The Best YouTube Performances of BWV 996 Bach Prelude in E Minor on Guitar

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite in E minor, BWV 996, is a famous piece for solo lute played more often today on the classical guitar. The most famous movement, the BWV 996 Bach Prelude in E minor, is a favorite of guitarists. It’s part of a collection of works Bach composed for the lute, which was a popular instrument during his time. This suite is notable for its intricate and expressive compositions, showcasing Bach’s mastery of counterpoint, harmony, and form. Let’s get to know the piece a bit more and listen to some wonderful performances.

Breakdown of the Movements

Prelude: This movement is in a free-form style, often used by Bach as an introductory piece. It features arpeggiated chords, an imitative counterpoint, and a sense of improvisation.

Allemande: A traditional German dance in 4/4 time, characterized by its moderate tempo and a structure of four phrases. The Allemande in BWV 996 is full of rich harmonies and contrapuntal textures.

Courante: This movement is also a dance, typically in triple meter. It has a faster tempo and a lively character, often involving intricate rhythmic patterns and ornamentation.

Sarabande: A slow, stately dance in triple meter. The Sarabande is known for its expressive qualities and is often characterized by its emphasis on the second beat of the measure.

Bourrées I & II: A pair of contrasting dances, both in binary form (two sections). The first Bourrée is lively and upbeat, while the second is more lyrical and flowing.

Gigue: A fast-paced dance in compound meter, known for its rhythmic drive and energetic character. Gigues are typically the concluding movements in Baroque dance suites.

Written for the Lute

It’s worth noting that Suite BWV 996 was originally written for the lute, which has a unique tuning and playing technique compared to other stringed instruments like the guitar. However, the suite has been transcribed and performed on various instruments, including the guitar, due to its musical richness and complexity.

The Suite BWV 996 is a prime example of Bach’s ability to create intricate, emotionally resonant music within the constraints of dance forms. Its combination of technical challenges and expressive qualities has made it a favorite among both performers and listeners, and it remains an important piece in the repertoire of Baroque music.

Manuscript History

The most well-known arrangments of the suite are by Frank Koonce. In it, he discusses the main sources of the suite. I have copied his information below:

A manuscript in the handwriting of Bach’s cousin, Johann Gottfried Walther (source A), later contained in a collection by Bach’s pupil, Johann Ludwig Krebs, si the principal source for this suite. No autograph is known ot exist. Walther’scopy is now preserved at the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek in Berlin (Mus. ms. Bach P. 801, p. 385-395). The title reads “Praeludio – con la Suite da Gio: Bast. Bach.” Below the title, ni an unidentified handwriting, are the words “aufs Lauten Werck.” believed ot have been added around 1800.

A second early copy, attributed to Bach’s pupil, Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber, is now unfortunately lost. The manuscript had been used, however, in the preparation of J.S. Bach Klavierwerke, edited by Hans Bischoff ni 1888 (source B).4 From his edition an approximate reconstruction of Gerber’s orig- inal is possible.

A third copy, transposed to A minor, is now housed at the Bibliothèque Royal Albert Iin Brussels (Fétis 2960 = Ms. I 4093). It has been determined from the writing and paper that this manuscript dates from the latter half of the eighteenth century. The identity of the copyistis unknown.

The Solo Lute Works of J.S. Bach (ed. Frank Koonce)

Full Performances of BWV 996 Bach in E Minor

Why full performances? I know I wrote the title as the Bach prelude in E minor. These are the most searched-for words for this suite. Forgive me if it was misleading but each of the below videos has the prelude at the beginning. This suite deserves listening to in its entirety. I get frustrated with the breaking up of suites online to play just one movement without taking into account the overall expression of the entire suite. Therefore, each of these performances plays the entire suite. All have no talking except for the video of David Russell. I urge you to take some time, pause, and listen to them from beginning to end.

I will include a little biographical information below. However, I will not comment on what I like or don’t like about their playing. You should listen and decide for yourself. I will say that each of them is true to the score and performance practice from my perspective.

Marcin Dylla

Marcin Dylla is a Polish classical guitarist who has won over fifteen international competitions. Considered one of the world’s leading classical guitarists, he displays, like all the others in this list, technical virtuosity, musicality, and wide-ranging repertoire. Dylla has performed extensively throughout the world and has recorded numerous albums. He is currently a professor of guitar at the Music Academy in Katowice and Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.

Sanel Redzic

Sanel Redžić started to play guitar at the age of eight under the tutelage of Predrag Stanković with whom he later finished secondary music school in 2007. He continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik “Franz Liszt” in Weimar under Thomas Müller-Pering and Ricardo Gallen. Mr. Redžić has recorded several CDs for Gramofon Sarajevo, Central German Radio (MDR), and KSG Exaudio. Additionally, he has appeared in numerous radio and television productions.

David Russell

As if this guitarist needs an introduction…David Russell is a Scottish classical guitarist who is considered one of the greatest living guitarists of his generation. He displays high technical virtuosity, musicality, and a wide-ranging repertoire. Russell has performed extensively throughout the world and has recorded numerous albums. He is also a professor of guitar at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Evangelina Mascardi

I’ve chosen to include a lute for reference to what the sound quality differences from the guitar. This performance is stellar and almost makes me want to pick up the lute (almost). Evangelina Mascardi is an Argentinian lutenist, guitarist, and theorbist. She is considered to be one of the most prominent lute players on the international scene. Mascardi has performed extensively throughout the world and has recorded numerous albums. She is currently a professor of lute at the Conservatorio Antonio Vivaldi in Alessandria, Italy. Mascardi’s playing displays technical virtuosity, musicality, and historical authenticity.

Conclusion

The above performances are arguably the best performances of this wonderful lute piece by Bach (even if I did title to blog post Bach Prelude in E Minor). I do not think I will ever tire of hearing Bach played on the guitar. Bach might have to be the subject of my next post on pairing an album and wine (last weekend’s post). I, again, urge you. Take some time and enjoy the beauty of Bach and the sound created by these great masters playing BWV 996.

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