Alessandra Artifoni - Bach: The English Suites, BWV 806-811 (2017)

The English Suites is the title traditionally given to J.S. Bach’s splendid collection of dances, assembled by tonality and preceded by a Prelude, probably dating from the second decade of the 18th century, perhaps before 1717. The German musicologist Johann Nikolaus Forkel states that the suites were composed for an English nobleman, but adds nothing more. Recently, scholars have made various suggestions, with some thinking that the word English would refer not so much to their style as to the notation technique used by the composer, which he had defined as Préludes avec les suites. The English Suites BWV 806-811 have always been considered a worthy counterpart to the French Suites BWV 812-817. Alessandra Artifoni, who recorded the latter for Dynamic two years ago (CDS 757) now presents these counterparts on an instrument built by Tony Chinnery after Mietke (Berlin, 1702), and using Neidhardt temperament.

TRACKLIST

CD1

01. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: I. Prélude
02. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: II. Allemande
03. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: III. Courante
04. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: IV. Sarabande
05. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: V. Bourrées I & II
06. English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: VI. Gigue
07. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: I. Prélude
08. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: II. Allemande
09. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: III. Courante I
10. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: IV. Courante II
11. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: V. Sarabande
12. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: VI. Bourrées I & II
13. English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: VII. Gigue
14. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: I. Prélude
15. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: II. Allemande
16. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: III. Courante
17. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: IV. Sarabande
18. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: V. Passepieds I & II
19. English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: VI. Gigue

CD2

01. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: I. Prélude
02. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: II. Allemande
03. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: III. Courante
04. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: IV. Sarabande
05. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: V. Gavottes I & II
06. English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: VI. Gigue
07. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: I. Prélude
08. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: II. Allemande
09. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: III. Courante
10. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: IV. Sarabande
11. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: V. Menuets I & II
12. English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: VI. Gigue
13. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prélude
14. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: II. Allemande
15. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: III. Courante
16. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: IV. Sarabande-Double
17. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: V. Gavottes I & II
18. English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: VI. Gigue