PROGRESSIVE SERIES COMPOSITIONS

( Catalog No, lIOl )

FRENCH SUITE, No.5.

Allemande, COUl'ante, Sarabande, Gavotte,

BIOGRArnICM, SKE'I'Cll-,JOrL\?\X SEBASTIAN DACIJ

norn at Ei~cni.lcll, rL'llUl'iH~ia, ?\farcll ~lst, lG85.

Died at IA'ipsic, Saxony, .July :?8th, 1750,

NE of the greatest composers of all time, aud the most prominent representative of n family

II O
,
of famous musicians who held a distinguisheJ position in GermanY' for over two hundred
years. Becoming an orphan at an e:lrly age, he was tnrown upon the care of his older
brother, Johann Christoph, who became his teacher, .
At the age of fifteen he obtained a position in the choir of St. Michael's School at LiinellUrg, and
from this time l,e depended upon himself, While here, besides vocal music, he stmlied violin, organ and
clavichord (forerunner of the piano). It was while at Luneberg that he made several journeys on foot to
Hamburg to hear Re;nken and other famous Organists,
In 1703 Bach went to Weimer ~.s violinist in the Court Orchestra of Prinee Johann Ernst. We
cannot follow him in this sketch through all the events of his life, but as teacher, organist anJ composer,
he left his impress upon his time and gradually developed into the great master whose fame and work
are epoch.making in the splenJor of achievement, and thcir effect upon the COUl's~ of musical history.
In 1723 Bach was appointed cantor of the famous Thomas School at Leipsic, which position he held
until his death, in spite of many discouragements and much· annoyance. His one solace was his delightful
home life. Bach was twice married and the father of twenty children, some of whom developed great
musical talent.
His works were greatiy neglected until Mendelssohr: revived them by bringing out the Passion Mu-
sic at Berlin in 1829. It is said that Bach's equal as an organist never cxisted. IIe fixed the system of
equal temperament which has made modern music possible, and, in fact, there was nothing which per-
tains to the art of music in which Bach was not a consummate master.
He composed an i=ense quantity of music for the church, for the organ, violin and clavichord,
and various other instruments, besides his celebrated Passion Music (so-called because the words are
from the New Testament account of the passion of Christ), and the celebrated Mass in B-minor. The
"Well·Tempered Clavier," containing the forty·eight Preludes and Fugncs, is inuispcllsahlc to the pianist,
and all his work shows the most conSUlllmate mastery of the resoUl'ces of lUusical art.
FORM AND STRUCTURE.-The first part of the Allemande consists of a period of 13 measures which
closcs in the key of the dominant. Tile period might haye endl'll on the
second half of measure 8. The second Ilalf of the Allemunde, wllicll begins with mCUSUl'e 13, simplY spins
out the melody of the original motiy(~, sometilllC'l' h)' lllPUIlR of tl'iln~fol'mntinnRof lIlplotlic fl'ag:mrlltf' which
are comllined into a movement t\l'elvc measures lon~. Each Ilalf of the piece is relwatcd hut there is no
return to tile first part.
The Courante. The germ of this piece is the melody fonnd in mcasures :?5 and :?li. This consists, in the
first measure, of a descending scale·like motiye in sixtcentll-notes, follo\l'ed hy a figurc in hroken thirlls in
measure 25. Measure 26 carries ou the idea Ilut in ei~lltll-notes, tbus, f'ontrasting witll the fir'st me"snre.
Tbe left hand part of measure :?G imitatcs the melody of measure :?'" hut does not continne tile imitation
beyond the first three notes of measnre :?G, unless one chooses to regm'(l tIll' second thl'ee eighths of meU'IIl'l'
27 as a transposition of the seconc1 three eig'hths in meaS1l1'e :?G; unqu~stionahly thc composer waR \1el'-
fectiy conscious of the similarity of these two fig-ures and of their key·relationship. 'l'hi8 leads, in 111l'aR111'"
28, to a repetition in the left hand of the melodic motive of measure 2". 'rhus, tIl<' picee is spnn onto
using eighth-notcs and sixte~nth-not~s, and, finally, the first part ends \l'ith measure 40, 'rhe sccond pm't,
heginning with measurc 41, shows the melodic gerlU of the first part, but her(' in the left hand, It \l'ilI h"

Ano. 92-2
Copyrighted 191'J,Vnrtld States of America, Cruzl Britain tltfd l"ttrnaftonal Copyright Union and Alutria by Art PubJi·
kltlon Soddy, St. LOllis, Mo., U. S. A. Copyright Canada 1911 by Art 'Publication SocieJy, limited. Ril!.bts of Trans·
lalion and aU other righls reur.ea.

J
Page 2 j<'RENCH SUITE, No.5
easy, from what has heen stated, for the pupil to go through the rest of this piece and identify the different
measures where the original motive is used 01' where fragments of it are transformed into new ideas.

The SarabandE'. This piece also falls into two main parts, the first part being sixteen measures long,
the second part is 24 measures long. The chief motive of tbe piece is used very extensively in building
up the entire composition.

The Gavotte. This composition is a genuine modern three·part song form. The first periou enus in
measure 8. The second period ends in measure 16. 'l'he third period ends in measure 24. 'l'he third
period is not exactly like the first period, but its movement and much of its contents are very similar,
sufficiently so to enable us to identify this piece, as above stated.

