W0640600

Dissertation

J. S. Bach 6-th. Suite

for unaccompanied
cello

MUS 642
Dr. Dale Newkirk
 Outline

I. Introduction
1. Historical background of the Sixth suites for
cello solo.
2. Stylistically characteristics.
II. Tempo
1. Basic knowledge
2. Why a musicians must have basic knowledge
in acoustic
3. How this science is related with music
III. Concert hall 202 Potll Annex
1. Experiment nr.1
2. Experiment nr. 2
3. Experiment nr. 3
4. Conclusion of the experiment
IV. Conclusion for Music
I
 1. Historical background of the Sixth suites for cello solo.

The score
The Six suites for cello solo by J. S. Bach are one of the most disputed scores in music

history literature. The first evidence of the six suites is the edition written by his wife Maria

Magdalena, in which are very few indications of slurs, phrasing or articulation. In the first

manuscript, for the sixth. suite is mentioned to be played by an instrument with five strings a

cinq cordes, not being said the name of it, but with the tuning if this instrument must be

C;G;D;A;E. The added string without doubt helps to overcome easily some of the technical

difficulties but the faze structures and polyphonic layers of the melodies require a separate

analysis in order to be clear for the player and for the listener.

Until now exist more than 80 edition of the suites each of them with different slurs,

articulation, phrasing, because each of this edition find a new ways of expression, for this paper I

will be using the German edition Werner Icking, Segburg for I consider it one of the most

accurate and close to the first edition when comes to indications of bowings and articulation.

This edition that I am using has also dynamic markings but the editor mentioned that most of

them wear added so they are subjective because in the manuscript they are not written. One of

the people who contribute to general organization of the dynamics in music from that period was

Leopold Mozart, quote1 the notes raised by sharps or natural signs should be played more

1
Bach. J. S. Text Volme. In B.Schwemer,&D. Woodfull-Harris, Suites a Violoncello senza Basso Bwv1007-1012.
Basel Barenreiter Kaessel (2004). Pog. 39
loudly, and those lowered by flat sign should be set apart in the same way. Long notes

interpolated in strings of short notes should be played decrescendo, beginning f and ending in p

(L. Mozart 1756, p.219) end quote. Dynamics have an important role in fraise organization and

changing dynamics can influence the fraises structure.

Especially the sixth suite, by volume and texture was called a symphony for the cello 2.

The D- major tonality is used by Bach at the end of the B minor Mass in Dona nobis pacem.

With the sixth suite he concludes the whole suite cycle using also D major tonality expressing

the triumphal ending.

2. Stylistically characteristics.
Thematically and melodically analysis

Prelude stylistically is a cadenza-like movement, allowing the player to experiment with phrases,

tempo and articulation. This particular prelude from the sixth suite is challenging the virtuoso

qualities for the player, especially for its cadenza, requiring high technical preparation in order to

overcome the virtuosic and intonation difficulties. It in 12/8 measure and is one of the largest

prelude from the preludes of previous five. Most of the part is written in a continuous pattern of

three eights and even though we dont have tempo markings on the score, this tree eight pattern

suggest a lively tempo. It hard although a strict tempo because historically the Prelude was

introduced in the suite by Bach, so historically we do not have indications of tempo rather than

the fact that is a improvisation movement, in which the player has some room of freedom of

phrasing and managing the tempo. The process of tonicisation is applied for changing the

2
Mstislav Rostropovich declared during in his recording of the 6 cello suites from, Vaezelay, France, 1991.
tonalities within the sections, the tonalities are closely related to D major. This being said,

stylistically in Baroque music, the dissonance passages or chords, players used to slow down the

tempo, in the consonant or close related harmony chords- speed up.

II Tempo
1. Basic knowledge

Evolution

The word tempo comes from Italian language and means time. Although in different areas of

society it used in several expressions, to indicate, rhythm, beat, or the moment of action.

In music the academic definition is: the speed at which a piece of a passage is performed. It

seems easy but has a much deeper meaning when it comes to apply this term. For understanding

the full complexity of this term we must research the historical evolution of this word and most

important, what represented.

