Comments

You'll do fine. It is so appropriate - the majesty of Bach in a church
Have fun! I LOVE Bach's first cello suite prelude! And I have heard it is just as good on Viola! Sounds pretty good on the Euphonium too.

Yah, it must be something about bach and church, I am playing Bach's concerto in A minor at the VA church in a couple of weeks... Short notice, but it is really easy!

The whole Bach A minor or just a movement?

One reason I am playing unaccompanied Bach is that it bugs me to practice pieces that need accompaniment when I don't have the accompaniment readily available. The Legende has piano accompaniment and I still haven't played both parts together because it's been hard to coordinate with the pianist. Yikes. We're going to rehearse Saturday and Sunday morning.

I'm biased, but at this point I think I prefer the cello suites on viola. I listened to a cello recording for a change of pace the other day and it just sounded too low. I feel like Goldilocks: the violin is too high, the cello is too low, but the viola is just right.

Karen- I LOVE teh 1st Suite Prelude! It was the first suite I started with... also the first time I ever shifted out of first position. For that last tricky line, look back one more line or so. What you are really doing is moving from 1st position, then a jump to 3rd for one beat, then to forth and remaining there until the final chord with a small 1/2 step shift. When I first learned this piece, my teacher had me play every other note (the higher ones) in those drone sections. After you get that down, add the remaining notes of the 16th note run (one of which is an open D). Since you stress the higher notes, any small intonation problems get lost a bit in the resonance of the open D and the higher note. Also the 2nd to last measure uses a fingered C on the D string, you can check your tuning if your lower C string gets its sympathetic vibration. The same thing happens with the measure before that with a fingered A. Good luck, Karen! (Oh, I'm with you on the nerves business!)