I wrote Bach Study as a reflection on Bach’s most famous Cello Suite in G major; the first movement, which I have always admired for its elegant calmness and beauty. My piece is quite different to the Bach original, it is a lively, almost jolly kind of piece. I decided to base the first eight bars on single notes in the right hand, entirely inside the range of one octave from middle C upwards and in the first four bars of this starting section I quoted the exact pitches, however in a different order, of the beginning bars of the original. The piece then unfolded freely away from the Cello Suite, but with occasional glimpses of typical Bach arpeggiated patterns. Towards the end of the piece the original cello melody is directly quoted three times in the left hand.
Elena Kats-Chernin, 2010
Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer.
