Bach's fifth cello suite, in C minor, continues the experiments with texture, style, and counterpoint undertaken in the first four works in the set of six. It calls for the top string of the cello to be played scordatura, in this case tuned down from A to G. This affects the sonority of the open string and the overtones produced when played with other strings, creating a distinctive effect. Some cellists disregard the unusual tuning specification, but doing so adds to the work's already formidable technical challenges.
The fifth suite's Prelude replaces the toccata-like movements of the rest of the set with an overture in the French style, beginning with a slow, moody Adagio introduction with dense chords and irregular rhythms. These lead into an Allegro section where a fugue-like counterpoint is implied but not explicitly played.
The Allemande and Courante have a mournfulness reminiscent of their counterparts in the second suite, but feature richer, denser chording. But as much as Bach explores the contrapuntal possibilities of the cello here, his truly sublime achievement is the Sarabande. It offers some 100 notes of one-voice, single-line playing, with no chords and an unchanging rhythmic pattern. And yet its mix of great leaps and leading tones convey a lifetime of sorrow and wisdom. The harmonic structure is haunting, providing one point of tension after another with little resolution until the very end. The Gavotte galanterie is chordal and anguished again despite its name, but the final Gigue closes on a much more ambiguous, hushed note than does its D minor relative. ~ James Liu, All Music Guide
| 30 Years Outside the Box |
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| 30 Years Outside the Box |
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| Alban Gerhardt plays Bach, Britten, Kodály |
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| Azure |
2004 |
| Bach 2000 Light: The Complete Bach Edition (without Sacred Cantatas) (includes Commemorative Book) (Box Set) |
1999 |
| Bach Edition, Vol. 1 [Box Set] |
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| Bach Edition, Vol. 1: Orchestral Works; Chamber Works [Box Set] |
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| Bach Edition: Complete Works [Box Set] |
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| Bach Edition: Complete Works [Box Set] |
2006 |
| Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites: Performed on Double Bass |
2000 |
| Bach on the Lute |
2007 |
| Bach to Nature: Three Suites Performed in the Wilderness |
1994 |
| Bach: 6 Cello Suites |
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| Bach: 6 Cello Suites BWV 1007-1012 |
1997 |
| Bach: 6 Cello-Suiten |
1999 |
| Bach: 6 Cello-Suiten, BWV 1007-1012 |
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| Bach: 6 Suiten für Violoncello solo |
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| Bach: 6 Suites a Violoncello Solo Senza Basso [Hybrid SACD] |
2006 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for Cello |
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| Bach: 6 Suites for Cello Solo |
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| Bach: 6 Suites for Cello Solo (Complete) |
2003 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for Cello, BWV 1007-1012 |
1992 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for Solo Cello |
2000 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for Violoncello Solo |
1996 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for Violoncello, BWV 1007-1012 [CD & DVD Video] |
2005 |
| Bach: 6 Suites for violoncello solo [Hybrid SACD] |
2008 |
| Bach: 6 Suites per violoncello solo senza basso |
2006 |
| Bach: 6 Suites, BWV 1007-1012 |
2006 |
| Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 |
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| Bach: Cello Suiten |
1997 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2004 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2005 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2004 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1985 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2005 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2004 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Cello Suites |
2006 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Cello Suites |
2007 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1996 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2009 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1996 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1999 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1998 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1999 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1985 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1997 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Cello Suites |
