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Tips on Bach Cello Suite No. 1?

3K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  itsJast 
#1 ·
So I've just ordered Trent Kynaston's saxophone transcription of Bach's Six Suites For Violoncello Solo and will be working on Suite No. 1 for the Texas UIL Solo & Ensemble contest come February. I've already looked at some older posts on it from the SOTW forums and some tips on other sites, along with listening to a bunch of recordings from celloists (Yo-yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, Pablo Casals, Mstislav Rostropovich) and some saxophonists on youtube as well.

Before I start my journey on this amazing piece, I would like some advice to help me get the beast down. Things like practicing certain exercises, using X fingering instead of Y fingering for N note, etc. would be much appreciated as well. :)

I also heard that the 6th Movement has altissimo. Which note(s) would those be? I'm only required to play 4 of the movements, but knowing in advance wouldn't hurt. :mrgreen:
 
#2 ·
I also heard that the 6th Movement has altissimo. Which note(s) would those be? I'm only required to play 4 of the movements, but knowing in advance wouldn't hurt. :mrgreen:
I don't recall any altissimo in the Gigue from Suite No. 1, but I don't have the music in front of me. Are you sure you're not thinking of Suite No. 6? That suite has a lot of altissimo because it may have been composed for a piccolo cello.
 
#4 ·
I prefer to play the cello suites (the ones I can handle) on alto because that's my best sax. But I've played some on tenor and even soprano as well. My personal view is that tenor is the best choice even though baritone is the closest sax to the cello's range, because the tenor is a better solo instrument and is the closest sax to the cello's lyrical quality, which is a more important factor than range.

If you're going to use alto, make sure you listen to Jamal Rossi's recording of Suite No. 1 on alto, on his Caprice album.
 
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