No 1 in G major
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuet I & II, Gigue
The most intimate of the Suites. The Prelude, consisting mainly of arprggiated chords, is probably the best known movement from the entire set of suites, and is regularly heard on tevelision and in films.
No. 2 in D minor
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuet I & II, Gigue
This Suite is a for me the truest depiction of what it is to be human. It is unshowy but satisfying to listen to, and glows with an inner positivity despite the minor key.
No. 3 in C major
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée I & II, Gigue
A confident, outgoing Suite which is almost as well-known as the first.
No. 4 in Eb major
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée I & II, Gigue
A fiendishly difficult key to play in, this Suite is the most difficult to pull off in performance.
No. 5 in C minor
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte I & II, Gigue
The top string of the cello is tuned down a tone for this Suite. This means that there are two strings with the pitch of G, the second most important note in the key of C minor after C itself. The string will resonate with the structurally important notes, strengthening the architecture of the music. It also darkens the tone colour of the cello for this most soulful of the Suites.
The Prelude begins with a slow, dramatic movement that explores further the deep range of the cello. It is followed by a demanding fugue in which the cellist has to conjure up the illusion of several voices. The Sarabande uses an incredible economy of musical gesture. For Rostropovitch it was the essence of Bach's genius, and Tortelier called it an extension of silence.
No. 6 in D major
Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée I & II, Gigue
The 6th Suite is on a far grander scale than the other Suites; Rostropovitch called it a symphony for cello. An additional challenge is that it was composed for a cello with an extra string, tuned a 5th above the top string. Playing the work on a normal cello involves virtuoso use of the thumb and high positions to make up for the missing string.
