Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Lorenzo Ghielmi
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Passacaille
Release: 2022
Size: 3 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806
01. I. Prelude
02. II. Allemande
03. III. Courante I
04. IV. Courante II avec 2 Doubles – Double I – Double II
05. V. Sarabande
06. VI. Bourées I & II
07. VII. Gigue
English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807
08. I. Prelude
09. II. Allemande
10. III. Courante
11. IV. Sarabande – Les agréments de la même Sarabande
12. V. Bourrées I & II
13. VI. Gigue
English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808
14. I. Prelude
15. II. Allemande
16. III. Courante
17. IV. Sarabande – Les agréments de la même Sarabande
18. V. Gavotte I – Gavotte II ou Musette
19. VI. Gigue
English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809
20. I. Prelude
21. III. Allemande
22. III. Courante
23. IV. Sarabande
24. V. Menuets I & II
25. VI. Gigue
English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810
26. I. Prelude
27. II. Allemande
28. III. Courante
29. IV. Sarabande
30. V. Passepied I en Rondeau – Passepied II
31. VI. Gigue
English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811
32. I. Prelude
33. II. Allemande
34. III. Courante
35. IV. Sarabande
36. V. Double
37. VI. Gavotte I – Gavotte II (Musette)
38. VII. Gigue
The Italian keyboardist Lorenzo Ghielmi continues his journey into the catalogue of Bach’s harpsichord solo works. In 2021, Passacaille released the Partitas (Clavierübung I, BWV 825-830), and now these are the English Suites (BWV 806-811), another of the three important cycles written by Bach. They are quite often recorded, and this new and impressive recording highlights the rigorous vision of one of the greatest Italian harpsichordists, Lorenzo Ghielmi, who particularly focuses on the densely polyphonic Bach’s writing as his richly chromatic harmonies.
Bach’s English Suites are entitled in a way that is as strange as it is hard to explain, at least at first glance. Contrary to what one might assume, these works are more closely related to French suites than to English music. The title is taken from the inscription “Fait pour les Anglois”, found on a manuscript owned by Bach’s youngest son. In addition to an extensive prelude and four traditional dances – Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue – each suite also contains “gallantries”, lighter dances that were fashionable at the time. In these dance movements, grace and melody play together with a compositional artistry that elevates them far beyond incidental music for courtly dances.
Lorenzo Ghielmi recorded the English Suites on a beautiful harpsichord built by Detmar Hungelbert after an instrument by Michael Mietke (ca. 1710 in Berlin).