About Bach’s Sarabande

A sarabande is a slow three-beat dance, usually placed after the Courant of the suite, with the strong beat on the second beat. The sarabande is often followed by a minuet, gavotte, or bourrée. It may also includes a doble. Bach is full of masterpieces of sarabande, but I have listed my top five favorites among them.

(1) Sarabande from French Suite No. 2 in C minor

This is my favorite sarabande. It has a very contemplative and philosophical atmosphere, and is a song that purifies the listener’s mind. I remember that I was very moved when I heard it played by Czech harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková on the modern harpsichord.

(2) Sarabande from Partita No. 6 in E minor

This is a very fantastic, profound, and most Sarabande-like piece, especially good when played on an 8-foot keyboard.

(3)Sarabande from Orchestral Suite No. 2

This is a beautiful Sarabande that brings tears to the audience’s eyes. It is an elaborate canon piece written by Bach.

(4) Sarabande from Lute Suite in C minor

This piece has an atmosphere reminiscent of the final chorale of the Matthew Passion, and its tragic atmosphere is unbearably good.

(5)Sarabande from Suite No. 5 in C minor for Unaccompanied Cello

This sarabande is unexpectedly written with a monophonic melody. This is a sarabande that only Bach could have written. Subtract anything, add anything, and this piece would collapse immediately. As an inner expression, there is no better piece of music than this, and it is a well-thought-out sarabande. #baroque #bach #sarabande #片山俊幸