CET tey iii Ra “i aH meSilva de Sirenas musiche per linto, tiorba, vibuela e chitarra barocca Johann Sebastian Bach Opere complete per Liuto Complete Works for Lute Vol. 1: Suite BWV 995 Vol. 2: Suite BWY 996 Vol. 3: Suite BWV 997 Vol. 4: Suite BWV 1006a Vol. 5: Preludio, Fuga e Allegro BWV 998 Vol. 6: Preludio BWV 999 e Fuga BWV 1000 versione per Liuto barocco di Hopkinson Smith version for Baroque Lute by Hopkinson Smith SDs 03 EMEP PUI ntIntroduction ‘The works of Johann Sebastian Bach which are generally considered to have been originally written for the lute (BWV 995-1000 and 1006a) are being published here in a series of practical editions. Unlike some other collections in Bach’s oeuvre, the lute works come from diverse sources and were never considered to be an organic unit during the composer's lifetime. They were first grouped together at the end of the 19° century by the editors of the Bach Gesellschaft. The numbering of the Suites that is commonly used by gui- tarists today dates from the 1920's. Many questions remain regarding the playability of these works on the lute. The original keys are some- times awkward, and there are problems of range and density of texture which can lead one to ask whether they were actually conceived for the lute at all. Interestingly enough, Bach’s solo Sonatas and Partitas for violin and his Suites for cello often lend themselves more organically to the lute As the problems relating to the so-called ‘official’ works became more clearly defined, a significant body of practical and musicological reflexions on these matters came to be published in different journals and editions. It is not my intention to go through this literature here*, nor do I intend to discuss the varieties of sometimes very creative solutions that other lutenists may have utilized in approaching these pieces. My aim is, rather, to present playable versions in tablature for the standard 13-course lute of Bach’s time in the d minor tuning. I have steered clear of scordatura tunings and modifications to the instrument itself. In some cases, where the original key of a piece seemed unnecessarily cumbersome, I have changed it, taking it as a principle that there is nothing sacred in a tonality if it renders a piece, or parts thereof, unplayable. I feel that this approach starts with the music itself and seeks to bring it to life in a pragmatic spirit that is close to the 18% century. Each edition in this series will have an introduction which discusses sources and specific points of interest or enigmas related to the individual piece. I feel that, ideally, every student of the lute should make his or her own versions of these pieces, and thus be directly confronted with problems related ro them. Hopefully these editions will stimulate thought on these matters and also provide clear and practical solutions which can help one on his or her journey toward the incomparable expressiveness and depth of these works, reite, 1982).SUITE BWV 996 ‘Two manuscript versions of this work, neither of them in the hand of J. S. Bach, have survived from the 18 century. The principle source used for the present edition is the copy in two staffs (soprano and bass clefs) presumably written out by Johann Gottfried Walter (Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, Berlin; shelf number Mus, Ms. Bach P 801). The following title is given: Praeludio - con la Svite da Gio: Bast. Bach. Immediately under this, in another hand (presumably that of Johann Tobias Krebs), we find the addition “aufs Lauten Werck” {for the lute harpsichord]. Another source for this work, written in an unknown hand, can be found in a collection of Bach’s keyboard works in the Brussels Bibliothque Royale (shelfmark Il. 4093). Interestingly enough, here we find the work in the key of A minor, a refreshing reminder that trans- position is not only the domain of the modern editor. i Of all Bach's so-called “original” works for the lute, keyboard players will tell you that this is the one which lends itself most organically to the harpsichord; problems abound for the lutenist eager to play every note of this music exactly as it was notated. ‘The awkwardness of the key of E minor, used only most rarely by Sylvius Weiss, for instance, is one damper on the lutenist’s original enthusiasm. Another is the meticulous detail with which the voice leading, the sometimes flamboyant density of texture, and the duration of individual notes (fully idiomatic on the keyboard) is notated. Neither do the Presto’s self-assured imitations of the theme in the region below the bass clef endear themselves to the lutenist who strives for clarity. In the process of seeking out the least awkward version of this piece, I tried intabulating it in the original key as well as a semitone and a minor third higher. The best overall compromise seemed to be the key of F minor. Lutenists will be surprised to see so many rests written into the tablature, and some will surely find it pretentious and somewhat self-important on the part