Thank you to those who donated to Piano Society in 2017.

French Suites



The French Suites were composed between 1722 and 1725. They consist of the traditional dances like Allemande, Courante, Menuet, Gavotte, Gigue, Sarabande as well as some less-frequently encountered dances like the Anglaise, Polonaise, Air, Bourree and Loure. These suites, not particularly 'French' in idiom, lack preludes, and are shorter and less elaborate than the Partitas and English Suites. Nevertheless, they contain some of Bach's most popular and accessible keyboard writing.

As usual with Bach, parts of the suites were recycled from earlier works or sketchbooks, and they underwent several revisions after publication, like the addition of extra ornamentation.


Six French Suites, BWV 812-817 (1722-1725)
Complete recording by Gregorio Szames

BWV 812 - French Suite No.1 in D minor
1 Allemande 1:48
2 Courante 1:16
3 Sarabande 2:32
4/5 Menuet I / II 4:19
6 Gigue 2:10
BWV 813 - French Suite No.2 in C minor
1 Allemande 2:40
2 Courante 1:21
3 Sarabande 2:42
4 Air 0:57
5 Menuet 1:02
6 Gigue 1:42
BWV 814 - French Suite No.3 in B minor
1 Allemande 2:13
2 Courante 1:25
3 Sarabande 2:19
4 Anglaise 1:00
5 Menuet - Trio 2:39
6 Gigue 1:47
BWV 815 - French Suite No.4 in E flat major
1 Allemande 1:25
2 Courante 1:19
3 Sarabande 2:39
4 Gavotte 0:55
5 Menuet 1:07
6 Air 1:15
7 Gigue 1:54
BWV 816 - French Suite No.5 in G major
1 Allemande 2:01
2 Courante 1:28
3 Sarabande 3:44
4 Gavotte 0:48
5 Bourrée 1:00
6 Loure 1:29
7 Gigue 2:40
BWV 817 - French Suite No.6 in E major
1 Allemande 1:58
2 Courante 1:15
3 Sarabande 3:26
4 Gavotte 0:53
5 Polonaise 1:05
6 Menuet 1:01
7 Bourrée 1:04
8 Gigue 1:56



Six French Suites, BWV 812-817 (1722-1725)
Complete recording by Breemer, C.

BWV 812 - French Suite No.1 in D minor
1 Allemande 3:12
2 Courante 2:21
3 Sarabande 2:44
4 Menuet I 1:04
5 Menuet II 2:33
6 Gigue 2:27
BWV 813 - French Suite No.2 in C minor
1 Allemande 2:55
2 Courante 1:59
3 Sarabande 3:09
4 Air 1:54
5 Menuet 1:42
6 Gigue 2:07
BWV 814 - French Suite No.3 in B minor
1 Allemande 2:37
2 Courante 2:08
3 Sarabande 3:24
4 Anglaise 1:41
5 Menuet - Trio 3:27
6 Gigue 2:01
BWV 815 - French Suite No.4 in E flat major
1 Allemande 2:19
2 Courante 1:54
3 Sarabande 3:15
4 Gavotte 1:13
5 Menuet 1:07
6 Air 1:58
7 Gigue 2:26
BWV 816 - French Suite No.5 in G major
1 Allemande 2:46
2 Courante 1:50
3 Sarabande 4:52
4 Gavotte 1:16
5 Bourrée 1:30
6 Loure 2:34
7 Gigue 3:12
BWV 817 - French Suite No.6 in E major
1 Allemande 2:30
2 Courante 1:44
3 Sarabande 3:22
4 Gavotte 1:23
5 Polonaise 1:23
6 Menuet 1:25
7 Bourrée 1:25
8 Gigue 2:20





French Suite no.2 in B minor, BWV813


5
BWV 813Menuet
1:40
Chetty, S.


French Suite no.3 in B minor, BWV814

Complete recording by Charlotte Hawkins
1
BWV 814Allemande2:37
2
BWV 814Courante2:10
3
BWV 814Sarabande2:38
4
BWV 814Anglaise1:29
5
BWV 814Menuet - Trio
3:03
6
BWV 814Gigue2:08


French Suite no.3 in B minor, BWV814


3
BWV 814Sarabande3:12
Welch, L.
5
BWV 814Menuet
1:39
Chetty, S.
5
BWV 814Menuet - Trio3:18
Welch, L.




French Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 815

Complete recording by Joseph Renouf
1 Allemande2:10
2 Courante1:48
3 Sarabande2:43
4 Gavotte1:22
5 Minuet0:52
6 Aria2:06
7 Gigue2:23



French Suite no.5 in G major, BWV816

Complete recording by Joachim Parrow
1
BWV 816Allemande3:50
2
BWV 816Courante1:35
3
BWV 816Sarabande3:43
4
BWV 816Gavotte1:15
5
BWV 816Bourrée1:09
6
BWV 816Loure3:39
7
BWV 816Gigue3:07



French Suite no.5 in G major, BWV816

Complete recording by Tobias Sing
1
BWV 816Allemande3:16
2
BWV 816Courante1:32
3
BWV 816Sarabande3:49
4
BWV 816Gavotte1:33
5
BWV 816Bourrée1:21
6
BWV 816Loure3:16
7
BWV 816Gigue3:49



1
BWV 816Allemande2:31
Kaidja, L.
4
BWV 816Gavotte
1:15
Chetty, S.
7
BWV 816Gigue1:54
Chetty, S.



French Suite no.6 in E major, BWV817

Complete recording by Gan, W.M.
1
BWV 817Allemande1:55
2
BWV 817Courante1:11
3
BWV 817Sarabande2:26
4
BWV 817Gavotte1:10
5
BWV 817Polonaise1:20
6
BWV 817Menuet0:52
7
BWV 817Bourrée0:57
8
BWV 817
Gigue
1:55


1
BWV 817
Allemande
2:03
Bisotti, S.


 

Share This Page