The French Suites are distinguished from Bach's earlier English Suites by the absence of a prelude and their smaller scale, focusing more on charming, elegant, and gallant elements.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The French Suites were an integral part of Bach's comprehensive educational programs for his pupils, alongside works like the Inventions and Sinfonias and the Well-Tempered Clavier.
Composition History
The French Suites are believed to have originated as a wedding gift from Bach to his young, musical second wife, Anna Magdalena Bach.
Performer Biography
Masaaki Suzuki, the harpsichordist on this album, founded the Bach Collegium Japan in 1990 and has recorded extensively for the BIS label, including Bach's complete church cantatas.
Composition History
Bach compiled the French Suites, a set of six keyboard suites, in his late thirties, a prolific period that also produced other important instrumental works.
Compositional Technique
Bach's French Suites actively embrace the 'style galant', prioritizing singing melodies and avoiding technically complex figuration and thick textures.
Recording & Production
This recording is based on 'version B' of the New Bach Edition (1980), which combines readings from various sources thought to represent a later text of the French Suites.
