Transformation of J.S. Bach's Cello Suites, Part 1

Suite I, II and III as a compendium with structural melody and general bass (and simple piano part)

Background, context and contribution to the field

In March 2022, Christian Westergaard and I delivered our joint artistic research project ”From specialization to general practice - Historically informed performance practice in modern instrumental practice” at a concert lecture at Studiescenen, DKDM. During our work on the project, we have both experienced how interesting threads for later follow-up have emerged from it, and there is enough material for many interesting projects.

At the top of the pile of educational spin offs, however, lies the project idea of a complete version of Bach's suites transformed. The description of the Transformation tool, as I have chosen to call it, has been one of my main tasks in my KUV project. Transformation is used to delve deeper into the understanding of the skeleton of music, and the use of the tool has left a "before" and an "after" in my own practice. Where before I largely had a conventional, musically faithful understanding of the works - bound in a "horizontal", melodic reading, I now have a more "vertical" understanding that separates the layers of thoroughbass and structural melody, as well as Bach's ornamentation of the structural melody.

The compendium - this pedagogic research project - is intended as a practical teaching tool in my own teaching practice as well as in that of others. I imagine that a complete edition of Bach's suites transformed - i.e. as a new score with basic melody and general bass (with single notated piano accompaniment) as well as suggestions for incorporating these into a new cello part - will be able to support learning and provide a basis for stylistic understanding of the works for cello students and colleagues everywhere.