I put together this selection of movements from Bach’s third suite for Violoncello solo, BWV 1009, in a kind of “concession” to modern times. Decades ago, I used to open my recitals with a complete Bach Sonata or Partita, which could be challenging, especially for those attending a solo marimba recital for the first time. This “Mini-Suite” (three movements of the C-Major Cello Suite) takes about twelve minutes, which fits nicely into any full recital program of mixed repertoire. The marimba is a superb instrument for the performance of polyphonic baroque music. Not only is the ring of a marimba bar similar to a lute, the range of the modern marimba happens to start on the same bottom pitch as the cello. Coincidence . . . or destiny? It’s not much of a stretch to say that if Bach had heard a modern, “well-tempered marimba,” he might have composed music for it. LHS
