Concert: Back to Bach
Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 8PM
Eliot Fisk, Oscar Ghiglia and colleagues
Jordan Hall
$45 Advanced Purchase Online
$50 At the door (cash or check)
$15 Student
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Eliot Fisk, guitar
Oscar Ghiglia, guitar
Pie’ces pour la luth à Monsieur Schouster, BWV 995
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
- Prelude
- Allemande
- Courante
- Sarabande
- Gavotte I
- Gavotte II
- Gigue
Sonatas
Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757)
Suite (originally for Cello), BWV 1009 in C Major
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
- Prelude
- Allemande
- Courante
- Sarabande
- Bourrée I
- Bourrée II
- Gigue
Trio Sonata (originally for organ), BWV 525
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Allegro
Suite (originally for Cello), BWV 1012 D major
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
- Prelude
- Allemande
- Courante
- Sarabande
- Gavotte I
- Gavotte II
- Gigue
Bach wrote his Pie’ces pour la luth à Monsieur Schouster, BWV 995 for Jacob Schuster, a Leipzig bookseller who was sufficiently interested in the lute to publish music for it by Adam Falckenhagen in 1739. BWV 995 dates from around 1730, and is a transcription of the Suite in C minor BWV 1011 for solo cello. Once again Bach’s reworking of an earlier work shows his insatiable desire to surpass himself, The lute version is the only extant manuscript in Bach’s own hand of any of the 6 Suites for Cello “senza basso accompagnato”, BWV 1007 - 12.
Bach’s version of the 5th Suite has in turn inspired Eliot Fisk’ s transcription of suites III and VI heard tonight. In his arrangement Bach added counterpoint, filled out harmonies, added ornaments and in one case (the Prelude of BWV 995) substituted a concluding minor chord for what in the cello version is a resounding major chord. The Suite BWV. 1012 was originally composed for the 5 string viola pomposa so when it is played on the modern 4 string cello it also requires modification. Despite its virtuosity this Suite suits the guitar very well and requires almost no editing.
The three Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti heard tonight show the composer’s extraordinary harmonic daring, rhythmic verve, and melodic invention, qualities that make his music adapt so well to the guitar. elude. Bach’s Trio Sonata (originally for organ) BWV 525 belongs to a remarkable set of compositions said to have been written to teach his sons the art of organ playing. Today they are often played on pedal harpsichord and in a host of modern transcriptions such as the version of the Sonata in C major heard in Thursday night’s concert.
