English Suite No. 2 in A Minor

English Suite No. 1 had made a powerful statement of intent with its record number of dance movements. For the Second, Bach switches from radiant A major to A minor and nails its feisty colours to the mast with a meaty “Prelude” whose nimble contrasting episodes and pithy refrain nod to the ethos of the Italian concerto—a genre in which he’d immersed himself by making keyboard arrangements of Vivaldi. Somewhat Italianate, too, is the concluding “Gigue”, which is propelled by the rhythmic urgency of that most impetuous of Italian dances, the Tarantella. Between these resolute bookends, an amiable “Allemande” and French-sounding “Courante” pave the way to a tender “Sarabande” whose two halves are treated to gorgeously embellished written-out repeats. It’s followed by a pair of invigorating “Bourrées”, the second resplendent in A major, and coquettish over a rustic, drone-like bass. About J.S. Bach's English Suites The six English Suites represent Bach’s first and conspicuously imposing essay in keyboard anthologising. In reality, however, they’re no more English than the Hanover-born King George I! A copy owned by Bach’s son (and adopted Londoner) Johann Christian is inscribed “made for the English”, and the suites share similarities with those by the French-born, London-based Charles Dieupart; but it’s to continental Europe they owe their compositional allegiance. Composed during the second decade of the 18th century, and likely in Weimar, they graft onto the root stock of the French Suite the fruits of Bach’s exposure to the new Vivaldian concerto model. Prefaced by a muscular “Prelude” each Suite nurtures its own scheme of dances, and each cultivates a striking individuality.