French Suites, BWV 812-817

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The French Suites, BWV 812-817, refer to six suites written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the clavier (harpsichord or clavichord). They were later given the name 'French' (first recorded usage by Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg in 1762) as a contrast to the English Suites (whose title is likewise a later appellation). The name was popularised by Bach's biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel, who, in 1802, claimed they were written in the French style. This claim, however, is inaccurate: like Bach's other suites, they follow a largely Italian convention.^[1] Two additional suites, one in A minor (BWV 818), the other in E-flat Major (BWV 819), are linked to the familiar six in some manuscripts.

The Overture in the French style, BWV 831, which Bach published as the second part of Clavier-Übung, is a suite in the French style but not connected to the French suites.^[2]

Contents 1 The French suites 1.1 Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812 1.2 Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813 1.3 Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 1.4 Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 815 1.5 Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 1.6 Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817 2 See also 3 Notes and references 4 External links

[edit] The French suites

[edit] Suite No. 1 in D minor, BWV 812

1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Menuet I/II
5. Gigue

[edit] Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813

1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Air
5. Menuet
6. Menuet - Trio (in BWV 813a)
7. Gigue

[edit] Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814

1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Menuet
5. Trio
6. Anglaise
7. Gigue

[edit] Suite No. 4 in E-flat major, BWV 815

1. Praeludium (in BWV 815a)
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Gavotte
6. Air
7. Gavotte I, Gavotte II (in BWV 815a)
8. Menuet (in BWV 815a)

[edit] Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816

1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Gavotte
5. Bourrée
6. Loure
7. Gigue

[edit] Suite No. 6 in E major, BWV 817

1. Allemande
2. Courante
3. Sarabande
4. Gavotte
5. Polonaise
6. Bourrée
7. Menuet
8. Gigue

[edit] See also

• Works for keyboard by J.S. Bach
• Partitas, BWV 825-830
• English Suites, BWV 806-811
• Bach compositions printed during the composer's lifetime

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• French Suites was available at the International Music Score Library Project.
• French suites in Mutopia Project (free sheet music)
• liner notes for recording by Masaaki Suzuki