Description
Bach’s iconic cello suites are often played on barytone saxophone. They can then be played in their original keys, and even, with some adjustment, from the original cello scores. I have always preferred to play these pieces on higher saxophones because of their lighter sound. To me lightness is of far higher importance than staying in the original key. Because the higher saxophones do not have a low a, this means that in some cases a fundamental note of the piece is transposed an octave up, which I think is not the right thing to do. I rather transpose the piece up to a suitable key. Bach himself had the habit of adapting keys in arrangements of his own works or that of other composers according to the nature of the instruments intended.
For this publication I have stayed true to the original slurrings, using the autograph of Anna Magdalena Bach (Bach’s second wife) as the source.
I recorded this collection on my 4th solo album Bach Suites (CC 72769)