The earliest method of distinguishing the tempo was the human pulce. From her in the

Renaissance period in music it was established the Latin term tactus3 according to the theorist

Gaffurius in (1496) to determine the constant beat measure of the piece. But more important to

determine was the spirit of the piece, he represented the speed of the piece. The term of spirit

was often replaced with the term affect, which leads to an idea of how much important was

taking in consideration each pieces mood, because they wear using a very complex vocabulary

for this matter. For that period of time, the tonality was considerate an indication of the tempo

also. For example D-major had the spirit of joyous and very warlike4; somewhat shrill and

3
Tactus- up-and-down motion of the hand breading normally Performing Baroque Music, Mary Cyr, Amadeus
Press 1992,pag.30
4
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Regles de composition Paris, Biblioteque Nationale, (ca. 1682), nouv. Acq. 6355
stubborn, suited to noisy and rousing things5; songs of mirth and rejoicing6; ardent, proud,

impetuous, vehement, terrible, sometimes also more quiet7

Probably now we are more used to terms like , allegro, presto or adagio but very in the period

when they wear used the meaning of this terms also refereed more to the spirit rather than the

speed. For instance the indication of Allegro was describe as cheerfully; Adagio- not

faster then what was before; Largo- in a grand singing manner; Mouvement- spirit of

composition8 The tempo indication that we are using now as Allegro in Baroque period was

very often used, particularly by the publisher, as name for the movement of a piece9, without

other tempo indications in general.

Quantz10, a German music scholar of the time, established four categories of tempo and the

way they must be played. The guiding measurement that he used was the pulse, equal to a half

note. This term comes from the human heart beat he used for indication and added to him

tactus indications with along with spirit description.

I. 1 Pulse = half note - Allegro - Allegro assai - Allegro di molto - Presto - Vivace.

a lively , very light, nicely detached and very short bow stroke, especially in the

accompaniment, where must play more sportively that seriously in pieces of this

kind; and yet a certain moderation on the tone must also be observed

II. 1 Pulse =quarter note Allegretto Allegro ma not tanto Allegro non troppo

Allegro non presto Allegro moderato

5
Johann mattheson, Das neu-eroffnete Orchestre (1713)
6
Jean-Philippe Rameau, Traite de Lharmonie, Paris 1722
7
Jean Benjamin de LaBorde, Essai sur la musique ancienne et moderne , Paris, 1780, pag. 28-29.
8
Sebastian Brossard Dictionaire de musique, Paris, 1703
9
J.S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 I-st movement (allegro);
Samuel Barber String Quartet II mov. (Adagio)
10
Cyr Mary Performing Baroque Music, Amadeus Press, Portland Oregon, 1992, pag.41
 performed a little more seriously, with a rather heavy yet lively and suitably

vigorous bow stroke. In the allegretto the sixteenth notes in particularly, like the

eight notes in the Allegro, require a very short bow stroke, made with the wrist

rather than the whole arm, and particularly rather than slurred

III. 1 Pulse = eight notes Arioso Cantabile Soave Dolce Poco andante

Maestoso Pomposo Affetuoso Adagio spiritoso

executed quietly, and with a light bow stroke. Even if interspersed with quick

notes of various kinds, the arioso still requires a light a quiet stroke

IV. 1 Pulse = sixteenth notes Adagio assai Pesante Lento Largo assai Mesto

Grave

slow and melancholy requires the greatest moderation of tone, and longest,

most tranquil and heaviest most sustained bow stroke

Other practical indications for tempo, from that period wear considerate the dances, according to

the name of the dance and his style players choose the spirit. Two main schools of music

interpretation wear the most influential in this particularly aspect: French and German. Mostly

they established standards for the suites dances but they are slightly different on some aspects.

For instance the Allemande, In French was described as usually two beats per measure,

sometimes four,serious(grave)11 or four per measure slow but old fashioned12. The

Germans sugest for Allemande good order and calmthe image of a content satisfied spirit13

11
Brossard, Dictionaire de Musique (1703)
12
Rousseau, , Dictionaire de Musique (1768)
13
Metheson, Der volkommene Capellmeister (1739), transl. Harriss, 453-468
 One of the first indication on the score of the time signature we find in C.

Monteverdis music14, this indication wear based on the principal Tactus which proportionally

was shorten to a slight faster movement.

