Bach: English Suite No.

in A Minor, BWV 807

Your Instructor: Anne-Marie McDermott

tonebase Piano
 Introduction
Keep the following in mind as you work through this suite

It is important to always think about the large-scale architecture of the piece, even though
there are a million small things to focus on.
There are no written dynamics in this music, so we must be inventive. No two notes should be
the same dynamic. We are always applying shape to our lines.
To have good articulation, keep your fingers (and whole playing apparatus) busy and actively
pulling the music out of the piano.
Be intentional with what you play. Have a clear concept and deliberately train your fingers to
follow through. The greater your discipline while practicing, the more freedom you'll have
to execute anything you imagine.
Many pianists believe Bach would have loved the modern-day piano, and that we should feel
comfortable using the pedals in specific instances. Maintain good musical taste when
choosing where and how much to use the left or right pedal.
Use the rhythmic variations on the following page to practice sixteenth notes across the
whole suite. You can also try all the combinations of dotted rhythms for pairs of notes and
groups of four, changing which note of the group is the long one. Be very disciplined! Then,
practice with a metronome to solidify your internal pulse. However, be careful never to be
metronomic when you perform this piece. Keeping a living, heartbeat-like pulse does not
mean being a perfect metronome all the time.

Introduction Prelude Allemande

Courante Sarabande Bourrée I

Bourrée II Gigue
 ANNOTATED SCORE

This prelude is joyous, as if champagne-bottle corks are popping all around.

Think
about the
pulse in
advance of
the
entrance:

Ways to practice: CLICK TO WATCH LESSON

1) Practice the two hands 3) Change the subdivision so the time signature is 9/8:
separately for this piece, paying
more attention to your non-
dominant hand. Exaggerate the
contrapuntal motion while
practicing to help tune the ear
and reinforce muscle memory.
4) Play four notes slow and four notes fast:
2) As an experiment, phrase
every two sixteenth notes.

Go through the entire movement with these methods, remaining strict

and consistent (otherwise, you won't reap the benefits).
etc.

When playing groups of four notes, most of us naturally pay more

attention to the bigger beats (1 and 3). Paying attention to the
upbeats, 2 and 4, can bring more poise to the music. This applies to
groups of sixteenth notes as well as big beats in duple meter!

Your audience shouldn't be exhausted by the end

of this prelude, despite the many sixteenth notes!
Remember that your most important teacher is yourself.

Experiment and constantly open up your imagination to

discover what's truly possible.

The pulse is like a heartbeat; our heart doesn’t

always beat at the same rate!

B Section; more singing, slightly gentler touch

Conversation between the hands

Opening theme in E Minor, and response in left hand

Never play a repeated phrase the same way, even if it’s transposed

Every phrase must be captivating and fresh

Pay attention to third beats!

Demonstrate the narrative of this music to your audience with shaping

Very deliberate transition!

Opening theme in E minor again, make this a special

moment; less joy, more reserved

B section theme is now filled with joy!
Very dramatic moment!

sense of finality in the

development
Recapitulation: filled with even more joy!

Why is it different? Because we’re different. We’ve

experienced Bach’s beautiful musical explorations.

Try to create variation via articulation

 Additional left-hand voices

Make time for the music to calm down. Slow

down for the last two and a half bars.

Asssignment: Practice the prelude five times in a row,

each time exploring different possibilities.

CLICK TO WATCH LESSON Different character and sound world from

surrounding movements (typical of allemandes)

Gentle, long and flowing lines

Don’t overdo the A section the first time; present the material simply
 The entire A section should be one long line

Ornamentation is not a chance to show off - keep them very subtle

Don’t relax when the music stops! Hold the tension in your gut as if you’re a singer

The pulse should remain malleable

 More mysterious, dramatic, even
B Section: ok to use very shallow pedal longer lines the second time

The sustain pedal on a modern piano has 256 gradations. We can press it
very lightly to create slightly more sonority when appropriate.

Pick a very decisive high point the second time; what is your intention?
 Ends very softly

CLICK TO WATCH LESSON

Very sudden transition to a high point; uplifting movement

Remember to pay attention to the third beats! Don’t tumble through them

Don’t forget to let the lines breathe

 CLICK TO WATCH LESSON

This is sacred, challenging music, despite being very slow.

tiny breath here

Phrase 2 (same length) Phrase 3 (extended)

Principle of three: Phrase 1 (short)

"magical moment!"

Is this moment expected or not expected?

Think about the long lines, and caress

Intentionality: visualize the sound you want to hear

the sound out of the instrument

Entice the listener to "come with me"
Exercise for playing soft: visualize that you don’t have any bones in your hand

B Section

end of Phrase 3 Play with a richer, deeper sound Practice away from the piano: go for a long walk and
think about this music. What does it make you feel?

Extremely tender moment

This movement must have a sense of timelessness: "you always have more time than you think you do"

Realization of the Sarabande

also written by Bach
CLICK TO WATCH LESSON
Strongly contrasting character versus the Sarabande

Keep the first A section "behind the curtain" and more reserved;

this better respects the transition from the previous dance

 Practice techniques: use various rhythms (as in the Prelude
make circles with the wrist to prevent arms from getting tired

As an exercise, try playing the entire movement like a machine;

then, immediately play it over-expressively to explore new possibilities

Bring out moments where Bach varies the register
 CLICK TO WATCH LESSON
Another contrasting character: in the key of A Major for the first time

Held notes are more organ-like; requires a deeper touch

 CLICK TO WATCH LESSON

Like a Moto Perpetuo; nonstop notes

Pay attention to all six notes in the bar; don’t feel it in 2

Shape!

Use altered rhythms here while practicing and be disciplined!

Transposed theme
Wrist and elbow flexibility is essential to have stamina

Experiment with motion in the entire body