of the editor to include these details from the keyboard score. On the other hand, the rests tell us so much about how the work was originally conceived ~ from phrasing to clarity of voice-leading, and showing them can often help point the performer to specific ‘musical ideas which would otherwise remain hidden. As always, lute players are encouraged to consult the staff-notation version before giving too much authority to any editor's edition. In the Praeludio, | have thinned out some chords and occasionally transposed bass notes for the sake of playability. Some adventurous long-fingered lutenists may find other solutions. The Allemande and Cou- ante are especially interesting to look at in the staff-notation version: the former for the plethora of Fro- berger-like tenuto indications when the fingers are to be left on the keys; the latter for the intricacy and closeness of the part writing which, on the lute, is occasionally impossible to realize exactly as it looks. _ Forthose musicians who consult the Newe Bach Ausgabe version of the Sarabande, beware of the passages in the second part of the piece where groups of five and seven notes come in the space of a quarter note. They have been reorganized shythmically (“over civilized” in a way) by the editor implying a solution which I doubt the composer intended. In the Giga, for the sake of clarity, I have introduced more octave transpositions than in the other move- ments. The lutenist will understand why when checking the original ‘The tuning of the lute’s basses should be as follows for this piece: i te sé Because of the intensity of melodic activity on the sixth and occasionally seventh courses, he lutenist may wish to string them in unisons. ° HOPKINSON SMITHINTRODUZIONE Le opere di Johann Sebastian Bach generalmente considerate ‘come originali per liuto (BWV 995-1000 e 1006a) vengono qui pubblicate in una serie di edizioni pratiche. A differenza di altri sruppi di opere bachiane, le composizioni per listo provengono. da fonti differenti e non farono mai concepite come un'uniti organica nel corso dela vita dl compositore. Vennero uni pet Ja prima volta alla fine dell’s00 dai curatori della Bach Gesell schaft La numerazione delle suites oggi comunemente diffusa ra i citarisrisale agli anni 20, Rimangono tutors aperte numerose question riguardant ese- suibilita di questi lavori sul luto, Le tonalia original si dimo- $eano spn somods w! sno inci prem dees lensta del tessuto compositivo che possono portare a chiedesi secisitroviffettivamentedifronte perc concepteinspecifico peril liuto. Si consideri che le Sonate e Partite per violino solo e Je Suites per violoncello di Bach risultano generalmente molto pi confacent ale esigenze dela serituralutisica. Numerose significativi sono stati contribut, apparsi su riviste eceizioi musica, vol all'spprofondimento di quest proble. matic sia sotto I'aspetto pratico sia sotto quello musicelogico Non mia intenzione in questa sede entrare nell specifico della questione* ¢ nemmeno analizzare le svarate a volte alquanto creative soluzioni adottate da alts liutsti nel'affrontare i brani in cogetto. I! mio proposito& piuttosto, quello di ofrire edizioni pratche in intavolatura per il liuto baroeco a 13 cori dell_poca 4 Bach con accordatura in Re minore. Ho evitato di utlizzare scordature odieffettuare modifiche allo strumento. In alcuni casi in ui la tonalita originale del brano appariva inutilmente sco moda, ho provveduto a modificarla, partendo dal principio che ron vi & mula di sacro in una tonalita se rende il pezzo, 0 parte disso, insvonabile. Sono convinto che questo tipo di spproccio tragga origine dalla musia stssa e contibuises a portra alla luce secondo uno spirito prammatico molto vicino 4 quello del sec. XVII Ogni volume di questa collana sari corredato di un’introduzione descrttiva delle fontie di specifici motivi di interese o enigmi telatvial'opera. Credo che, idealmente, ogni studente di luto dovrebbe produrre una propria versione di questi pezzi, per c = et Ba zt $6 LO Passagsio 3 ’ k & 8 s s 8 pddes fof : Z ce = eee ou oox ot ex | boa ba aby 016 pb ~ a ‘ PUIG FR ARPS Ps aiTa a . z, z biabo bana ey a Bebe #9 +6 a Presio FUWIA ib ehh PB Ga eG OS Fee eS. See i sDso3Suite BWV 996 3 "ye ds DARDS hs 1) 1) dros ay 1 “Fore aa as ds ds ah ad do ee ee ee ee a = Fara f°a rrarals 77 ot DA ode dd DN OD ae fa Ff [6 ©UT ORPHEUS EDIZIONI 20044 JS. Bach Allemande ds spso3Suite BWV 996 F 3 a a a a ; 2 3 - : f Be o pp FS bh + t tr { oF r — 2 Ve yeaag_tat gt yas to 2= % 4 s fais 4 a a. = “fg aa yy i z SSS | 6 6 7 2 % Y a Courante dd 0 IG TA a (© UT ORPHEUS EDIZIONI 20086 JS. Bach eh dh Id Sh 1d 1 TO Tid db oo) ORAS » 1 mT) 3 al GLb @ 5 7 z spsosSuite BWV 996 5 Sarabande Oe TSE aM Tmo 4 ras 4 4 eee poede eee (© UT ORPHEUS EDIZIONI200¢JS. Bach Bourrée \ Dy a Lea sd SHLD. a aa aoe 7] ee eae et eee eter eee eet) aid dd 3 - - = ess pA = % t 6 a % ao gre een eae ce aq\b 2 op d ee eae SDS 03Suite BWV 996 Giga © UT ORPHEUS EDIZIONI 200410 JS. Bach SDS03aes race ee ee? | olon21 506587