One of the first devices for measuring the pulse was Pendumulus based on the human

pulse, and according to Tomas Maces description (1676), in order to manage the speed, they

used to change the length of the pendulum. This process was not to effective because sometimes,

in a log piece, it was not stabile.

The next important step was the invention of metronome in 1816 of Johann Nepomuk

Maelze, the principals of which are used until this days for the mechanic metronome. This lead

to a more precise measurement of the spirit and composers like L. van Beethoven wears one of

the first composer to use it in his works, more than that he published metronomic indications for

the eight symphonies he had composed until the 1810s.

In 20th century period, where we find plenty of indications in the score, the term tempo

can be associated with pulse, probably in music the best definition for measuring the metrical

14
Claudio Moteverdi Madrigali Guerreieri et Amorosi, Venice, 1638.
space. In order to have the right quality, a good musical interpretation must have interior

pulsation, and this is not gist a steady tempo but a combination between metrical freedom and

control with physical feeling. That is why in 20th-century the composers like Bla Bartk John

Cage and Alberto Ginastera instead of using markings like beats per minute (bpm), they indicate

the total playing time. In this case the player has the freedom of expression inside of the score,

dictated by his personal pulsation or feeling, limited only by the spatial time.

1. Why a musicians must have basic knowledge in acoustic

Music, in my opinion is Energy thru time and space. Studying this two elements may

help us, musicians understand much better our job and ourselves as man. Physical space is

critical for determining the right timing, as timing must be correlated with the specific space that

we have available for a performance. That is why first thing that a musician must take in

consideration before a performing is the concert hall or the stage place.

Each concert hall is different, that is why a good musician must know how to adapt to it,

because the same piece played by the same person in different space, will sound different. In a

dry hall with not such good acoustic proprieties the tempi must be taken faster, even the slow

movements. The music must fill the concert hall faster because the progression of the sound in

that hall has a small distance, so by playing faster you will push the vibration on the notes much

further in the public, than if you will play slower. In a hall with right acoustic proprieties the

player must play slower. A slow piece will have more space to resonate the fast movements

will sound clear and articulated. Especially for the fast movement of a pieces, a good musician

must find the right tempo, otherwise in a church hall for instance a virtuosic piece will sound like

a noise without no direction or sense, and the tunes will overlap each other creating no clarity at

all. For the player it very difficult to hear himself from the public position, but keeping in mind
this principals will help adjusting his repertoire in every kind of concert hall. It very important

although to understand that audience has a different perception of the music from player who is

playing because the distance from the sound source is different. The knowledge of the acoustical

rules will have an important role in the performance, not only the performance itself.

I prefer to use the term Pulse because of several factors:

Music is life and the pulse is a characteristic of all living beans, so if your music does

not have a pulsation, probably is missing the quality of being alive.

The concert halls are different, a presto in the church hall must be different from concert

hall, especially in one with rough acoustics.

The first impression of the public is the pulse of the music which is played, and they

appreciate it from the first minute. Regardless of the field they study or work, people can easily

distinguish a good interpretation from a bad one first of all from the interior pulse of the music,

either they feel it or not. The other musical qualities have not less importance, but they need

first of all the support of time and space to have the possibility of existence. Besides the

metrical marking (3/4; 4/4 etc.) to find the right pulse in music, it necessary to define at least

some of this aspects:

The fraises must be clear for the player, and can be found by following the structure of

the harmony along with the melodical lines, voices and motives.

Dynamics must be constructed proportionally according to the timing that it giving by

fraise or motive.
 Accidental changings of tempo (accelerando; ritardando; etc.), must be constructed

proportionally and the player will have the perception of the two pulsation of tempo,

before and after the indication.

The pauses are part of the music, even a GP (general pause) must have interior

pulsation of the music, because it part of one idea, our job is to understand it.

In perfectly normal for the same piece will sound slightly different played by different

people. Important is that each of them has to convince thru their own interpretation that they play

by the score and found arguments to stand their version.

 3. How this science is related with music

Exact science like physics, math and biology are close related to the musical act and

knowing some of the major aspects from this materials can considerably increase the

performance.