1998 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Cello Suites |
1999 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1999 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
2000 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1997 |
| Bach: Cello Suites |
1994 |
| Bach: Cello Suites (Complete) |
2002 |
| Bach: Cello Suites - Arranged for Baritone Saxophone |
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| Bach: Cello Suites 1-3-5 |
1993 |
| Bach: Cello Suites 1-3-5 |
1993 |
| Bach: Cello Suites 1-3-5 |
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| Bach: Cello Suites 1-6 |
2003 |
| Bach: Cello Suites 4-6 |
1998 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1, 3, 5 |
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| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1, 4, 5 |
1995 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1, 4, 5 [Includes DVD: Rare Perfomance of Rostropovich on Film] |
2004 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1, 5, 6 |
2001 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 |
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| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 |
1995 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 |
2000 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 |
2001 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 |
2003 |
| Bach: Cello Suites Vol.2 |
1999 |
| Bach: Cello Suites [2 CDs + DVD] |
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| Bach: Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012 |
1997 |
| Bach: Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012 (Transcribed for Harp) |
2007 |
| Bach: Cello Suites, Nos. 1, 3, 5 |
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| Bach: Chamber Works |
1999 |
| Bach: Les Suites pour Violoncelle Nos. 5 & 6 |
1992 |
| Bach: Sechs Suiten für Violoncello solo |
2004 |
| Bach: Six Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Six Cello Suites, BWV1007-1012 |
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| Bach: Six Solo Cello Suites |
2007 |
| Bach: Six Solo Suites |
1997 |
| Bach: Six Suites For Cello BWV 1007-1012 |
1993 |
| Bach: Six Suites For Solo Cello BWV 1007-1012 |
1985 |
| Bach: Six Suites for Cello Solo Vol. 1 |
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| Bach: Six Suites for Solo Celllo, BWV 1007-1012 |
1992 |
| Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello |
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| Bach: Six Suites for Solo Violoncello |
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| Bach: Six Suites; Sonatas in G major & D major |
1991 |
| Bach: Solo Cello Suites |
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| Bach: Solo Suites; Chromatic Fantasy; Chaconne |
2001 |
| Bach: Sonatas BWV.1027-1029/Suite |
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| Bach: Sonates pour viole de gambe et clavecin |
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| Bach: Suite for cello (or viola) solo No3; Suite for cello (or viola) solo No1 |
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| Bach: Suiten Für Violoncello (Suites (6) For Solo Cello) |
1997 |
| Bach: Suites BWV 1010-1012 |
1997 |
| Bach: Suites For Double Bass |
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| Bach: Suites a Violoncello Solo senza Basso (Box Set) |
2003 |
| Bach: Suites a Violoncello Solo senza Basso Nos. 3, 4, 5 |
2001 |
| Bach: Suites for Cello |
1997 |
| Bach: Suites for Cello Solo |
2000 |
| Bach: Suites for Cello Solo |
1990 |
| Bach: Suites for Cello, Vol. 2 |
1988 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello |
2008 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello |
1993 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello |
1997 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello Nos. 3-5 |
1989 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello, Vol. 2 |
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| Bach: Suites for Solo Cello; Sonatas in G & D Major [Hybrid SACD] |
1991 |
| Bach: Suites for Solo Stringed Instruments [Box Set] |
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| Bach: Suites for Solo Violoncello, Vol. 2 |
1997 |
| Bach: Suites for Unaccompanied Cello Nos. 4-6 |
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| Bach: Suites for Violoncello Solo |
1994 |
| Bach: Suites pour Violoncelle |
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| Bach: The 6 Cello Suites |
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| Bach: The 6 Cello Suites |
1994 |
| Bach: The Cello Suites |
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| Bach: The Cello Suites |
