phrasing (click here)

Dynamics Very rarely I write specific dynamics in. The performance, if private or public, depends very much on the mood of the day, the nature of the performance space and the audience. This is particularly true for the Preludes, the more atmospheric introductory movements. The dance movements should vary anyway in the repeats.

Defined dynamics lead to play just what is written without understanding and having a sensitivity to the situation. I find, too many "readers" (particularly players, who don't play by memory) find in written dynamics a way to play a piece like a study, with little feeling and little understanding. I try with my articles and graphps as much as I can to get away from just copying what is written, but understanding and experiencing - living - the music every time anew we play it. Also, the historically later developed way of writing dynamics in relies on, that all parts have for a worthwhile period the same dynamic. In Baroque interpreation the dynamic line is much more complex as to simply write an overall average dynamic in (which might be a reason that composers didn't become convinced it might be advisable to write "a dynamic" in). A good interpreation distinguishes the different dynamics of beat 1 and 2, of bass and top melody, of so many factors, that writing it in is either too complicated or fails the purpose - and as mentioned, in repeats we should vary, on different days and in locations we should play differently - intergrated with time and space.

Listen to Prelude C major, Track 19

See Prelude Suite 3 C major

(click here for a critical Analysis of the Bach Cello Suites (complete) according to the early manuscripts and prints) .

Harmonic structure of the dance-movements:

Suite No 3 - C major (Bourree II in C minor)

Allemande ||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character}

Courante||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :||

Sarabande||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :||

Bourree I||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :||

Bourree II||: Cm (T) - Eb (Rmaj) :||: Eb (Rmaj) - C (T) :||

Gigue||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :||

Abbrevations: (T) = Tonic (S) = Subdominant (D) = Dominant (Rmaj) = Relative major / (minD) Minor Dominant

Overview of the harmonic structure of the dance-movements The dance movements of all 6 suites are remarkably similar in structure, all 36 dance movements havein fact the same structure, from the shortest to the longest one : All dance movements are written in two parts and each part is repeated. In contrast a - and as strict - no Prelude includes a repeat. This is intersting as in the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin these elements vary.

I will give here an overview of the harmonic structure, which is - as with all Baroque composers - fairly uniform, but in fact not always. I note here the harmonies of the beginning and end of each part. In this sketch I indicate the sections framed by repeat marks; I indicate the keys and in brackets the functions.

In most movements the upbeats are in the same key as the first full bar (or full bar after the repeats) in others they may indicate a Dominant character. In this sketch I refer always to the first full bar with the exception of the Gavottes. In the Gavottes the starting chord - or note - on the 3rd beat has the strength and impact of the real beginning, carrying usually the Tonic harmony. In the other movements I made a note when the beats has a Dominant character {upbeats in Dominant character}.

Abbrevations: (T) = Tonic / (S) = Subdominant (D) = Dominant (Rmaj) = Relative major / (minD) Minor Dominant

Suite No 1 - G major (Menuet II in G minor) Allemande ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :|| Courante ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :|| Sarabande ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :|| Menuet I ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :|| Menuet II ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :|| Gigue ||: G (T) - D (D) :||: D (D) - G (T) :||

Suite No 2 - D minor (Menuet II in D major) Allemande ||: Dm (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - Dm (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character} Courante||: Dm (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - Dm (T) :|| Sarabande||: Dm (T) - F (Rmaj) :||: F (Rmaj) - Dm (T) :|| Menuet I||: Dm (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - Dm (T) :| Menuet II||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| Gigue||: Dm (T) - A (D) :||: F (Rmaj) - Dm (T) :||

Suite No 3 - C major (Bourree II in C minor) Allemande ||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character} Courante||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :|| Sarabande||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :|| Bourree I||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :|| Bourree II||: Cm (T) - Eb (Rmaj) :||: Eb (Rmaj) - C (T) :|| Gigue||: C (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - C (T) :||

Suite No 4 - Eb major (Bourree II in Eb major) Allemande ||: Eb (T) - Bb (D) :||: Bb (D) - Eb (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character} Courante||: Eb (T) - Bb (D) :||: Bb (D) - Eb (T) :|| Sarabande||: Eb (T) - Bb (D) :||: Bb (D) - Eb (T) :|| Bourree I||: Eb (T) - Bb (D) :||: Bb (D) - Eb (T) :|| Bourree II ||: Ab (S) - Eb (T) :||: Ab (S) - Eb (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character, here Eb (original T) as D to S} Gigue||: Eb (T) - Bb (D) :||: Bb (D) - Eb (T) :||

Suite No 5 - C minor (Gavotte II in C minor) Allemande ||: Cm (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - Cm (T) :|| Courante||: Cm (T) - G (D) :||: G (D) - Cm (T) :||| Sarabande||: Cm (T) - Eb (Rmaj) :||: Eb (Rmaj) - Cm (T) :|| Gavotte I ||: Cm (T) - G (D) :||: Gm (minD) - Cm (T) :|| {indicated harmonies starting on the 3rd beat} * Gavotte II ||: Cm (T) - Cm (T) :||: Eb (Rmaj) - Cm (T) :|| {indicated harmonies starting on the 3rd beat} * Gigue ||: C (T) - Eb (Rmaj) :||: Eb (Rmaj) - C (T) :||

Suite No 6 - D major (Gavotte II in D major) Allemande ||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| Courante ||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| Sarabande||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| Gavotte I||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| {indicated harmonies starting on the 3rd beat} * Gavotte II||: D (T) - D (T) :||: D (T) - D (T) :|| {indicated harmonies starting on the 3rd beat} * Gigue||: D (T) - A (D) :||: A (D) - D (T) :|| {upbeats in Dominant character}

* The Gavotte's have an interesting harmonic layout, which is unusual, perhaps "cavort" (the words "Gavotte" and "cavort" are synonymous in their origin). I couldn't find general information on the harmonic subject, but it seems, Bach put by purpose things in a "cavort" manner: The carrying harmony is set unlike all other movements not on beat ONE, but on the Third beat. The second half of Gavotte I, Suite 5, starts with a G minor Dominant chord, going towards the major Tonic in a piece, where the tonic is C minor. It seems to me as if Bach put like in the Cantatas meaning into the chords: "cavort" is expressed by turning the modes of major and minor back to front, beat One is swapped with beat Three - the crazy dance, where rules are offended in a masterly way.