Physics and math will give us information of how the waves of overtones series work,

this is also the biggest difference between a recording and a live performance. The exterior

factors like humidity and temperature play a major role in choosing the tempo and the way how

gets projected. The construction of the instruments and concert halls is based on certain physics

and math principals which must be taken in consideration, as an example for getting a loud

sound on a string instrument in necessary to have an proportional equation between speed and

weight (pressure) or finding the best spot on stage, according to geometrical measurements, to

have a better projection of the sound in the concert hall.

Biology will lead to an organic and balanced act of interpretation. First of all knowledge

of our muscles and how to avoid physical discomfort is critical. In the long run only musicians

who could find the perfect balance between body and instrument perform more than others. The

anatomy of the body is important for the physiological pressure over the player. Emotions,

adrenaline and strength are one of the most decisive factors on the stage during the act of

performance. All three factors must be studied from the scientifically view and adapted to each

individual. At the end we are different, physiologically and psychologically that is why having

basic knowledge of this areas can improve the search of the balance between the player and his

instruments and this will lead to an individual approach of this factors.

 III. Concert hall 202 Potll Annex
For understanding where can be the best spot on stage to perform in this particularly hall
we executed three different experiments using sensible microphones in different paces thru the
hall and a specific passage played at the same dynamic level( as much possible).The same passage
was played thru all four strings passing to the conformable range of the instrument (not higher than
the fourth position)
1. Experiment 1
The cello was playing the passages from the right part of the stage. The microphones wear placed
in the front chairs of the public, two on the sides and one in the middle.
2. Experiment 2

The cello was playing the passages from the middle of the stage. The microphones wear placed in
the middle of the seats, two on the sides and one in the middle.
3. Experiment 3
The cello was playing the passages from the left side of the stage. The microphones wear placed
in the far backside of the seats, two on the sides and one in the middle.

4. Conclusion of the experiment

Experiment nr.1 revealed that it not the best position for the performance, although on the
opposite side of the stage (left) the middle and back seats will have a good perception of the
sound because in that part of the concert hall, the overtone series meet and formed a powerful
round sound. The experiment nr. 3 revealed the opposite, the most fortunate people will be those
who will have seats of the right side of the stage, receiving a full sound, but yet it not the best
place for the performance. As it was probably obvious the experiment nr. 2 was the most
successful from our calculation. Standing in the center of the stage the projection of the sound is
mode balanced and equalized thru the most part of the concert hall. Interesting although was that
in this case also the middle and especially the back seats received the richest sound covered with
overtones, the front seats catches the high frequencies mostly, in all the experiments.
In this case we must take in consideration the size of the hall and shape, because this
could help explain the results. According to our geometrical calculation because the lowest sets
close to the sound sources, they receive the sound faster but mostly the high frequencies. The
overtones are produced from the low register, they are hardly perceptible but create the
impression of the full round sound, serving as a glue between registers. In order for the physical
process to be completed, the overtones need more time and space than. When the waves of the
sound are produced after o while the overtone series appear.
The conclusion of this experiment is that the best place for the player could be in the center of
the stage and in the front seats the sound will considerably louder but in the back seats with
much more quality.
 IV. Conclusion for Music
The role of a musician is to bring to live a certain idea from the music if takes the responsibility to
perform it. Playing the notes not knowing the background of the music historically stylistically
can damage only his image. The score will exist and after him in the same condition, as paper. But
only a responsible musician will be able to bring out an idea. Of course his idea could not be the
best, there will be room for interpretation always but if he will convince the public it already his
merit and this speaks of a certain professional level.
I dont believe that men need special music education for listening the classic music or any
other genres because until we all have the pulse in our hearts the music is one, as people are the
same. The biggest mistake is ours, the musicians who cannot accept that they dont have an idea
of interpretation and that is why cannot speak to the people. Nobody will ever listen to someone
whose ideas are not comprehensive. Music it a language, the most powerful one, because can be
understand on a global level. This prelude of the sixth suite can be played not only In Germany
but also in India, China and any other countries only if the player will be able to speak thru his
instrument, touching the souls of the people with his concept of the piece, this concept will create
the idea and people will understand and this concept starts with choosing the right TEMPO
Physical reality that defines the condition of how sonic vectors are to be united
Condition by which the multitude of information contained in sound can be reduced to a unity
(Sergiu Celibidache)
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