Bach composed six unaccompanied cello suites without providing any instructions as to how they should be played. This course will introduce the participant to various interpretations of Bach’s music through a combination of listening and discussion. Linda will play different interpretations of Bach’s six unaccompanied cello suites.

How Bach weaves the various voices in the music are essentially left to the musician. Structuring each suite with a prelude and five other movements labeled as dance forms, Bach creates a complex musical environment. For example, there is a controversy as to whether the dance forms should be interpreted as actual dances. Some musicians believe that the dance forms must be presented as dances, while others believe that these dance forms merely incorporate some dance rhythms but are not actual dances.

By comparing various approaches to musical interpretation, the participant will gain a deeper understanding and a fuller experience of Bach’s unaccompanied cello suites.

This course will combine cello performance with class discussion.