POETIC IDEA.-It is not known definitely why this Suite of pieces was designated as a "French" Suite.
This suite was composed in the year 1722. A description of all the dances containeu
in the first half of this suite have been given in Lesson 84 of the Progressive Series and it is, therefore,
unnecessary to take this matter up again in detail. We should like, however, to uraw your attention to
the order in which the pieces come in this Suite. First, comes the Allemande in the key of G. Next
comes the COUl'ante in the key of G. Then, the Sarabande, also, in the key of G; the Gavotte, which is
in the key of G. Of the three pieces which go to complete this Suite, and which are published in full in
our Catalogue, they are all in the key of G. Consequently, no attempt was made to obt.ain t.onal contrast
hy means of change of key of the pieces composing the Snite, and, indeed, no very radical modulations
occur during the course of the pieces themselves; consequently, if the Suite is to be played complete at
one sitting, contrast will be obt.ained by means of the snccession of each movement, as these pieces all
have their characteristic rhythms.

The Allemande is in 4 time, the Courante in 3 allegro, the Sarabande in

4' 3 andante. The
4 4
Gavotte is written in alla breve time. The Bourree is written iu alla b"e/;e time, the Loure in 6 time,
4
the Gigue in 12 time. There is thus a very great variety of rhythmic contrast.
16
ROW TO STUDY.-We have given, up to the present time, so many of the Inventions of Bach, with full
and explicit direct.ions as to how to study them, that positively nothing new in the
way of mechanical difficulties can exist in these pieces to haffle the student. In stUdying these pieces, apply
the principles which have been used heretofore in the study of Bach's works. The Inventions, as you
already know, were written primarily as a preparatory study for the works of this master and they ade-
quately serve their purpose.

The marks of expression in this piece, together with the slurs and the marks showing the correct speeds
at which the different pieces should be executed, will convey all needed information in regard to the inter-
pretation of these compositions.

Finally, let it be horne in mind that this is one of the favorites "among the Suites of this master.
Re wrote six French and six English Suites. The Sarabande of this Suite is a beautiful aria-like com-
position and should be rendered with great effect. The entire set of pieces which we give herewith will
be a source of great satisfaction and delight to the student who takes the trouble to master them.

Ano. 92-2

J
 French Suite.
N95.
Edited hi! .Emil Sauer. Joh. Seb. Bach.
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92,6.
The metronome marks show the rate of speed at which each movement is to begin. Naturally, during the
course of the movement, the te,"po will bear. and indeed' require the most ,manifold modifications.

Copyrighted IQIJ, Unded Statt!s of America. Great Britain and {nternallorlOl Copyright Union and Austria
by Art Publica/ion Society. Sf. Louis. Mo .. U. S. A. Copyright C!lnada IQIJ by Art Publication Society.
Limited. Rights of Translation and all Olher rights rcst."-ved.

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p,.ench Suite, No. 5, 2. 92, 6.

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French Suite, No. 5, 4. 92,6.

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French 8'u,~e. No. 5, 5. 92. U.

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French 8uite' No.5, 6. 92,6.

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 RECITATION QUESTIONS ON "FRENCH SUITE, NO.5."

1. Give date and place of birth of Joh. Seh. TIach.

Ans.

2. Explain briefly the structure of the Allemande.

Ans.

3. Explain very briefly the structure of the COUl·ante.

Ans.

4. Explain \'cry briefly the structure of the Sarabande.

Ans.

5. Explain very briefly the stt'Ucture of the Gavotte.

Ans.

6. In \vhat key are alI the pieces in this Suite?

Ans.

7. As contrast is not ohtained by change of key, how is it obtained'

Ans.

8. How many French Suitcs did Bach write!

Ans.

9. How many English Suitcs diu he write!

Ans.

10. Explah very briefly the best mcthod of practicing these pieccs.
Ans.

For Teacher's Record Class No. .

Received _ PnpiI. _
Grade (on Scale 100) _ Addressl _
Teacher _
Ano. 92-f

,
 Music Education
VS.

Imitation of the Teacher

Music Education is no longer a luxury. It has become a part of our
everyday life, and is of vital importance to every cultured person. But,
there is a vast difference between a Music Education and the ability
to move the fingers over the keyboard to produce a succession of sounds.
In one case, there is initiative and musical understanding-the other is
mechanical mimicry of the teacher.
A Music Education for a piano student consists of two things:
(1) A mind trained to understand the fundamentals
and construction of music, and the principles
which underlie piano playing.
(2) Hands trained to execute the will of the educated
mind.
Equipped with a true Music Education, the student is materially
assisted in his own playing-he can draw on his store of accumulated
knowledge and make independent progress-he can understand and
appreciate the artistry of others.
Lacking a Music Education, the student can only mimic the teacher-
there is no musical inspiration-he has no foundation of music knowl-
edge upon which he can build and progress.
This Composition offers the student not only the music score with
authoritative pedaling, fingering and phrasing-but also the poetic idea
of the composer in writing this particular number, and annotations on
proper interpretation. The entire Progressive Series Course is just as
complete, just as sound pedagogically and music<tlly as this composition.
Talent in music is not essential to the acquirement of a practical educa-
tion in music. The Progressive Series of Piano Lessons enables the music
instructor to impart a Music Education with the same success and
results with which academic subjects are taught in the public schools.
For further information, see a Progressive Series Teacher or address:

Teachers Department
ART PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Saint Louis, Missouri