Bach Suite 4 - Courante and Sarabande

It’s been quite a while since my last post, so here are two videos! The Courante is usually a faster dance in Bach suites, with a bouncy and lively character. In Italian, the same dance is called a Corrente, which is also the term for “running.” In this example from the 4th Suite, there is a lot of back and forth between triplets and duples to keep the texture lively.

The next dance contrasts with the quick and exciting Courante. The Sarabande is usually the slowest movement in the Cello Suites, and is usually the most serious in character. All of the dotted rhythms in this particular Sarabande set it apart from the other suites. I think the effect is similar to a Baroque French Overture, sounding poised and austere.