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| Bach: The Cello Suites |
2004 |
| Bach: The Cello Suites |
2002 |
| Bach: The Cello Suites [DVD Video] |
1993 |
| Bach: The Cello Suites [DVD Video] |
2007 |
| Bach: The Cello Suites, Vol. 1 |
1993 |
| Bach: The Masterworks [Box Set] |
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| Bach: The Masterworks [Box Set] |
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| Bach: The Six Cello Suites |
2006 |
| Bach: The Six Cello Suites |
2000 |
| Bach: The Six Suites for Cello |
1987 |
| Bach: The Six Suites for Violoncello Solo |
2006 |
| Bach: The Suites for Cello |
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| Bach: Three Suites for Solo Cello |
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| Bach: Transcribed Cello Suites |
2001 |
| Bach: Unaccompanied Cello Suites [Great Performances] |
2006 |
| Best Cello 100 |
2009 |
| Best Cello 100 |
2009 |
| Britten / Bridge / Handel / Bach |
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| Casals Festivals at Prades, Vol. 2 [Box Set] |
2006 |
| Cello Suites, Vol.2 |
1994 |
| Concert in Moscow |
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| Deutsche Harmonia Mundi: 50 Years (1958-2008) [Box Set] |
2008 |
| Euphonic Bach |
1998 |
| Gaspar Cassado Plays Bach Cello Suites |
1996 |
| Historic Russian Archives: Mstislav Rostropovich Edition [Box Set] |
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| Hosokawa, Bach, Yun: Cello |
2002 |
| J. S. Bach: 6 Suites for Cello Solo |
2000 |
| J. S. Bach: Cello Suites |
1994 |
| J. S. Bach: Six Cello Suites |
2000 |
| J. S. Bach: Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello |
1985 |
| J. S. Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites |
2006 |
| J.S. Bach Cello Suites on Trumpet |
2007 |
| J.S. Bach Cello Suites on Trumpet 4-6 |
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| J.S. Bach: 6 Suites a violoncello sola senza basso, BWV 1007-1012 |
2006 |
| J.S. Bach: 6 Suites for Cello Solo |
2000 |
| J.S. Bach: Cello Suites |
2003 |
| J.S. Bach: Cello Suites 1, 3 & 5 |
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| J.S. Bach: Cello Suites 1, 3 & 5; Domenico Gabrielli: Ricercars 1, 3 & 5 |
2007 |
| J.S. Bach: Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012 |
2001 |
| J.S. Bach: Complete Cello Suites |
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| J.S. Bach: Die Cellosuiten |
1985 |
| J.S. Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello |
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| J.S. Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin; Cello Suites |
2004 |
| J.S. Bach: Suites 4-6 for Solo Cello, Disc 2 |
2008 |
| J.S. Bach: The 6 Cello Suites |
2003 |
| J.S. Bach: The Six Cello Suites |
2003 |
| J.S. Bach: The Suites for Cello, Vol. 2 |
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| J.S. Bach: The Suites, Vol. 2 |
2007 |
| J.S.Bach: The six cello suites BWV 1007-1012 |
2004 |
| Jean-Sebastien Bach: Suites Pour Violoncelle Seul B.W.V. 1007-1012 |
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| Johann Sebastian Bach Premium Edition [Box Set] |
2006 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach Premium Edition, Vol. 8 |
2006 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Cello-Suiten |
1985 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Suites a Violoncello Solo senza Basso |
2002 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Suites per violoncello solo senza basso |
1998 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach: Six Suites for Violoncello solo BWV 1007-1012 |
2008 |
| Leopold Godowsky: Transcriptions of Bach Cello Suites Nos. 2, 3, 5 |
2006 |
| Les Introuvables de Janos Starker [Box Set] |
1995 |
| Marimba Suites |
2007 |
| Masterworks: Bach [Box Set] |
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| Misek: Sonata No. 2 in E minor, Op. 6; Bach: Unaccompanied Suites No. 3 & No. 5 |
2001 |
| On the Sunny Side of the Street |
2002 |
| Only Cello |
1992 |
| Pablo Casals Collection, Vol. 2 |
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| Pablo Casals Plays J.S. Bach: The Six Cello Suites |
1996 |
| Per la viola da gamba |
1999 |
| Perspectives: Jànos Starker |
2006 |
| Rostropovich Plays Bach |
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| Rostropovich Plays Bach |
1993 |
| Six Suites for Cello Solo |
1997 |
| The Bach Cello Suites |
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| The Casals Collection (Box Set) |
2002 |
| The Cello Suites: Yo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach (from the Six-Part Film Series) |
1997 |
| Ultimate Cello Classics [Box Set] |
2007 |
| Works for Cello and Piano by Beethoven, Webern, Bach, Ligeti and Stravinsky |
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