Bachsuiten

The works are structured similarly to the Bach suites. They are based on folk dances: Allemande – the German dance, Courante – the French, Sarabande – the Spanish and so on.

You can play either one movement of Bach and one movement of mine, or the whole suite of Bach and then the whole suite of mine.

The story of the Bach suites is quickly told: A musician asked me to write suites for solo cello, which he would like to perform with the first three suites by Bach. I found the idea sweet. There are 11 known suites: 6 Bach suites, 3 Reger suites and 2 by Brits. I told him I’d write the twelfth as a pair for the first one by Bach, my first. Originally, I didn’t want to write a 13th. But then I got the idea, if the premiere happens on a Friday the 13th, I’ll do this devilish brood. The musician was thrilled and promised me. Thus the Bach Suite II was born. Then the 3rd was already programmed, it was too late for a cancellation. It was too late for a cancellation. Then I thought further… With Bach, all suites are also reworked for viola and violin. That’s how I had to do it, because it was meant for an interplay with Bach works.

So I composed: Bach suites I op. 107/cello, 107a/viola, 107b/violin, II op. 108, 108a, 108b, III op. 111, 111a, 111b. The works are structured similarly to the Bach suites. They are based on folk dances: Allemande – the German dance, Courante – the French, Sarabande – the Spanish and so on. (Olga Magidenko)