Orchestral Suite No. 3

The Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) opens with a traditional French overture: three sections in which the first and last are based on a dotted-note theme played by full ensemble; the middle section is in a fast, fugal style. Like the Magnificat to come later this evening, D major is a tonality will suited to the inclusion of natural (valveless) trumpets. The central fugue of this overture is longer than many others in the genre, but it provides a suitably expansive beginning for this magnificent Suite. The overture is followed by one of the most globally performed and recognized pieces of Baroque music. The Air in G Major signifies a lyrical, non-dance movement. Its appeal lies in the transparent and simple harmonic structure enlivened with chromatic touches, over which Bach’s string trio takes alternating turns in presenting the melodic line.
The remaining four movements in this Suite are two Gavottes, a Bourrée, and a Gigue. This Suite has fewer movements than its companions in the genre. But the exact number of movements in such works was not a rigid concept. Dances could be added or removed to accommodate the specific situation. In its present form, the D-major collection shows an orchestral suite at its most streamlined.

(c) Jason Stell