Expert: Justin - 7/25/2011

Question
Hi Justin,

Can you please tell me if the following is a genuine Bach suite and if so which is it?

http://soundcloud.com/beginners-soundtrack/bach-suite

Thank you -
Gil

Answer
Hi Gil.
It certainly sounds a lot like Bach, although I'm unable to find any of Bach's works that sound exactly like this. I'm not aware of any works for solo trumpet or trombone, so if this music was genuine Bach then it's certainly a new arrangement. To refresh my memory I listened through the most likely candidates i.e. Bach's works for solo instrument (his cello suites, violin sonatas and partitas, and flute partita) but it wasn't any of those. So the possibilities that remain are:
1. This is not genuine Bach but a piece composed in the style of Bach, or
2. If this is Bach then the arrangers have taken a single part out of a multi-part work.

I suggest that you enjoy the piece as it is, and also expand your listening of Bach's work which will give you many hours of enjoyment, and you might just find the original work in there one day.  Happy listening.