One of the hallmarks of timeless music is that it can be captivating no matter the style or arrangement, and that is certainly the case for the Prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. It’s one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music, but it’s been played in jazz and even heavy metal settings.
The piece, composed sometime around 1720, has been a rite of passage for cellists, as it demands a focus on interpretation and expression. However, the cello suites as a whole were not always as popular as it is today. In fact, they were nearly lost to time. They were not officially published until 1820 – over a hundred years after their composition – and even then, they were only viewed as etudes for practice and not for performance.
“The suites languished in near obscurity until a 13-year-old Catalan cello student named Pablo Casals discovered a printed copy at a second-hand bookseller in Barcelona in 1890,” EarSense explains. “Casals began a lifelong obsession with the suites, practicing them for well over a decade before presenting them in public performance.”
Casals would record them in the 1930s, introducing them to the music-loving world and establishing them as a standard of cello repertoire. Part of the allure is that it is perfectly written for the cello. As Colorado Public Radio says, “if the cello were to write music for itself, it would be the Bach cello suites.
“Nowadays, the Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1 isn’t just for cello. Bach’s masterful work has been played on nearly every instrument imaginable, and today we’re looking at seven arrangements that each bring out a different aspect of the work.
But first, we’ll start with the intended approach by the one and only Yo-Yo Ma.
Yo-Yo Ma’s Definitive Take on Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1
One could say that Yo-Yo Ma is well-acquainted with the Cello Suites. He’s recorded the entire set of music on three occasions, starting in 1983 with ‘Bach: The Unaccompanied Cello Suites,’ which won him his first Grammy. The latest recording is 2017’s ‘Six Evolutions,’ which Classics Today called a “simpler and more refined” take.
In this clip, Ma performs the Prelude among nature in the Smoky Mountains. He waxes philosophical about getting it just right in the YouTube description.
“I’ve spent decades trying to get this piece right. At some point, I found a way in: in the same way that a river begins far before we meet it, I imagine this music starting long before I play the first note; I just have to join it,” he says. “Like the river, the music is always flowing, and like the river, it’s always changing. All I have to do is picture a river, feel its energy, get into its flow, and follow it.”
Electric Bass Meets Baroque: Fabian Wendt’s Innovative Arrangement
The electric bass wasn’t invented until 200 years after Bach composed Cello Suite No. 1, so Fabian Wendt’s amazing take on the Prelude is something the Baroque musical architect couldn’t even dream of.
While the addition of frets helps to squash any intonation issues on the bass guitar, it’s a particularly tricky piece to play. As mentioned, Bach wrote the piece for cello, so he planned for comfortable fingerings and string crossings. The bass guitar is tuned in fourths (E, A, D, G), as opposed the cello, which is tuned in fifths (C,G,D,A). This forces players to make some decisions about where to shift and what fingers to use.
Aside from nailing the phrasing, Wendt brings a new texture to the end of the piece by playing the final phrase with artificial harmonics, adding air and levity to round things out.
Bach’s Prelude Brought to Life on Harp by Seána Davey
The Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 is not written for a chordal instrument, but the way it’s composed implies chord changes through a wash of arpeggios across the strings. Seána Davey’s version on the harp helps to bring out the harmony as the notes on her harp ring out. The low, satisfying pedal tones help to give more context to the beautiful arpeggiated runs.
This may be the most soothing version of the Prelude you’ve ever heard.
Julia Lange Reimagines the Prelude for Classical Guitar
Julia Lange adds even more tranquility to the Prelude on her classical guitar. The tone of the nylon strings adds roundness to every note. While she makes it look easy, the coordination of left and right-hand techniques makes this a good workout for the guitar. Note that this version transposes the key from G major to D major to get the full use of the open strings.
An Alto Saxophone Interpretation of Bach by Wonki Lee
Who says you need strings to play music written for the cello? Wonki Lee demonstrates the Prelude on alto saxophone, transposing it to concert Ab in order to make it fit the instrument.
Without the aid of ringing strings, Lee puts extra care into every note. It also causes him to phrase differently in order to fit his breathing for a unique approach.
Cy Leo’s Chromatic Harmonica Spin on the Iconic Prelude
Harmonicas aren’t just for the blues! Here, Cy Leo performs the Prelude on a chromatic harmonica, which has a button-activated sliding bar to let players hit every note. Again, his breath work dictates his articulations, bringing another perspective to the music.
Percussive Precision: Aaron Grooves Plays Bach on Marimba
Last, but not least, we get a look at the percussive side of Bach with a performance on marimba by Aaron Grooves, who says he uses the piece as a warm-up. He uses four mallets to work on his coordination, though he admits that you can play it with fewer.
Grooves also notes it’s one of his favorite compositions, and you can tell it’s true by the huge smile on the last note.
Explore the Prelude Yourself: Bach for Any Instrument
No matter your instrument, the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 is a performance-worthy workout that will bolster your skill and musicality. Check out the cello score, but browse MuseScore to find it for guitar, baritone saxophone, marimba, or whatever else you play.
