Bach, J.S. - 6 Suites BWV 1007-1012 (M.Gendron)

Suite I G-Dur BWV 1007 - Suite II d-Moll BWV 1008 - Suite III C-Dur BWV 1009 - Suite IV Es-Dur BWV 1010 - Suite V c-Moll BWV 1011 - Suite VI D-Dur BWV 1012

In this edition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Six Suites for Violoncello solo’, Maurice Gendron, who edited these, puts mainly an emphasis on the utilisation of the bow as on the fingering patterns. The main request he phrases is to be correct with the instructions about the usage of the bow. According to his statement that is how the ‘purity of the style of Bach’ continues to exist. Gendron edited the Suites as to the fingering patterns to be playable for every Cellist. On this account he tried to avoid ‘useless finger extensions’.In the original notation, Bach forbeard from giving instructions about romantic dynamics like crescendo or diminuendo. For this reason Maurice Gendron only added a few dynamical suggestions in the Suites 1 to 5. As important as the avoidance of romantic dynamics is, according to his own statement, the avoidance of ‘a meaningless rubato’. It is of particular importance to him that the Cellists see the significance to ‘take the time to change smoothly’ from one string to another but on the other hand have ‘an insistant rhythmic structure’ that is at the same time as musical as possible.