J. S. Bach: English Suites Masaaki Suzuki

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806:
• 1 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: I. Prélude 02:24
• 2 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: II. Allemande 06:13
• 3 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: III. Courante I 01:49
• 4 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: IV. Courante II - V. Double I - VI. Double II 06:21
• 5 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: VII. Sarabande 04:56
• 6 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: VIII. Bourrée I & II 04:22
• 7 English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806: IX. Gigue 02:58
• English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807:
• 8 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: I. Prélude 05:12
• 9 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: II. Allemande 04:58
• 10 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: III. Courante 01:57
• 11 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: IV. Sarabande 03:59
• 12 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: V. Bourrée I - VI. Bourrée II 04:24
• 13 English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807: VII. Gigue 03:43
• English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808:
• 14 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: I. Prélude 03:32
• 15 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: II. Allemande 04:33
• 16 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: III. Courante 03:13
• 17 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: IV. Sarabande 03:58
• 18 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: V. Gavotte I - VI. Gavotte II 03:23
• 19 English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808: VII. Gigue 03:02
• English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809:
• 20 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: I. Prélude 04:53
• 21 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: II. Allemande 04:28
• 22 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: III. Courante 01:44
• 23 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: IV. Sarabande 04:30
• 24 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: V. Menuet I - VI. Menuet II 03:29
• 25 English Suite No. 4 in F Major, BWV 809: VII. Gigue 03:35
• English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810:
• 26 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: I. Prélude 05:26
• 27 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: II. Allemande 04:38
• 28 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: III. Courante 02:38
• 29 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: IV. Sarabande 03:12
• 30 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: V. Passepied I - VI. Passepied II 03:10
• 31 English Suite No. 5 in E Minor, BWV 810: VII. Gigue 03:14
• English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811:
• 32 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prélude 08:14
• 33 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: II. Allemande 04:50
• 34 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: III. Courante 02:48
• 35 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: IV. Sarabande - V. Double 06:10
• 36 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: VI. Gavotte I - VII. Gavotte II 04:11
• 37 English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: VIII. Gigue 04:28
• Total Runtime 02:30:35

Info for J. S. Bach: English Suites

A busy schedule as music director of the Bach Collegium Japan and sought-after guest conductor doesn’t stop Masaaki Suzuki from returning to his first loves, the organ and the harpsichord. With the present release he adds yet another chapter to his series of Bach’s works for solo harpsichord. After acclaimed recordings of the Well-tempered Clavier, the Goldberg variations, the French Suites and other works the turn has come to the English Suites. Composed while Bach were in his thirties it precedes other sets such as the French Suites and the Toccatas, and in his liner notes, Bach scholar Yo Tomita draws attention to 'the stylistic traits of a youthful and ambitious composer wanting to make his mark through the use of counterpoint and virtuosity'. Despite its title, the collection has very little to do with England, at least musically: the six suites are instead rooted in the French tradition, and show certain striking similarities to the composer Charles Dieupart’s Six Suittes pour le Clavessin from 1701. (Bach made a copy of Dieupart's set sometime between 1709 and 1716.) It was only in the 19th century that the suites became known as the 'English', based on a never substantiated claim that the set was commissioned by an English nobleman.

Masaaki Suzuki, harpsichord

Masaaki Suzuki
Since founding Bach Collegium Japan in 1990, Masaaki Suzuki has established himself as a leading authority on the works of Bach. He has remained the music director of the BCJ ever since, taking it regularly to major venues and festivals in Europe and the USA. In addition to working with renowned period ensembles, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Philharmonia Baroque, he conducts orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in repertoire ranging from Mendelssohn to Stravinsky. Suzuki’s impressive

discography on the BIS label, featuring Bach’s choral works as well as harpsichord and organ recitals, has brought him many critical plaudits – The Times (UK) has written: ‘it would take an iron bar not to be moved by his crispness, sobriety and spiritual vigour’. With the BCJ he is now extending the ensemble’s repertoire with recordings of Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

Born in Kobe, Masaaki Suzuki graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music and went on to study harpsichord and organ at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam under Ton Koopman and Piet Kee. Founder and professor emeritus of the early music department at the Tokyo University of the Arts, he was on the faculty at the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music from 2009 until 2013, and remains affiliated as the principal guest conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum.

Booklet for J. S. Bach: English Suites