Six Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012
Johann Sebastian Bach
Work background
Researched classical background
Bach's six cello suites develop dance forms into substantial unaccompanied instrumental works. A prelude leads into a sequence of dances whose contrasting rhythms provide different kinds of movement. The instrument often suggests several voices even when only one line is sounding. The Sixth Suite's original five-string requirement gives it a different range and technical profile from the others.
A listening guide
Listen for implied bass and upper voices within a single cello line, especially as the dances change tempo and meter.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Solo cello; the Sixth Suite originally calls for a five-string instrument
Composition: About 1717-1723
Traditional dating associates the suites with Bach's Cothen period; exact dates for each suite are not secure.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Date, title and version notes
The precise chronology and some original instrument details remain matters of scholarship.
Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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